Definition
An MQL, or marketing qualified lead, is someone who has shown interest, like asking for a price list. An SQL, or sales qualified lead, is someone whose answers have been checked against your rules and who is ready for a sales call.
How is an MQL different from an SQL?
The difference is whether anyone has checked the lead against your rules. An MQL has done something that shows interest. An SQL has answered enough to show they fit what the business sells. Someone is ready to talk to them.
MQL vs SQL is not the same as lead scoring. Lead scoring is one way to decide when a lead moves from MQL to SQL. It makes that choice come out the same every time.
What does MQL vs SQL look like for a service business?
Large companies often have a marketing team and a sales team. The two labels mark when a lead passes from one team to the other. A small service business usually has one person doing both jobs. The labels still help. They separate "this person is curious" from "this person is worth a call today."
| Stage | What it means | Example for a plumbing company | Usual next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| MQL | Interested, not yet checked | A visitor reads the drain cleaning page and asks about prices | A quick reply with useful information |
| SQL | Checked against your rules | A homeowner inside the service area with a leak that needs fixing this week | A call or a booked time |
You draw the line between the two. A contractor might draw it at a job inside the service area. A design studio might draw it at a budget of at least $2,500.
How does a contact form move a lead from MQL to SQL?
It asks for the facts your rule needs. Then it checks the answers. In Qualiform, your own rules score each inquiry, not the AI. So two inquiries with the same answers always get the same score. The score then puts the lead on one of five rules, from called right away down to politely turned away.
To learn every step, read the guide to qualifying leads from your contact form.
Common questions
Who decides when an MQL becomes an SQL?
The person who takes the sales call should set the rule. In a small business, that is often the owner. Write the rule down, so every inquiry is judged the same way.
Is a lead that is not an SQL a lost lead?
No. It may be a good fit later, or a good fit for someone else. It still deserves a quick, polite reply, even if that reply is not a call.
Do small businesses need separate MQL and SQL stages?
Not always. A business that gets a few inquiries a week can often skip the labels. It still has to decide which inquiries get a call first. The labels describe that same choice.