Leads are the fuel that powers opportunities for a business!
Almost every lead has an opportunity hidden in it. However, each one is unique.
Based on their level of interest and intent, leads can be classified as sales qualified and marketing qualified. Marketers must categorize them to provide personalized treatment to every lead and drive them toward a sale.
However, usually, companies chase leads, irrespective of their attributes. And while they produce leads, they cannot materialize them. In most cases, they consider every lead the same with no classification that helps drive the right actions.
If you don’t want to be one among them, here’s the difference between sales qualified leads and marketing qualified leads.
What are Sales Qualified Leads?
Sales qualified leads, as the name suggests, as potential clients assessed and considered prepared to engage with the team.
These are leads that have progressed through and beyond the initial stages of the sales funnel, showing clear intent to buy or engage with a particular offering.
To know more about sales qualified leads, read this blog – What Strategies Can Help You Generate More Sales Qualified Leads?
Sales qualified leads meet the BANT (budget, authority, need, and timeline) criteria. Besides, they would have shown interest, been screened by the marketing team, and had a higher sales conversion potential.
What are Marketing Qualified Leads?
Marketing qualified leads are potential customers who engage with a company’s marketing efforts and are interested in its offerings but aren’t prepared to buy them yet.
Although a couple of steps behind SQL when it comes to buying offerings, they are far ahead and have much better prospects than general leads.
Differences Between Sales Qualified and Marketing Qualified Leads
So, let’s look at some key differences between sales and marketing qualified leads.
| Parameter | Sales Qualified Leads | Marketing Qualified Leads |
| Basic Description | Sales qualified leads are evaluated by the sales team and are prepared to buy a company’s product, services or solutions. | Marketing qualified leads also exhibit considerable potential and interest in a company’s offerings. However, they need more nurturing to convert them into a sales qualified lead or a sale. |
| Qualification Criteria | The sales team of a company qualifies these leads based on their preparedness to buy and fit with the sales criteria. | These leads are usually qualified based on their engagement with a company’s marketing efforts. It can include downloading a report, subscribing to the company’s social media channel, etc. |
| Level of Interaction | These leads would have already interacted with the company’s sales representative or executive. | These leads would have restricted their interaction to marketing channels like websites, social media pages, or emails. |
| Funnel Stage | They are closer to the bottom of the sales funnel, which is the decision-making stage. | They are at the center of the sales funnel, which is the consideration stage. |
| Example | Leads that have asked for a product demo, requested a quote or discussed pricing or have shown willingness to buy. | People who have downloaded a whitepaper, asked for a report, attended a webinar, or subscribed to the company’s newsletter. |
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From the above, you can make out that the fundamentally, sales qualified leads and marketing qualified lead have a subtle difference.
While one has shown an intent to purchase, the other is usually a step away from it.
Sorting both during lead assessment helps you devise the right lead conversion strategy and drive outcomes that drive more value.
If you need this assistance and want to generate quality leads for your business, DemandFluence has got you covered!
We are a seasoned lead generation agency in India with decades of collective experience and strategic intelligence that helps you generate productive leads. Want to connect with our experts and discuss your needs? Email us at hi@demandfluence.com.
