prospects：CRM 概念：了解Leads、Prospect、MQL 和 SQL 的概念

visitors：网站访问者等

Leads：销售线索,销售机会

MQL：（Marketing Qualified Leads） 市场验证线索（营销合格线索）

SQL：（Sales Qualified Leads） 销售合格线索

Opportunities：机会

Prospect：潜在客户

clients：客户

suspect：

     嫌疑人

• A suspect is a lead who will stick around in your pipeline and waste your time and energy  without having the means or intention to buy the products and services you are selling.
• 嫌疑人（suspect）是会在您的管道（pipeline）中停留并浪费您的时间和精力的销售线索（lead），而没有手段或意图购买您所销售的产品和服务。

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Understand the concepts of Leads, Prospects, MQL, and SQL

了解Leads、Prospects、MQL 和 SQL 的概念

What is an MQL? What is an SQL? What is the difference? These are not just fancy acronyms, they represent different stages leads go through before becoming clients. Understanding their meaning will enable you to master the art of transforming Leads into Clients.

什么是 MQL？什么是 SQL？有什么区别？这些不仅仅是花哨的首字母缩略词，它们代表了潜在客户在成为客户之前所经历的不同阶段。了解它们的含义将使您掌握将潜在客户转变为客户的艺术。

Is your sales team complaining about the leads they are getting from Marketing?

您的销售团队是否在抱怨他们从营销部门获得的潜在客户（leads）？

Does your marketing team not understand why all the leads they are generating are not becoming clients?

您的营销团队是否不明白为什么他们产生的所有潜在客户（leads）都没有成为客户（clients）？

The bigger your company grows, the more likely your marketing & sales won’t see eye to eye, yet their end goal is the same: generating new revenue for the company.

您的公司发展得越大，您的营销（marketing）和销售（sales）就越有可能不一致，但他们的最终目标是相同的：为公司创造新的收入。

You need to properly define what happens to your leads from the moment you get their information to the closing of the deal. This is where the proper definition of Marketing Qualified Leads & Sales Qualified Leads come into play.

您需要正确定义从您获得潜在客户（leads）信息到交易完成的那一刻，您的潜在客户（leads）会发生什么。这就是营销合格线索（Marketing Qualified Leads）和销售合格线索（Sales Qualified Leads）的正确定义发挥作用的地方。

Lead vs Prospect

Sometimes they are used interchangeably, but each has its own distinct meaning that directly refers to the sales process.

有时它们可​​以互换使用，但每个都有其独特的含义，直接指的是销售过程。

So what do these terms exactly mean and how should you use them?

那么这些术语究竟是什么意思，你应该如何使用它们呢？

What is a Lead and what is a Prospect?

什么是销售线索（潜在客户Lead），什么是潜在客户（Prospect）？

Even though both terms are often used interchangeably, they have different meanings.

尽管这两个术语经常互换使用，但它们具有不同的含义。

Lead Definition

A Lead is an unqualified contact at the top of your Sales Funnel. Leads typically come from your marketing efforts, they expressed some level of interest in the product or service you offer. They, for instance, visited your website and downloaded one of your Lead Magnet, but have not been qualified yet.

潜在客户（Lead）是销售漏斗（Sales Funnel）顶部的未获认可（不合格 unqualified）联系人。潜在客户（Leads）通常来自您的营销工作（marketing efforts），他们表达了对您提供的产品或服务的某种程度的兴趣。例如，他们访问了您的网站并下载了您的一个 Lead Magnet，但尚未获得资格。

Lead Magnet：销售线索吸铁石

lead就是一个行动，比如让用户提交验证码，做个调查，订阅邮件，发送个询盘都可以叫做lead。那么lead magnet 就是一个让用户采取行动的诱饵，比如客户订阅邮件，你送给他一本高质量电子书或赠送个优惠券。

收藏备查！亚马逊卖家必会的127个术语！（下）-特讯企服

Prospect Definition

A Prospect is a contact that has been qualified by your Sales Team. His profile fits with one of your ideal buyer persona. A Prospect is a contact that will seriously consider purchasing your product or service.

潜在客户（Prospect）是您的销售团队认可的联系人。他的个人资料符合您理想的买家角色之一。潜在客户（Prospect）是会认真考虑购买您的产品或服务的联系人。

Differences between Lead and Prospect

The difference is simple, you know a lot more about a prospect than about a lead.

区别很简单，与销售线索（lead）相比，您对潜在客户（prospect）的了解要多得多。

You know very little about a lead because a lead has not been qualified. You only know what your form requested about the lead.

您对销售线索（lead）知之甚少，因为销售线索（lead）不合格。您只知道您的表单对销售线索（潜在客户 lead）的要求。

A Prospect can only be a Prospect if he’s been qualified, so you know:

只有合格的潜在客户（Prospect）才能成为潜在客户（Prospect），所以你知道：

• 
   

• Who he is
• Who he works for
• What his role is

• 他是谁
• 他为谁工作
• 他的角色是什么

Most importantly, if you have a good qualifying process you know:

最重要的是，如果您有良好的资格审核流程，您会知道：

• 
   

• His Context
• His Challenges & Pain Points
• His Needs & Motivations

• 他的背景
• 他的挑战和痛点
• 他的需求和动机

If you have implemented a marketing automation tool on your website you can keep track of your visitors and their actions on your website. Once they become a Lead (meaning when they submit their contact information) you can see all of their life activity on your website.

如果您在网站上实施了营销自动化工具（marketing automation tool），则可以跟踪访问者及其在您网站上的操作。一旦他们成为销售线索（潜在客户 Lead）（即他们提交联系信息时），您就可以在您的网站上查看他们的所有生活活动（现场活动？）。

That’s when you can implement lead scoring and add the Marketing Qualified Lead stage in your sales process.

那时您可以实施潜在客户（lead）评分（scoring）并在销售流程中添加营销合格潜在客户阶段（Marketing Qualified Lead stage）。

Sales and marketing teams should not compete against each other, but rather play as a team.销售和营销团队不应该相互竞争，而应该作为一个团队来玩。

Why Marketing & Sales use Lead & Prospect differently

为什么营销（Marketing）和销售（Sales）以不同的方式使用销售线索（潜在客户？ Lead）和潜在客户（Prospect）

The main reason why both terms seem interchangeable is because of the separation between sales and marketing departments in larger corporations. The departments often have their own vocabulary and processes and do not see the big picture.

这两个术语似乎可以互换的主要原因是大公司的销售和营销部门之间的分离。部门往往有自己的词汇和流程，看不到大局。

So, why is there a difference in the terminology?

那么，为什么术语会有所不同？

For instance, if your company is marketing oriented, you will mostly hear about leads, alongside MQL and SQL. We found that it is within these companies that the term prospect can disappear or be used to designate a lead.

例如，如果您的公司以营销为导向，您将主要听到有关潜在客户的信息，以及 MQL 和 SQL。我们发现，正是在这些公司中，潜在客户一词可以消失或用于指定潜在客户。

On the other hand, if your company is sales oriented, you will probably not hear about MQL and SQL. Leads are the starting point (what’s given to the sales reps), then you’ll hear about the terms “suspect”, “prospect” and “opportunity”. 

另一方面，如果您的公司以销售为导向，您可能不会听说 MQL 和 SQL。销售线索（潜在客户？ Leads）是起点（提供给销售代表的内容），然后您会听到“嫌疑人”（suspect）、“潜在客户”（prospect）和“机会”（opportunity）等术语。 

Is it weird that both departments don’t use the same terminology?

两个部门不使用相同的术语是不是很奇怪？

YES!

Does it demonstrate the insufficient collaboration between the commercial and marketing departments?

这是否表明商业和营销部门之间的协作不足？

YES!

The truth is all of these terms are relevant and complement each other.

事实上，所有这些术语都是相关的，并且相互补充。

Consistency between Marketing and Sales is key to an organization success. The more both departments collaborate the more likely you are to convert your leads in clients; no matter how you call the stages in between.

营销和销售之间的一致性是组织成功的关键。两个部门合作得越多，您就越有可能将潜在客户（leads）转化为客户（clients）；无论您如何调用中间的阶段。

Whether your organisation is marketing or sales oriented you have to align your sales & marketing strategy.无论您的组织是营销还是销售导向，您都必须调整您的销售和营销策略。

Sales Cycle: Lead, MQL, SQL, Prospect, Client

销售周期：销售线索（潜在客户Lead）、MQL、SQL、潜在客户（Prospect）、客户（Client）

The sales cycle is the process that encompasses lead generation to converting those leads into customers. The marketing and sales teams each have their role to play in this process.

销售周期是包含潜在客户生成以将这些潜在客户（leads）转化为客户（customers）的过程。营销（marketing）和销售（sales）团队在此过程中各司其职。

We recommend that you model your customers’ journeys to increase your sales efficiency, but that’s another subject.

我们建议您为客户的旅程建模以提高您的销售效率，但这是另一个主题。

The Conversion Cycle from the Marketing point of view

从营销（Marketing）的角度来看转换周期（Conversion Cycle）

From Visitor to Lead

从访客（Visitor）到销售线索（Lead）

The foundation of your inbound marketing funnel are your website visitors. Without traffic on your website, there is no one to convert.

您的入站营销渠道的基础是您的网站访问者。如果您的网站没有流量，就没有人可以转换。

When you have significant traffic, you know that a lot of people are viewing your content. 

当您拥有大量流量时，您就知道有很多人正在查看您的内容。 

You don’t know who they are though, until one of them fills out a form and shares his contact information.

你不知道他们是谁，直到他们中的一个人填写了一张表格并分享了他的联系信息。

That’s when the visitor becomes a lead; he/she is no longer anonymous.

那是访客成为线索（潜在客户 lead）的时候；他/她不再是匿名的。

From Lead to MQL: MQL Definition

从线索（Lead）到 MQL：MQL 定义

A lead becomes an MQL when he/she has engaged with your content. For example, after reading a few of your articles, the lead downloads a white paper or signs up to your newsletter. 

当潜在客户与您的内容互动时，他/她就会成为 MQL。例如，在阅读了您的几篇文章后，潜在客户会下载白皮书或注册您的时事通讯。 

Depending on the form they are using, and where it resides within your website, it’ll inform what stage of the buyer’s journey they are at.

根据他们使用的表格以及它在您网站中的位置，它会告知他们处于买方旅程的哪个阶段。

That’s why your content and each form needs to be tailored based on that specific stage in the conversation cycle. 

这就是为什么您的内容和每种形式都需要根据对话周期中的特定阶段进行定制的原因。 

Companies that use MQL usually have a scoring system, meaning that not every lead becomes an MQL.

使用 MQL 的公司通常有一个评分系统，这意味着并非每个潜在客户都成为 MQL。

The goal of that scoring system is that when you have a lot of leads (good and bad), you want to maximize the time of your sales team by only spending time on the ones that engage your content the most. 

该评分系统的目标是，当您有很多潜在客户（好的和坏的）时，您希望通过只花时间在最吸引您的内容的那些上来最大化您的销售团队的时间。 

For instance, you can set rules for your scoring system, such as: a MQL has to have visited your website at least twice, or read at least three of your articles.

例如，您可以为您的评分系统设置规则，例如：MQL 必须至少访问过您的网站两次，或至少阅读您的三篇文章。

You can even be more specific, if you master your content strategy and your website analytics, you will know your Awareness, Evaluation & Decision contents.

你甚至可以更具体，如果你掌握了你的内容策略和网站分析，你就会知道你的意识、评估和决策内容。

Monitor the conversion rates behind each article to identify best performers and clarify user intent. From there you can have a smart system that automatically “upgrades” the leads most likely to be qualified to MQL.

监控每篇文章背后的转化率，以确定最佳表现者并阐明用户意图。从那里您可以拥有一个智能系统，自动“升级”最有可能符合 MQL 资格的潜在客户。

A lead can become an MQL because his behavior on your website clearly identified his pain point which directly affects his probability of becoming a client.

潜在客户可以成为 MQL，因为他在您网站上的行为清楚地确定了他的痛点，这直接影响了他成为客户的可能性。

For example, a visitor that prior to filling out your form, regularly consulted your article on setting up an account-based marketing strategy, and from there visited your pricing page for your ABM offering: that’s solid intel for your qualification process!

例如，在填写您的表格之前，一位访问者定期查阅您关于建立基于帐户的营销策略的文章，并从那里访问了您的 ABM 产品定价页面：这是您资格认证过程的可靠信息！

From MQL to SQL; SQL Definition

从 MQL 到 SQL；SQL 定义

MQLs becomes SQLs when they have been qualified by more than just their behavior on your website. 

当 MQL 不仅仅通过它们在您的网站上的行为进行限定时，它们就变成了 SQL。 

It is here where it can get complicated depending on the size of your organization and the complexity of the sales process.

根据您的组织规模和销售流程的复杂性，在这里它可能会变得复杂。

Organizations that have both business developers AND sales representatives usually have more stages.

同时拥有业务开发人员和销售代表的组织通常具有更多阶段。

The stage from MQL to SQL is the qualification by the business development team. In that scenario there is also a stage from SQL to prospect, the “additional” qualification which is qualified this time by the sales representative. 

从MQL到SQL的阶段是业务开发团队的资格认证。在这种情况下，还有一个从 SQL 到潜在客户（prospect）的阶段，即这次由销售代表（sales representative）限定的“附加”资格（“additional” qualification）。 

Having more stages only makes sense for complex, large consultative deals, where the expertise of the sales rep can only definitively qualify said prospect. It’s especially common in technical sales when a sales engineer is the only one that can assess whether a client project is doable.

拥有更多阶段仅对复杂的大型咨询交易有意义，其中销售代表的专业知识只能明确地限定所述潜在客户。当销售工程师是唯一可以评估客户项目是否可行的人时，在技术销售中尤其常见。

The truth is, for most organizations an MQL becomes an SQL when you gather enough relevant information about him:

事实是，对于大多数组织而言，当您收集到足够多的有关他的相关信息时，MQL 就会变成 SQL：

• 
  
   

• Who he is
• Who he works for
• What his role is
• His Context
• His Challenges & Pain Points
• His Needs & Motivations

• 他是谁
• 他为谁工作
• 他的角色是什么
• 他的背景
• 他的挑战和痛点
• 他的需求和动机

WAIT! Does that sound familiar?

等待！这听起来很熟悉吗？

YES, technically an SQL is a prospect.

是的，从技术上讲，SQL 是一种前景。

It relates to what we mentioned earlier: miscommunications and discrepancies between sales and marketing creating confusion and inefficiency. It does not make sense to multiply the stages and complexify your sales cycle.

它与我们之前提到的有关：销售和营销之间的沟通不畅和差异造成混乱和效率低下。增加阶段并使您的销售周期复杂化是没有意义的。

That being said the marketing team is not passively waiting for visitors to become SQLs. Its role is to set up an effective lead scoring and lead nurturing strategy.

话虽如此，营销团队并不是被动地等待访问者成为 SQL。它的作用是建立有效的潜在客户评分和潜在客户培养策略。

By defining the rules that affect the progression of the leads throughout the buying cycle they actively convert them from one stage to another (scoring) and send them relevant content to engage them (nurturing).

通过定义在整个购买周期中影响潜在客户进展的规则，他们积极地将他们从一个阶段转换到另一个阶段（评分），并向他们发送相关内容以吸引他们（培养）。

The Sales Cycle from the Sales point of view

从销售角度看销售周期

The role of the sales team is simple. Convert as many leads as possible into customers.

销售团队的角色很简单。将尽可能多的潜在客户转化为客户。

From their point of view they are getting leads (every sales rep will tell you they get bad leads), using their amazing selling skills they transform these leads, from prospects to opportunities and eventually clients.

从他们的角度来看，他们正在获得潜在客户(leads)（每个销售代表都会告诉你他们得到了不好的潜在客户(leads)），利用他们惊人的销售技巧，他们将这些 销售线索(潜在客户 leads)从潜在客户（prospects）转变为机会（opportunities），最终成为客户（clients）。

Depending on the company size, industry or country, companies have developed different terminologies, but we are describing the most common (and accurate) stages potential clients go through.

根据公司规模、行业或国家/地区，公司制定了不同的术语（terminologies），但我们描述的是潜在客户经历的最常见（和准确）的阶段。

What is an opportunity in sales?

什么是销售机会？

Remember:

Step 1: sales team getting leads

Step 2: the leads are qualified 

Step 3: the qualified ones become prospects

Step 4: prospects become opportunities

第一步：销售团队获取销售线索（潜在客户 leads）

第二步：线索（leads）合格 

第三步：合格者成为潜在客户（prospects）

第四步：潜在客户（prospects）变成机会（opportunities）

This is one of the reasons why prospects are often overlooked. Most sales organizations barely even mention stage 3, because as soon as a lead is qualified it becomes an opportunity.

这也是为什么潜在客户（prospects）经常被忽视的原因之一。大多数销售组织甚至几乎没有提到第 3 阶段，因为一旦潜在客户获得资格，它就会成为一个机会。

Think about it, a prospect fits with your ideal buyer persona, so he should seriously consider purchasing your product or service: he should be a “hot” opportunity.

想想看，一个潜在客户符合你理想的买家角色，所以他应该认真考虑购买你的产品或服务：他应该是一个“热门”机会。

A prospect stays a prospect only if he is not a “hot” opportunity, his context may be too complex or the timing is not right. The issue might have been with the persona, not being ideal or precise enough.

一个潜在客户（prospect）只有在他不是一个“热门”机会、他的背景可能太复杂或时机不对的情况下才能保持潜在客户。问题可能与角色有关，不够理想或不够精确。

Beware of Suspects

提防嫌疑人

A suspect is a lead who will stick around in your pipeline and waste your time and energy  without having the means or intention to buy the products and services you are selling.

嫌疑人（suspect）是会在您的管道（pipeline）中停留并浪费您的时间和精力的销售线索（lead），而没有手段或意图购买您所销售的产品和服务。

From Lead to Client Diagram

从线索到客户图

The complexity and diversity in the way these terms are used is due to the lack of communication and collaboration between marketing and sales departments.

这些术语使用方式的复杂性和多样性是由于营销和销售部门之间缺乏沟通和协作。

In the United States, 84% of customers ready to buy report that their buying journey took longer than expected.

在美国，84% 的准备购买的客户报告说他们的购买过程花费的时间比预期的要长。

The cycle your potential clients go through, from “visitor” to “customer” must involve joint marketing and sales efforts for optimal results.

您的潜在客户从“访客”到“客户”所经历的循环必须涉及联合营销和销售工作，以获得最佳结果。

FAQ:

How to calculate your MQL to SQL conversion rate?

如何计算您的 MQL 到 SQL 的转换率？

The ratio is simple: Number of SQL / Number of MQL = Conversion Rate Depending on the length of your sales cycle that rate may not be relevant so you need this alternative way of calculating the ratio: Number of SQL in your average sales cycle (ex. 6 months) / Number of MQL 1 month = Conversion rate

该比率很简单：SQL 数量 / MQL 数量 = 转化率 根据您的销售周期的长度，该比率可能不相关，因此您需要这种计算比率的替代方法：平均销售周期中的 SQL 数量（例如. 6 个月) / MQL 1 个月数 = 转化率

Is a high MQL to SQL conversion rate good?

高 MQL 到 SQL 的转换率好吗？

Yes and no. A high MQL to SQL conversion rate means your MQL are good quality and you are not wasting your Sales Reps time. But having a MQL to SQL conversion rate too high can also mean that your MQL criterias are too high. Meaning you could be missing quality opportunities in the process.

是和不是。高 MQL 到 SQL 的转换率意味着您的 MQL 质量很好，并且您不会浪费销售代表的时间。但是，MQL 到 SQL 的转换率太高也可能意味着您的 MQL 标准太高。这意味着您可能会在此过程中错过优质机会。

What are Marketing Lead Qualification best practices?

什么是营销主管资格最佳实践？

First off align your sales & marketing strategy to ensure that MQLs are relevant to your Sales Reps. Then create a variety of relevant content to pinpoint what matters to your leads and create an efficient lead scoring system. Finally, continue to adjust your strategy as your leads and your market change.

首先调整您的销售和营销策略，以确保 MQL 与您的销售代表相关。然后创建各种相关内容以查明对您的潜在客户重要的内容，并创建一个有效的潜在客户评分系统。最后，随着您的潜在客户和市场的变化，继续调整您的策略。

参考：

The Stages from Lead to Client: definition of MQL & SQL

收藏备查！亚马逊卖家必会的127个术语！（下）-特讯企服

MQL, SAL, SQL: What's lead qualification & why should you care?