What is a Community Qualified Lead (CQL)? And how does it differ from a MQL or PQL?
Many B2B marketers have a key performance metric that they need to deliver against on a monthly basis and that is Marketing Qualifed Lead or an MQL.
A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a lead that marketers capture and report on as a lead that is more likely to become a customer compared to other leads. They usually score and determine MQLs by looking at signals that show buying intent. For example, downloading a report, signing up for a webinar, subscribing to a newsletter or visiting specific web pages.
A Community Qualified Lead (CQL) is a lead who has engaged meaningfully within a community and has demonstrated potential value to a business or organisation. Like a MQL, this marketing qualification metric looks at engagement and potential buying signal within a community, such as participating in discussions, asking questions, attending events, contributing to content, or collaborating with others in the group.
Marketers use a lot of acronyms! But these are important to understand.
So lets jargon bust and look at how CQLs differ from other lead types like MQLs (Marketing Qualified Lead) and PQLs (Product Qualified Lead):
What is a Community Qualified Lead (CQL)?
Definition
A CQL is a marketing lead who has shown a genuine, sustained interest in your brand or organisation and is showing buying signals by joining, valuing and engaging in your community. CQLs must meet specific criteria for sales readiness to be passed to the sales team.
Which type of business uses CQLs?
Companies who measure and categorise customer lead sources and who have community-driven growth, thought leadership, or long-term digital and in person engagement as part of their strategy.
What types of behaviours categorise a CQL?
Joining and participating in community events, e.g. virtual events within your community platform, e.g. Slack, Circle, LinkedIn Group, WhatsApp Community or in-person events/meetups
Commenting, posting, or sharing insights within your community
Networking with other community members
Taking part in community-driven initiatives, such as community challenges, beta programs, work groups etc.
Regular visits to the community
What is a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)?
Definition
A MQL is a marketing lead who has engaged with marketing efforts or marketing collateral and is demonstrating buying signals. e.g. downloading a report, subscribing to newsletters or visiting a stand at a trade event. MQLs must meet specific criteria for sales readiness to be passed to the sales team.
Which type of business uses CQLs?
Most B2B businesses will use MQLs to measure and categorise customer lead sources and who use traditional marketing techniques to move customer prospects through the marketing and sales funnel.
What types of behaviours categorise a MQL?
Filling out forms on your website
Engaging with emails or social media posts
Clicking on ads
Visiting key website pages like pricing pages or customer case studies
What is a Product Qualified Lead (PQL)?
Definition
A PQL is a marketing lead who is showing buying signals and a genuine, sustained interest in a product, typically through signing up for a free trial or a freemium version of a product.
Which type of business uses PQLs?
Many Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or technology companies offer freemium models or trials and will use this customer lead source category.
What types of behaviours categorise a PQL?
Completing a specific action in the product that is not on the free plan - this shows clear buying signals and that they are valuing the product and its features
Engaging with product features that are tied to core value delivery
Upgrading from a free plan to a paid plan
Regular use of the product
Why are CQLs important?
CQLs often represent long-term opportunities because people who are engaged in your community have likely developed trust and alignment with you and your brand’s values.
For example, let’s say that a B2B technology or SaaS business focuses on thought leadership as part of their strategy. They demonstrate this by building a thought leadership community as a core element of their Go To Market Strategy (GTM)…. hey, that’s yet another acronym for another day!
Deciding to measure CQLs means that they will focus on a long term strategy of building and nurturing a network of engaged professionals, build partnerships, and position their brand as a trusted voice in the industry.
And by measuring CQLs, they will be able to demonstrate to the business that the community contributes to creating high quality customer sales leads and has a positive impact on Customer Acqusition Costs and Customer Lifetime Value (concepts we look at briefly in the explainer What is Community Market Fit?)
In summary
CQLs are an important community and marketing metric for any business with a community strategy that is a part of their growth strategy. Measuring CQLs, MQLs, and PQLs if you are a technology or SaaS business gives marketers the data required to do their jobs well, and to get continued community investment to deliver against their marketing objectives and targets.
Further reading
I’ve created a community glossary and I also explain key concepts in community strategy, community building and community management.
Here are some connected articles that you may find helpful:
What is Community Everywhere / what are Community Ecosystems?
What is Community Led Growth - is it the same as Community Based Marketing (CBM)?
What is Community Market Fit?
What is Minimal Viable Community (MVC)?
What are rituals in community building and why are they so important?
What are the 5 Ps and 1 C of community?
What is Broken Windows Theory and does it apply to Community Management?
What is Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)?
Book a Free Consultation
Want help or support with your community strategy or community building? I’m ready and waiting to hear from you. Book an introductory call to speak to me about your challenges and questions you might have.
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