A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a prospect already in your lead-tracking system, who has expressed interest in buying your product and passes a set of lead qualifications in order to progress further down the funnel. This lead definition is determined by the specific qualification, characteristics, or standards determined by marketing. Marketing qualified lead definitions are typically used by B2B companies to identify a stage in the buyer’s journey. Qualifications can be anything that fit your buyer persona, or someone who will be most likely to buy a product or service. A marketing qualified lead is an early stage qualification that assists companies in sifting through the vast number of potential buyers.