The ultimate goal of sales and marketing is to get customers. However, this is a task easier said than done.

Lead conversion is needed to move your prospects through the funnel to become customers and is an important step that needs to be maintained to keep up revenue and close on more deals. 

At the core of lead conversion comes in the identification of MQLs and SQLs.

But how can one convert leads if they don’t even understand the difference between MQLs and SQLs?

These two different terms refer to customers in different stages of their journey through your funnel. 

When you don’t know the difference between MQL vs SQL prospects, you can find yourself struggling for consistency between your sales and marketing teams and losing prospects when they aren’t effectively worked on. 

In this article, we’ll help you understand what MQL vs SQL means and give you some tips on how you can transfer between the two and create a cohesive, clear funnel process. This helps your brand convert leads and increase revenue. 

2. Lead Behavior

In addition to the above information that can be collected and used in lead scoring, there are other types of behaviors that your leads can take that will influence whether they rank as an SQL or as an MQL. 

That includes things like:

Site Visits

First-time visitors to your website are almost always MQLs. 

They have an idea about what your brand is and what your offerings are, but haven’t indicated that they want to purchase something immediately. 

When someone repeatedly comes to your website and looks at key pages like product or pricing pages, they might be ready to become an SQL. 

Engagements

The more engagements a user has with your brand, the more likely they are to be considering purchasing from your business. 

If you have an MQL who has continually engaged with your social media, emails, or other content, then they might be ready to transition to an SQL. 

Referral Channel

Not all channels in your network are created equal. Someone liking a Facebook post isn’t as valuable as someone who responds to an email blast. 

The channel that a lead comes in from can have a major impact on whether they are ranked as an MQL or as an SQL. 

Contact Requests

This is the easiest and most accurate way of determining when someone is ready to become an SQL.

If you have a contact page for your sales team or just for the company in general, you know that someone is ready to take the next step and discuss making a purchase. 

It’s a sure-fire way of determining whether a lead is an SQL or if they still need time to convert through the funnel. 

3. Likelihood of Buying

Not everyone who engages with your brand has a high likelihood of buying. As you learn more about a lead, ask yourself questions about things like:

• Budget: Can the lead afford your solution?
• Needs: Can your solution fix the problem your lead has?
• Timeline: How quickly will the lead make the decision?
• Authority: Is the lead the one who will make the purchase decision?

You may also be interested in these articles:

• 6 Simple Strategies to Increase Lead Quality and Improve Your Sales
• Learn How to Track a Lead Source and Measure Success
• Local Lead Generation: What is the Secret to Generating Local Leads?

[/rock-biblioteca]

MQL vs SQL Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the main difference between MQL and SQL?

The main difference between MQL (Marketing Qualified Leads) and SQL (Sales Qualified Leads) lies in their level of readiness to engage with the sales team. MQLs are leads who have shown interest through various marketing activities, indicating potential interest in products or services. On the other hand, SQLs are leads who have demonstrated a higher level of interest and readiness to engage with the sales team, showing intent to purchase or discuss potential solutions in more detail.

How do you determine MQL and SQL?

MQLs and SQLs are typically determined through lead scoring, which involves assigning points to leads based on their interactions with marketing and sales activities. MQLs are identified based on their engagement with marketing content, frequency of interactions, and fit with the ideal customer profile. SQLs, on the other hand, are identified based on specific inquiries about products or services, readiness to move forward with the purchasing process, and other criteria indicating a higher level of interest.

What is the stage from MQL to SQL?

The stage from MQL to SQL represents the transition of leads from the marketing funnel to the sales funnel. This transition occurs when an MQL meets certain criteria indicating a higher level of interest and readiness to engage with the sales team. At this stage, MQLs are further evaluated by the sales team to determine their suitability for direct sales engagement and conversion into customers.

What is MQL in marketing?

MQL, or Marketing Qualified Lead, is a lead who has taken an action that demonstrates an interest in a company’s brand, products, solutions, or services. MQLs are typically identified based on their interactions with marketing content, such as downloading content, attending webinars, visiting website pages, or engaging on social media. These leads are in the early to mid-stage of the sales funnel and require further nurturing to prepare them for sales engagement.

What is MQL to SQL ratio?

The MQL to SQL ratio is a metric used to measure the effectiveness of the lead qualification process and the alignment between marketing and sales efforts. It represents the number of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) that are successfully converted into Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs). A higher MQL to SQL ratio indicates that a larger percentage of MQLs are progressing through the sales funnel and becoming SQLs, reflecting a more efficient lead qualification process and better alignment between marketing and sales teams.

Wrap Up

MQL and SQL are terms to identify leads in different stages of their journey. 

When you can identify which customers are in which group, you can improve your marketing and sales efforts and more effectively target potential customers with the right tactics to convert them further down your sales funnel. 

This helps make things easier between your sales and marketing teams, increases your revenue, and helps your prospects feel heard and respected. 

Understanding your MQL vs SQL prospects is just one way you can improve your conversion metrics. Another tactic is to optimize your sales and marketing funnel from top to bottom.