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What Is Information Qualified Lead (IQL)?
Information Qualified Lead (IQL) is a category of leads that provides contact details of interested parties. These leads are not aware of the organization, and in exchange for the content they receive, they leave a small amount of contact information to know more.

IQLs are used to determine a lead's degree of interest and preparedness to participate in the sales process. They save time and resources by assisting sales teams in prioritizing and concentrating on leads that have demonstrated a better possibility of conversion. IQLs are important since they can help find qualified leads and increase sales productivity.
Key Takeaways
- Information Qualified Leads (IQLs) are leads that provide specific contact details and minimal personal information in exchange for content or resources.
- IQLs are at an early stage in the sales process and require further qualification.
- They are important for prioritizing leads and improving sales efficiency. Companies can nurture IQLs by sharing informative content and addressing their pain points.
- IQLs can be progressed to Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) through targeted marketing efforts. SQLs are leads in the advanced stage of readiness for purchase.
Information Qualified Lead Explained
Information Qualified Leads are individuals who are comparatively inexperienced with the business and its services and provide personal information to know more. It is part of the marketing and sales funnel and represents the lowest-quality leads that come into a company's marketing and sales funnel.
They only trade e-mail addresses and minimal personal details in exchange for the content they consume and are not aware of the organization's business. Companies can share instructional information with them to turn them into Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs). High-value content enables these prospects to gain knowledge about the company, develop a sense of trust in it, and progress down the sales funnel.
An IQL is a prospective client who is only beginning to look into how to solve their issue. These leads may not yet be expressing interest in solutions. However, since companies often offer some company information, they become interested in knowing more. IQLs are typically generated when users submit a form to receive free resources like reports, webinars, and eBooks.
Businesses can qualify them by finding out what they want to know about the brand and engaging with them through newsletters, e-mails, and varied content offers. Companies can also reach out with the necessary answers for the pain issues they have investigated to pique their interest in the company's offering.
Examples
Let us look into a few examples to understand the concept better.
Example #1
Suppose Daisy, a call center manager, is facing an issue with her headphones. She visits a popular headphone company's website to make a purchase and fills out a form requesting a product demo.
In the form, she provides her name, e-mail address, company size, and specific challenges she hopes the product can solve. Based on the information provided, Daisy becomes an IQL, indicating a potential interest in the product and her readiness for further engagement by the sales team.
Once identified as an IQL, the sales team receives Daisy's information for additional qualifying and development. With the information supplied, the sales team can identify the lead's pain areas, personalize their approach, and adjust their messaging. This increases the likelihood of a successful conversion and boosts the sales process's general effectiveness.
Example #2
PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited is a global brand of companies that provides professional services. It operates as a partnership under the PwC brand. It is ranked as the world's second-biggest network for professional services. Their goal is to provide individuals and organizations with quality assurance, tax, and advisory services.
Certain details are asked to determine the appropriate assistance on the contact page, including:
- Lead's name
- Lead's e-mail address
- Lead's telephone number
- Lead's organization
- Lead's role within the organization
- Which of the PwC member firms should respond to this request (to be selected only if different from the lead's location)
- Country or Region
- Type of inquiry
- Subject matter of concern
- Specific details about the lead's inquiry
IQL Vs. MQL Vs. SQL
The differences between the three concepts are given as follows:
Points | IQL | MQL | SQL |
---|---|---|---|
Concept | IQLs are leads that provide certain information that points to possible interest. | A marketing-qualified lead, or MQL, is one step ahead of an information-qualified lead. These leads are actively researching solutions to address their needs. | Sales-qualified leads or SQL are in the advanced stage of readiness for purchase, making them more likely to convert into customers. |
Processing stage | IQLs occur during the early stage of the sales process and necessitate further qualification. | MQLs represent the intermediate stage among the three. | SQLs signify the final stage. |
Purpose | Their objective is to identify potential interest. | MQLs seek to assess marketing-generated leads with a higher potential for conversion. | SQLs are prepared for direct sales engagement. |