10 EXPERT TIPS FOR DRIVING MORE MARKETING QUALIFIED LEADS

Warming up a MQL to your brand, developing trust and positioning this person to accept your solution is often accomplished through the content you offer.

- BY SUJAN PATEL

Acquiring leads is relatively simple for most businesses. However, getting marketing qualified leads -- ones more likely to convert -- is a far more difficult task that requires a great deal of research and complex funnel development.

WHAT IS A MARKETING QUALIFIED LEAD?

A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a prospect who is more likely to become a customer because he or she has already been primed through various methods. Warming up this person to your brand, developing trust and position ing him or her to accept your solution is often accomplished through the content you offer.

"As a marketing organization, if you only serve up the MQLs, then Sales spends less time searching for those MQLs in their typical process, and more time selling to the golden nuggets you supply, thus closing more deals," writes Alison Elworthy, VP of operations at HubSpot.

Here are a few ways to generate more MQLs for your team:

1. CREATE MAGNETIC CONTENT.

Researching your target-audience members from every angle can reveal their major pain points. With that knowledge, you can work with a content agency to craft captures their attention.

When your audience members are the ones researching a problem, your content should be there, ready to pull them into the funnel. If you focus your efforts on creating high-value, comprehensive content, prospects will continue to engage and be more likely to progress further into your funnel.

2. SHARE COMPELLING CONTENT.

You can't just wait for customers to find their way into your funnel. Take a proactive approach to rounding up more leads by sharing your top-of-the-funnel content in channels and groups where your customers spend their time.