B2B Sales Glossary

MQL vs SQL

An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) has shown enough interest to be worth a follow-up but is not yet ready to buy. An SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) has been vetted further — usually by an SDR — and is ready for an AE conversation. The MQL-to-SQL conversion rate is one of the most-watched funnel metrics in B2B.

What is mql vs sql?

MQLs come from marketing channels (content downloads, webinars, ad clicks) and are scored against ICP fit + engagement signals. SDRs work the MQL queue, run discovery, and either qualify the lead in (becoming an SQL routed to an AE) or qualify it out (returning to nurture). A healthy MQL→SQL rate is typically 20–30% in B2B SaaS. Lower rates suggest marketing is delivering low-quality leads; higher rates suggest the bar is too loose. Some teams use stricter variants: MEL (Marketing Engaged Lead), SAL (Sales Accepted Lead), or PQL (Product Qualified Lead) for product-led growth motions.

Examples

→MQL: downloaded a buyer's guide, fits ICP — handed to SDR for outreach
→SQL: SDR ran 15-minute discovery, confirmed budget and timeline — booked AE meeting
→Funnel: 1,000 MQL → 200 SQL (20% conversion) → 40 opportunities → 8 closed-won

Turn mql vs sql into pipeline with EazyReach

EazyReach gives your team verified direct-dial phone numbers, work emails, and AI calling — all the inputs you need to move mql vs sql from theory into closed-won revenue.

Try EazyReach Free→

✓ Free to start·✓ No credit card·See pricing

Related terms

Quality Lead

A quality lead is a prospect that closely matches your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and shows clear signals of intent — making them significantly more likely to convert than a generic, unqualified lead.

Lead Scoring

Lead scoring is the systematic ranking of leads by their probability to convert. Demographic data (title, company size, industry) gets a "fit" score and observed behavior (page visits, email opens, demo requests) gets an "intent" score — combined into a single number that prioritizes SDR outreach.

Sales Funnel

The sales funnel is the stage-by-stage view of how leads move from first touch to closed-won. Each stage has its own conversion rate, drop-off, and SLA — and the funnel's shape reveals exactly where revenue is being lost.

← Back to the full B2B Sales Glossary