MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)
A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is a lead that marketing has determined to be worth sales follow-up — based on a combination of fit (matches ICP) and engagement signals (downloads, page visits, demo request).
What is MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)?
MQL is the formal handoff point between marketing and sales — and the source of most marketing-sales friction when the definition isn't shared. A clean MQL definition has explicit criteria: fit threshold (the account scores above X on the ICP rubric), engagement threshold (specific actions in a specific window), and disqualifiers (titles, geographies, or industries that don't qualify regardless of engagement). Without the discipline, MQL becomes a number marketing chases without sales using.
Why it matters
- MQL is the conversion handoff between marketing and sales — definition matters.
- Shared MQL definition is the single biggest enabler of sales-marketing alignment.
- MQL → SQL conversion rate is a key diagnostic of funnel health.
Use cases
- Threshold-triggered routing. A lead crossing MQL threshold automatically routes to BDR or AE.
- Marketing performance. MQLs per channel, per campaign, per quarter as marketing's primary output metric.
- Sales SLA tracking. SLA on MQL follow-up time as a sales accountability metric.
How turgo helps
turgo's lead-scoring model produces the MQL signal automatically — combining fit and engagement — and routes the MQL to the right human or agent in real time.
See turgo in action →
