How would you go about establishing a lead scoring and handoff process with a sales director to ensure both teams agree on what constitutes a marketing qualified lead versus a sales qualified lead?

Situation

In my previous organization, marketing and sales used different definitions of a 'good lead,' causing misalignment. I recognized the need for a formal, agreed-upon lead scoring framework.

Task

My task was to collaborate with the sales director to design a lead scoring model that both teams would trust and execute, ensuring smooth handoffs from marketing to sales.

Action

I requested a series of meetings with the sales director and key sales reps. I presented historical data on leads that converted to opportunities and identified common attributes. Together, we agreed on demographic criteria (job title, company size) and behavioral scores (e.g., downloading a pricing guide, attending a webinar). We set thresholds: leads above 50 points were MQLs, and those above 80 and contacted within 24 hours became SQLs. I documented the process in a shared playbook and set up a monthly review cadence to refine the model.

Result

The new process reduced sales' time wasted on low-intent leads by 40% and increased marketing-sourced revenue by 25% in six months.