A sales qualified lead (SQL) is a prospect that has been identified as a potential customer for a business’s product or service and has been vetted by the sales team as someone worth pursuing further in the sales process. In a sales operations role, defining and managing SQLs is an important part of overseeing the sales pipeline.
The goal of qualifying leads is to determine which prospects are most likely to turn into paying customers based on criteria such as need, budget, timeline, and authority to make purchasing decisions. When a lead is designated as an SQL, it means sales has conducted initial research and outreach and sees potential for a deal.
To become an SQL, a lead typically must meet minimum criteria such as:
- Falling into the company’s target customer profile
- Expressing interest in learning more about the company’s offerings
- Having a stated need or pain point that the product or service can address
- Having budget available for the purchase
- Having decision-making power or influence on purchasing decisions
Sales ops will define the SQL criteria and work with sales teams to track SQLs through the sales funnel. This involves monitoring SQL conversion rates, tracking follow-up activity, and analyzing trends to optimize the lead qualification process. Getting leads properly qualified as SQLs is crucial for an efficient sales process and setting accurate sales forecasts.
To learn more about lead qualification, visit the links below:
Marketing qualified leads
MQLs vs SQLs
