Rodok
Abderrazzak AbouyaalaAn MQL, short for marketing qualified lead, is a contact who has shown enough fit and interest, by your own rules, to be worth passing from marketing to sales. The rules are yours: a score, a list of actions, or both. The lead is not yet a sales opportunity. It has only earned a closer look.
Why MQLs exist
In a team where marketing brings leads in and sales closes them, someone has to decide when a lead is ready for a person. Without a shared rule, sales complains that leads are weak and marketing complains that sales ignores them. The MQL is the agreed line between the two. In a small team where the founder does both jobs, you may not need the label, but you still need the rule.
MQL vs SQL
| MQL | SQL | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marketing qualified lead | Sales qualified lead |
| Decided by | A score or set of actions | A person, after a conversation |
| Question it answers | Is this worth a call or email? | Is there a real need, budget and timing? |
| Next step | A rep reaches out | A deal is created |
An MQL becomes an SQL only when a rep confirms the lead is a real opportunity. Many MQLs never get there, and that is normal.
How scoring decides an MQL
Most teams use lead scoring: points for fit (title, company size, industry) and points for activity (replying, visiting the pricing page, starting a trial). When a lead crosses the threshold, it becomes an MQL. For example, a lead might need 60 points, with a VP title worth 20 and a pricing page visit worth 15. The numbers are only an illustration; set yours from closed deals. For the judgment that comes next, see lead qualification.
Common mistakes
- Handing off too early. A whitepaper download alone is a weak reason to call. Pass leads on when fit and a real action combine.
- Never reviewing the threshold. If MQLs rarely become customers, the score is wrong, not the reps.
- Counting MQLs as the goal. More MQLs is not more revenue. Track how many become SQLs and then customers.
- No feedback loop. Reps should be able to say why a lead was poor, and that should change the rules.
The MQL in Rodok
Rodok does not run marketing campaigns or score website visits. Its trackers find people who match a signal you describe, such as a new VP of Sales at a B2B software company, and AI marks each one hot or warm with a short reason. That gives a small sales team a ready list without a marketing hand-off.
Frequently asked questions
What does MQL stand for?
MQL stands for marketing qualified lead. It is a lead that has met the rules your team set for being ready for sales contact.
Is an MQL the same as a lead?
No. Every MQL is a lead, but most leads are not MQLs. The label marks the ones that passed your threshold for fit and interest.
Do small teams need MQLs?
Often not as a separate stage. If one person finds and sells to leads, a simple hot, warm or cold label is enough. The label matters when two teams share the work.
