A marketing-qualified lead (MQL) is a prospect who has interacted with a brand's marketing content or channels in a meaningful way, but hasn't yet engaged with the sales team. Marketing and sales teams should work together to define what a qualified lead is, typically a prospective customer who has expressed a need for the brand's products or services and isn't opposed to purchasing. An MQL lacks one or more of the key components that qualify an SQL, such as budget, authority, need, and timing being right. A good benchmark for converting MQLs to SQLs is around 13%, with referrals from websites, customers, and employees having a higher chance of success.