SAL (Sales Accepted Lead)
💡TL;DR
SAL = lead accepted by sales for follow-up (between MQL and SQL). Flow: Lead → MQL (marketing qualified) → SAL (sales accepted) → SQL (sales qualified) → Opportunity. SAL stage exists to measure handoff efficiency: MQL→SAL acceptance rate should be >80%. Low acceptance signals marketing-sales misalignment on ICP or lead quality.
Definition
A lead that sales has agreed to follow up on after receiving from marketing, but before full qualification. SAL is the interim stage between MQL and SQL, representing sales acknowledgment that the lead meets basic criteria worth investigating.
🏢What This Means for SMB Teams
Many SMBs skip SAL and go directly MQL→SQL. That's fine if MQL→SQL conversion is healthy (>15%). Add SAL stage only if you need to diagnose handoff friction between marketing and sales.
Connect marketing signals to sales actions. Zero handoff friction.
Marketing generates intent, sales captures revenue—in sync.
📋Practical Example
A 40-person B2B fintech had 200 MQLs/month but sales complained about lead quality. They added SAL stage with 24-hour acceptance SLA. Data revealed: sales accepted 78% of MQLs as SAL but converted only 18% of SALs to SQL. The bottleneck wasn't MQL quality—it was SDR qualification skill. They invested in SDR training on discovery calls. SAL→SQL rose to 35% within 60 days.
🔧Implementation Steps
- 1
Define SAL criteria: sales agrees to follow up within SLA (e.g., 24 hours).
- 2
Track MQL→SAL acceptance rate (target: >80%).
- 3
Track SAL→SQL conversion rate (target: >30%).
- 4
Review rejected MQLs weekly with marketing to calibrate criteria.
- 5
If MQL→SAL is high but SAL→SQL is low, focus on SDR qualification training.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need an SAL stage?
Not always. SAL is useful when you need to diagnose where leads drop off. If you have good MQL→SQL metrics and no handoff complaints, you can skip SAL. Add it when you need granular funnel visibility.
What's a good MQL→SAL acceptance rate?
Target >80%. Below 70% means marketing and sales disagree on what constitutes a good lead. Hold alignment meetings to define ICP together and review rejected leads regularly.
⚡How Optifai Uses This
Optifai supports configurable funnel stages including SAL. The system tracks acceptance rates and time-in-stage, alerting when leads stall at handoff points.
📚References
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Related Terms
MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)
A lead that has shown enough engagement with marketing content to be considered sales-ready based on predefined criteria. MQLs typically meet demographic fit (ICP match) and behavioral thresholds (downloads, page views, email engagement). Marketing hands MQLs to sales for follow-up.
SQL (Sales Qualified Lead)
A lead that sales has accepted and confirmed as worth pursuing through direct qualification. SQLs have passed BANT or similar criteria (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) during a conversation. SQLs enter the active pipeline as opportunities.
Lead Scoring
A methodology for ranking prospects based on their perceived value to the organization, using demographic/firmographic attributes and behavioral signals to prioritize sales outreach.
SDR to AE Handoff SLA
Service level agreements governing the speed and quality of lead handoffs from Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to Account Executives (AEs). Includes time-to-first-contact, required information, and acceptance criteria.