Purpose
To define a standardized workflow for integrating leads into the CRM and handing off MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) to Sales.
This ensures no lead leakage, pipeline clarity, and smooth Marketing → Sales alignment.
Scope
- Applies to all inbound, paid, and referral leads.
- Used by Marketing Managers, CRM Specialists, and Sales Teams.
- Covers lead capture, scoring, tagging, ownership assignment, and feedback loop.
Objectives
- Ensure all leads are captured in CRM automatically (no spreadsheets or manual gaps).
- Define clear lead qualification (MQL → SQL → Opportunity).
- Standardize handoff rules between Marketing and Sales.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1 – Lead Capture & Integration
- Capture Sources:
- Landing pages (Doc 1 – CRO Workflow).
- Paid campaigns (Doc 5 – Ad Brief).
- Organic forms (SEO/blog CTAs).
- Referrals/Events.
- Integration Setup:
- Connect all forms & ads → CRM via API or middleware (Zapier/HubSpot native/Zoho Flow).
- Apply UTMs & source tags for attribution.
- Validation: Test every new form/campaign to confirm lead flows into CRM.
Step 2 – Lead Scoring & Qualification
| Criteria | Weight | Example (B2B SaaS) | Example (B2C Service) |
| Firmographics/Demographics | 40% | Company size 50–200, ARR $5M+ | Urban household, 28–45 years |
| Intent Behavior | 40% | Downloaded whitepaper, attended webinar | Clicked 2+ retargeting ads, abandoned booking form |
| Engagement | 20% | Opened nurture emails, engaged with LinkedIn ad | Watched 50% of cleaning demo video |
Threshold Rule:
- MQL: Score ≥ 60.
- SQL: Sales validates via a discovery call.
Step 3 – Handoff Workflow
- Marketing → tags lead as MQL in CRM.
- Assign to Sales Owner (auto-assignment by territory/ICP segment).
- Notify via CRM task + email/slack integration.
- Sales accepts lead → converts to SQL if validated.
- If not ready → nurture loop (Doc 2 – Lead Nurturing Sequences).
Step 4 – Sales Feedback Loop
- Sales updates status: SQL → Opportunity → Won/Lost.
- Feedback captured in CRM: reason for win/loss, objections (feeds into Doc 4).
- Monthly Marketing–Sales sync → review lead quality, objections, messaging gaps.
Step 5 – Reporting
- Track MQL → SQL conversion rate (goal ≥ 30%).
- Track SQL → Opportunity → Win rate.
- Attribute revenue to campaigns (ties back to Doc 7 – Attribution Framework in Paid).
Roles & Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
| Marketing Manager | Defines scoring rules, monitors MQL volume |
| CRM Specialist | Ensures integrations, workflows, and tagging |
| Sales Manager | Oversees SQL validation and conversion |
| Sales Rep | Accepts leads, updates status, logs objections |
| Analytics Lead | Reports on MQL → SQL → Revenue attribution |
Governance
- Lead SLA: Sales must accept/reject MQL within 24 hours.
- System Audit: CRM integrations checked monthly.
- Scoring Review: Rules updated quarterly to improve accuracy.
- Escalation: Leads without owner assignment flagged to CRM Admin within 12 hrs.