Sales
Definition
A Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) is an MQL that sales has reviewed and accepted as a genuine opportunity. SQL is the moment a lead becomes a sales pipeline opportunity. Sales teams apply qualification frameworks (BANT, MEDDIC, CHAMP) to determine if an MQL meets their bar for active pursuit.
Key points
- SQL is sales-owned; rejection of an MQL back to marketing is normal
- Qualification frameworks formalize the 'is this real' decision
- SQL-to-Closed-Won conversion is a core pipeline metric
- Typical SQL-to-Close rates: 15-30% in B2B SaaS
Example
An MQL calls with sales — the prospect confirms budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT). Sales accepts the lead as an SQL and creates a pipeline opportunity with amount and close date.
Related terms
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