[GTM glossary](/glossary.md) Sales accepted lead Marketing # Sales accepted lead (SAL) In short A sales accepted lead (SAL) is a lead that marketing has qualified and sales has reviewed and formally agreed to pursue. It sits between the marketing qualified lead (MQL) and the sales qualified lead (SQL) in the funnel. The SAL stage exists to create accountability on both sides. Marketing must pass leads that meet agreed criteria, and sales must act on them within a set time or return them with a reason. ## Where the SAL fits in the funnel * **MQL:** Marketing says the lead shows enough fit and interest. * **SAL:** Sales reviews and accepts the lead to work. * **SQL:** Sales confirms real need, budget, and timing after a conversation. --- ## How to run a SAL process * **Agree on criteria:** Marketing and sales define what makes a lead acceptable. * **Set a response time:** Sales accepts or rejects within a short window, such as one business day. * **Require rejection reasons:** Use a short list, such as wrong role, no fit, or bad data. * **Review rejections:** Meet regularly to tune criteria using the reasons. --- ## Example Say marketing passes 100 MQLs in a month. Sales accepts 70 and rejects 30, mostly for wrong job level. Marketing then adds a seniority filter to scoring, and the next month the rejection rate drops. --- ## Why teams skip it Some teams drop the stage to keep the funnel simple, going straight from MQL to SQL. That works when volume is low and trust is high. The SAL becomes useful when leads sit untouched or each side blames the other. --- ## Common mistakes * **No deadline:** Accepted leads that nobody calls defeat the purpose. * **Silent rejection:** Without reasons, marketing cannot improve. * **Vague criteria:** If neither side can state the rule, acceptance becomes opinion. --- ## Sales accepted lead FAQs **What is a sales accepted lead (SAL)?** A sales accepted lead is a lead that marketing qualified and the sales team reviewed and agreed to work. It marks the formal handoff between marketing and sales, ahead of the lead becoming a sales qualified lead. **What is the difference between an SAL and an SQL?** A SAL is accepted by sales based on review of marketing criteria. A SQL has gone further: a rep has spoken with the lead and confirmed real need, authority, budget, or timing that justify pursuing an opportunity. **Do you need a SAL stage?** Not always. Small teams with low volume and good communication often skip it. It helps when leads go untouched after handoff or when marketing and sales disagree on lead quality, because it adds clear accountability. **How long should sales take to accept a lead?** Set a short, agreed window, commonly within one business day, and require a rejection reason if the lead is declined. Faster response keeps interest high, so the exact window should match your lead volume. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [Qualified lead](/glossary/qualified-lead.md) * [Lead qualification process](/glossary/lead-qualification-process.md) * [Product qualified lead](/glossary/product-qualified-lead.md) ## Similar phrases * [Sales qualified lead (SQL)](/glossary/sales-qualified-lead.md) A sales qualified lead (SQL) is a prospect that sales has vetted and confirmed has genuine need, authority, and timing, ready for an active sales process. * [Marketing qualified lead (MQL)](/glossary/marketing-qualified-lead.md) A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a lead that marketing judges ready for sales follow-up based on fit with the target profile and engagement behavior. * [Lead qualification](/glossary/lead-qualification.md) Lead qualification is the step where you decide whether a lead fits and is ready enough for sales to pursue, so reps focus on the right prospects. * [Marketing accepted lead (MAL)](/glossary/marketing-accepted-lead.md) A marketing accepted lead (MAL) is a lead that marketing has reviewed and approved as worth passing on, usually a step between engagement and a formal MQL handoff. * [Lead routing](/glossary/lead-routing.md) Lead routing is the rules-based process of sending each new lead to the right rep or team by territory, account owner, or company size.