What is a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)?
A Marketing Qualified Lead is an unknown contact entered in the marketing funnel. To be qualified it must have the requirements to be a client.
Qualification takes place when during the leads generation funnel it shows behaviours or information that prove it belongs to the target group. The qualification process may include classifying the lead under some parameters.
To make it clear: if a business offers a solution that improves efficiency on fleet management, a Marketing qualified lead will be a demonstration of interest arriving from the account of a company that uses a fleet of cars for its employees.
What is a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)?
A Sales Qualified Lead is a contact person on behalf of the company that is ready to become a prospective customer by entering in the sales process.
It happens when the contact (lead) expresses interest in a solution. The qualification process requires them to fall into some parameters selected as important to define potential (ideal) clients.
To stay on the previous sample: a Sales qualified lead will be a company that is looking for a solution to make its fleet management more efficient.