Definition
An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is a prospect who has shown enough engagement or fit — based on marketing criteria — to be passed to sales for follow-up.
Detailed Explanation
Typical MQL triggers: downloaded gated content, attended webinar, visited pricing page 3+ times, filled demo form, lead score above threshold.
MQL criteria must align with sales — marketing and sales agree on definition, scoring, and SLA for follow-up speed.
Nepal Context
Nepali B2B teams often treat every form fill as MQL. Define minimum criteria (company size, budget signal, job title) before routing to sales — especially when follow-up is manual via phone/WhatsApp.
Practical Examples
- A SaaS company counts a lead as MQL when someone from a company of 50+ staff views pricing and books a demo.
- A training institute counts an MQL as someone who downloads the course brochure and opens two follow-up emails.
How to Check It
- Report MQLs by source each month alongside the share that sales accepts.
- Measure time from MQL to first contact; long delays usually mean lost leads.
- Hold a monthly review with sales to adjust scoring rules.
Key Takeaways
- MQL = marketing says “worth a sales conversation”
- Define criteria jointly with sales
- Measure MQL→SQL conversion rate, not just MQL volume
Common Mistakes
- Every form fill labeled MQL
- No feedback loop when sales rejects leads
- Slow follow-up — MQLs go cold within hours
