MQL and SQL: The Key to Increase Your Sales in 2022
Lead generation is the basis of inbound marketing strategies (a commercial methodology that seeks to attract customers by creating valuable content.) However, not all leads are the same, and the path between the moment a user shares their data with us for the first time and the point at which they are ready to exercise the purchase action. For lead generation to work, it is essential to identify two stages in the process: Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) and Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).
The MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is the potential customer qualified by marketing, a person who knows exactly what they are looking for from a brand or company. They have explored the web and downloaded some free material in exchange for entering their data. With this information, the company can track their interactions.
The process of generating MQL is a fundamental challenge for marketing professionals, and it has been shown that having this indicator exponentially increases sales and the success of companies.
The MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is the potential customer qualified by marketing
However, it is important to note that if a lead is an MQL, it does not mean that they are ready to buy the product or contract the service; it may be a curious person, in the research phase, who may have been content with just downloading the free material and who in the future may buy the product or service.
To classify a lead as MQL you must:
- Know in depth the profile of your ideal client.
- Apply smarketing, a term in English to designate the strategy that aligns the sales and marketing teams, creating a synergy of techniques or tactics between them.
- Carry out lead scoring, which consists of classifying your leads using criteria and scores.
- Use tools and solutions that help you accurately control where your potential customer is in the funnel.
The SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) is the potential customer most likely to buy. They have gone through the entire funnel, interacted on the website, and perhaps have asked about a product or service that they consider the solution to a problem or the answer to a need. The MQL becomes an SQL thanks to strategic work that is possible if:
- It matches the requirements of the ideal customer.
- It has the necessary means to pay.
- It is a decision-maker (for example, of legal age).
- It has shown an interest in buying, not just browsing the web out of curiosity.
The SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) is the potential customer most likely to buy
Once we have the MQL, we establish an exchange of information that strengthens its link with the brand and this can encourage it to evolve to SQL, through the completion of the sale. This process of correctly qualifying the lead significantly increases the probability of closing a deal.
Using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) during this process of converting MQL leads into SQL helps improve team productivity, enhancing actions for each prospect.
Let’s remember that the CRM stores information on current and potential clients – name, address, telephone, etc –, and their activities and points of contact with the company, including visits to sites, telephone calls, and e-mails, among other interactions.
The platform gathers and integrates valuable data to prepare and update teams with personal customer information, purchase history and preferences, which allows the prospect’s history and the actions that have been developed with the MQL to be concentrated in one space and the SQLs.
A CRM organizes and automates accounts and contacts in an accessible way, in real-time, accelerating and simplifying the sales process, this avoids depending on reminders in sticky notes and spreadsheet analysis. Instead, leads are sent to the sales team, who always have access to up-to-date information.
What did you think of this blog? At Isource Marketing we have the experience to advise you and create a tailored marketing campaign that captivates your ideal client and increases the sales of your product or service, allowing you to achieve success. Contact us: https://isource.agency/#contact
Knowing MQL and SQL fundamentals can help you grow your sales in 2022. Companies like Dynatrace, Imperva, and IBM base their marketing and sales strategies on correctly dealing with MQL and SQL, and we at Isource Marketing are happy to help you along the way. Need more information? Visit https://isource.agency/#services for more information.
