MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)
A lead that marketing has identified as more likely to become a customer.
What is MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)?
A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is a prospect who has engaged with your marketing efforts and meets predefined criteria suggesting higher purchase intent than other leads.
MQLs are determined through lead scoring based on demographic fit (job title, company size, industry) and behavioral signals (content downloads, email opens, website visits, webinar attendance).
The MQL designation sits between a general lead and a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL). MQLs are "warm" - interested but not yet sales-ready.
Effective MQL criteria prevent passing unqualified leads to sales while ensuring genuine opportunities aren't overlooked. The threshold should balance lead volume with lead quality.
MQLs in New Zealand Businesses
NZ companies with smaller sales teams benefit greatly from MQL frameworks - they maximize limited sales resources by focusing on engaged prospects.
Typical NZ MQL criteria include: NZ location, business size appropriate to your solution, engagement with 3+ content pieces, and company in target industry.
For NZ B2B, account for longer research cycles. Kiwi businesses often gather extensive information before engaging sales, so MQL scoring should value consistent engagement over immediate contact.
NZ Business Examples
-
A Wellington software company defines MQLs as: NZ businesses with 10-200 employees, downloaded pricing guide, visited pricing page 2+ times, opened last 3 emails -
An Auckland marketing agency scores leads: 20 points for ebook download, 30 points for case study view, 40 points for demo request, 50 points for pricing enquiry (MQL threshold: 80 points) -
A Christchurch training provider marks MQLs as: attended webinar + visited 5+ course pages + engaged with email sequence
Real-World Industry Examples
SaaS
A project management tool tracks visitor behavior and engagement
Identifies MQLs who start free trial, integrate with one tool, and invite team members - 40% convert to paying customers
B2B Services
A logistics company scores leads from form fills and content engagement
MQLs who download 2+ resources and visit pricing have 5x higher close rate than general enquiries
Manufacturing
An industrial supplier tracks quote requests and product catalog downloads
Leads who request quotes and download technical specs (MQLs) close 30% faster than cold prospects
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between MQL and SQL?
MQLs are marketing's assessment that a lead is worth pursuing. SQLs are sales' confirmation that the lead is a genuine opportunity. MQL → SQL represents the handoff from marketing to sales.
How do I define MQL criteria?
Analyze your best customers: what behaviors did they show before buying? Combine demographic fit (ICP match) with behavioral signals (engagement). Refine based on conversion data - what MQL criteria predict sales success?
What should sales do with MQLs?
Not all MQLs are ready for a hard sales push. Use appropriate follow-up: personalized emails for lower-score MQLs, phone calls for high-score MQLs. Nurture those not ready, and pursue those showing high intent.
Need Help With Your Lead Generation Strategy?
Our team specializes in delivering 30 qualified leads in 30 days for NZ service businesses. We handle the strategy, execution, and optimization - you handle the sales.