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.