GTM Glossary · Metrics
Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)
A prospect a salesperson has examined and accepted as worth pursuing against agreed criteria.
[01]What It Means
An SQL has passed a human check on fit, need, timing, and access to a decision, and the receiving seller has accepted it. The acceptance step is what distinguishes an SQL from a marketing-sourced list entry.
[02]Why It Matters
The SQL definition is the contract between marketing, SDRs, and sales. Where it is vague, both sides report success while the pipeline stalls. Where it is explicit and enforced, cost per qualified opportunity becomes a governable number.
[03]Where It Goes Wrong
Counting SQLs before a seller accepts them, which inflates the funnel and hides the drop.Different definitions per team or per market, making comparison meaningless.Paying an agency per meeting without an acceptance criterion attached.
[04]Related Terms