SaaS Marketing
Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)
Quick definition
An SQL is a lead that sales has accepted as worth pursuing, typically after qualifying budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT) or equivalent criteria.
SQLs sit further down the funnel than MQLs. They've usually been touched by sales (discovery call or BDR conversation) and shown active buying intent.
Why Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) matters
The MQL → SQL conversion rate is one of the most diagnostic SaaS funnel metrics. Low rates often indicate misaligned scoring or poor lead quality.
How Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) works in practice
Document SQL criteria, align marketing and sales on them, and re-review quarterly.
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Related terms
Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)
An MQL is a lead that marketing has scored as likely to become a customer, based on demographic fit and engagement with marketing content.
Product Qualified Lead (PQL)
A PQL is a user who has experienced enough value in a free or trial product to be a strong candidate for paid conversion.
Demand Generation
Demand generation is the marketing discipline of creating awareness and interest in your product — building demand that doesn't yet exist.
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
CAC is the total sales and marketing spend required to acquire one paying customer.
Comparison Page
A comparison page is a landing page that compares your product to a competitor (e.g., 'HubSpot vs Salesforce'), targeting prospects in active evaluation mode.