Not every lead is worth passing to sales.

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Some interact once. They download an chile cell phone number data ebook, skim a blog, and disappear.

Others come back, open multiple emails, and check out the pricing page. They’re showing intent, but they’re not sales-ready yet.

We categorize leads at this stage as marketing-qualified leads (MQLs). They’ve shown enough interest and fit to move forward in the funnel, but they still need nurturing before sales steps in. Getting this classification right helps avoid wasted follow-ups and keeps both teams focused on the right opportunities.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide:

What is a marketing-qualified lead
MQL vs SQL
Types of MQLs
Eligibility criteria and qualification process
How to generate and convert MQLs
Let’s begin with what a marketing qualified lead actually is.

What Is a Marketing Qualified Lead?
A marketing qualified lead shows interest and relevance but isn’t ready for a sales conversation yet. They’ve taken actions that suggest they’re actively evaluating, not just casually browsing. This could be downloading a detailed guide, attending a product webinar, or returning to key pages like pricing or features.

That doesn’t make them ready to buy. It just means they’re further along than someone at the awareness stage. Categorizing them as MQLs helps keep the pipeline focused and avoids handing off leads too early.

What counts as qualified behavior depends on your business. In SaaS, it might be comparing pricing tiers or interacting with onboarding content. For service businesses, it would be downloading a proposal guide or viewing multiple case studies. In eCommerce, it could be repeat visits to a product page or adding high-value items to a cart.

It’s about recognizing the difference between passive interest and active consideration, and knowing when it’s worth moving a lead forward. That’s where the MQL–SQL distinction becomes important.