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How MQLs Are Defined in HubSpot

An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is any prospect who reaches 50 points in our HubSpot lead scoring system. Points come from engagement (forms, events, webinars) and fit (role, account size), while negative behaviors deduct points. Hitting 50 points automatically triggers SDR notification and lead routing.

Business Context (Why This Matters)

Understanding MQLs helps Sales know when a prospect is ready for outreach.

  • An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is someone who has shown enough interest + fit to be passed from Marketing to Sales.

  • In our system, a contact becomes an MQL when they reach 50 points in HubSpot’s lead scoring.

  • Once a contact hits that threshold, they are automatically flagged as an MQL, and the SDR team is notified for follow-up.

You can view MQLs directly in HubSpot Contacts by filtering for Lifecycle Stage = Marketing Qualified Lead.

This matters because:

  • Marketing focuses on generating the activities that push prospects toward MQL status.

  • Sales knows that once a prospect is an MQL, they are worth immediate outreach.

  • Operations can ensure only qualified prospects reach Sales, avoiding wasted time.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Understand the scoring system

    • Points are added when prospects engage (forms, webinars, events, etc.).

    • Points are removed for negative behaviors (unsubscribes, disqualified roles).

    • Scores naturally decay by 50% every 3 months to stay current.

  2. See what earns points (examples)
    • High-Value Actions:

      • Contact Us form = +50 (instant MQL)

      • Hot event follow-up = +40

      • Webinar attendance = +15

    • Fit by Account & Role:

      • Superintendent = +25

      • Director = +20

      • Enterprise account = +20

    • Standard Engagement:

      • Page visit = +1 (up to 10)

      • CTA click = +5

  3. See what removes points (examples)

    • Unsubscribe = -100

    • Parent/Tutor/Student role = -100

    • Stale data (90+ days inactive) = -5

  4. MQL Trigger

    • Contact reaches 50 points → HubSpot automatically changes their Lifecycle Stage to MQL.

    • This triggers:

      • An SDR notification

      • Lead routing to the correct SDR

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: I don’t see why a contact became an MQL

  • What you see: Contact is labeled as MQL, but you’re unsure how they got there.

  • Fix: In HubSpot, open the Score property on the contact record. You can see a breakdown of the activities that added or removed points.

  • Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot Slack channel.

  • Escalate to: Sales Operations team.

Issue 2: A contact looks unqualified but is marked as MQL

  • What you see: Contact is a student/parent but still shows MQL.

  • Fix: Check if their score deducted the full -100. If not, data may be incomplete. Flag in Slack.

  • Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot Slack channel.

  • Escalate to: Marketing Operations.

Issue 3: Contact dropped below 50 points after being MQL

  • What you see: Contact’s score is now below threshold.

  • Fix: Once someone qualifies as MQL, they remain unless manually updated. This is by design.

  • Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot.

📅 Last Update: 09/18/2025