How to run a marketing-to-sales lead handoff that actually works
The handoff is where pipeline trust is won or lost. Most failures here are not about effort; they are about agreeing on definitions, enforcing the lifecycle, and routing fast.
Steps
- 1
Agree on the definitions
Lead, MQL, SAL, SQL, opportunity. Written down. Agreed by both leaders. Reflected in the systems, not just in a deck.
- 2
Programmatic stage transitions
Lifecycle stage moves should fire on observable criteria, not on manual updates. Manual moves are exceptions, logged for review.
- 3
Set the SLA
Time from MQL creation to first sales touch. One business hour for inbound demo requests, four to twenty-four hours for content-driven MQLs, depending on your funnel.
- 4
Build the routing
Territory, ownership, capacity, working hours, round-robin behavior. Each rule with explicit precedence.
- 5
Define the recycling
What happens to MQLs that sales rejects, that sales does not action within SLA, or that go cold. Recycling rules return leads to nurture rather than dropping them.
- 6
Run the QBR on the data
Monthly or quarterly review of MQL volume, conversion rate by stage, time in stage, and SLA adherence. The data drives the conversation rather than the other way around.
Frequently asked questions
QWhat's the right SLA for first sales touch?+
QWhat if sales rejects most MQLs?+
QShould marketing or sales own the SLA?+
Need senior help applying this in your environment?
Reading the guide is one thing. Translating it into the live system you actually have to operate on Monday is another. That's where the conversation usually starts.