There’s more to know about the tools and terminology of sales development. For example, knowing the difference between inbound and outbound prospects can make or break your marketing efforts. SQLs and MQLs are the backbones of the process; don’t go anywhere without learning about them first.
Inbound Lead and Outbound Prospects
SDRs have tools to handle two types of target leads – inbound and outbound. Those inbound are generated by marketing, and SDRs engage them, get a feel for their interest in purchasing or investing, and determine if pursuing them is worth the effort and resources. When an SDR deems an inbound lead worth the effort, they forward it to a salesperson.
Outbound prospects are often scouted by SDRs themselves while scouting and identifying potential customers. They can assess them within the total addressable market (TAM), which contains buyer profiles that the prospecting company considers ideal. They fall under the ideal customer profile, also known as ICP.
Marketing Qualified Leads
Marketing Qualified Leads are better known as MQLs, and they’re leads flagged by the marketing team as ready for sales. The marketing team, of course, doesn’t always get the lead’s profile right, so additional prospecting is necessary.
Sales Qualified Leads
Sales Qualified Leads are MQLs that have passed through the marketing team onto the sales development team. They now use SQLs to qualify them and get them engaged with the product, so they end up becoming a sales opportunity.
