­Do you know what MQLs or SQLs are? You should.

Hey reader,

As, we discussed last week, most business owners know they need leads. Fewer realize that not all leads mean the same thing.

When someone visits your website, downloads a guide, or fills out a form, they become visible to you. That visibility often creates urgency. It feels like momentum. But visibility alone does not mean readiness. Treating every contact as if they are prepared to buy is one of the fastest ways to lose trust and create unnecessary friction.

Some leads are simply exploring. They are learning. They are trying to understand whether their problem is real or worth solving. These are often called Marketing Qualified Leads, though most business owners never use that term. In practice, these are people who need clarity, context, and time. They are not avoiding you. They are not unmotivated. They are just early.

Other leads signal something very different. They book a call. They return to pricing pages. They ask direct questions about scope, timelines, or cost. These are Sales Qualified Leads. Again, the label matters less than the behavior. These people are not browsing anymore. They are deciding. Trouble starts when these two groups are treated the same. Selling too early pushes curious people away. Waiting too long frustrates people who are ready to act. In both cases, the business loses, not because the offer was wrong, but because the timing was.

Strong businesses learn to recognize where someone is in their decision process and respond accordingly. They educate when education is needed. They act decisively when intent is clear. This is not about more emails or better scripts. It is about alignment.

If you want a clear breakdown of what these lead types actually are, how to spot them, and how to avoid costly timing mistakes, I walk through it in detail here: Read the full blog: Understanding What a Lead Actually Is.

Knowing your lead types is not a marketing tactic. It is a respect issue. And it shows up directly in your results.