Plain-language questions
Ask for marketing qualified leads (MQLs) per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Marketing
Marketing qualified leads (MQLs): formula and example.
A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a lead that meets pre-agreed criteria showing it is worth handing over to sales. The criteria usually cover who the lead is, such as industry and job title, and what they do, such as viewing a pricing page or requesting a quote. The number of MQLs and the share of MQLs among all leads show how many usable leads marketing generates.
Marketing qualified leads (MQLs) formula
Number of leads reaching MQL status in the period; MQL rate = number of MQLs ÷ number of new leads × 100%
Worked example
Acme Groothandel received 180 new leads in September. Of these, 63 met the MQL criteria, such as a business email address and a quote request. The MQL rate is 63 ÷ 180 × 100% = 35%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
More MQLs means more follow-up for sales, but it only adds value if those leads often become SQLs and customers. Compare the number of MQLs with previous months and by channel, and always read it alongside MQL to SQL conversion rate. A rising number of MQLs with a falling MQL to SQL rate points to criteria that are too loose.
Pitfalls with marketing qualified leads (MQLs)
- Having no written MQL definition that both marketing and sales sign up to.
- Changing the criteria without flagging it, so months are no longer comparable.
- Judging marketing solely on MQL volume, which encourages lowering the bar.
SQL & DAX
Calculating marketing qualified leads (MQLs) in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', created_at) AS month,
COUNT(*) AS new_leads,
COUNT(mql_at) AS mqls,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(mql_at) / NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS mql_rate_pct
FROM leads
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;MQLs =
CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Leads), NOT ISBLANK(Leads[MqlAt]))
MQL Rate =
DIVIDE([MQLs], COUNTROWS(Leads))In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a marketing qualified lead?
A marketing qualified lead is a lead that meets agreed criteria showing it is ready for sales to approach. The criteria usually combine characteristics of the lead with their behaviour, for example through a lead score. What exactly counts as an MQL differs from company to company.
What is the difference between an MQL and an SQL?
An MQL has been flagged as promising by marketing, while an SQL (sales qualified lead) has been assessed and accepted by sales as a genuine sales opportunity. The MQL comes first and the SQL follows after a conversation or review by sales. Not every MQL becomes an SQL.
How do you define MQL criteria?
You define MQL criteria by working with sales to identify the characteristics and actions your existing customers showed before they bought. Turn those into rules or a lead score with a threshold. Check the criteria every quarter against the MQL to SQL conversion rate.
Further reading
- KPI libraryMarketing KPIs: formulas and examplesMarketing KPIs set reach, cost and conversion side by side. They become truly useful once you link ad and web data to leads and revenue from your CRM and accounting system.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
Use AI on your own data. Securely, and without the headache.
In an online demo we show how ENABLE makes your data securely available and how you build on it: describing an app in the AI Builder, plain-language questions, dashboards and APIs. And how we set it up and manage it for you.