Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)
A Sales Qualified Lead is a prospective customer who has been vetted by the sales team and determined to be ready for direct sales engagement. SQLs have typically passed through earlier marketing qualification stages (such as being an MQL) and meet specific criteria indicating strong intent to purchase — such as requesting a demo, engaging in a sales call, or showing budget and decision-making authority. For Customer Success teams, understanding the SQL stage is important because it sets the foundation for future customer relationships. Leads that are well-qualified at this stage are more likely to become successful, long-term customers. Poorly qualified SQLs, on the other hand, may lead to misaligned expectations, low product adoption, and higher churn risk down the line.