Sales Qualified Lead
Definition
Sales Qualified Lead: A sales qualified lead is a prospect vetted by both marketing and sales as ready for direct sales engagement. SQLs have demonstrated genuine buying intent, fit the ideal customer profile, and are worth a salesperson's time. The marketing-to-SQL handoff is critical: done well, it focuses sales on winnable deals; done poorly, it wastes everyone's time.
Example Usage
“We define an SQL as an MQL that completes a 15-minute discovery call and confirms budget authority and timeline.”
Common Misconceptions
Related Terms
Marketing Qualified Lead
A marketing qualified lead is a prospect who has demonstrated interest through marketing engagement and meets predefined criteria indicating they're r...
Sales Funnel
A sales funnel represents the journey customers take from first awareness through to purchase. The funnel narrows at each stage as prospects drop off,...
Discovery Call
A discovery call is an initial sales conversation focused on understanding the prospect's situation, challenges, goals, and buying process. The goal i...
Ideal Customer Profile
An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) describes the type of company that would get the most value from your product and provide the most value to your busin...
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