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Sales Accepted Lead (SAL)

Written By Alexandra Flygare

Have you ever wondered about what really makes a difference in getting your sales team those wins?

Well, it's something called a Sales Accepted Lead, or SAL for short. Let's dive into what this is all about and why it's something you should care about if you're looking to boost your business.

What is a sales accepted lead?

Imagine you've got a bunch of potential customers, but not all of them are ready to buy what you're selling. A Sales Accepted Lead is basically a potential customer that both your marketing team and sales team agree is ready for a chat about actually buying something. It's like the green light telling your sales team, "Hey, this person is interested and might just be ready to make a purchase." 


Essentially, a Sales Accepted Lead is a MQL that has been reviewed and accepted by your sales team as worth pursuing directly.After becoming an SAL the process of selling can begin. 

Why do sales accepted leads matter?

They Get Marketing and Sales on the Same Page

One of the coolest things about SALs is that they require your marketing and sales teams to work together. Both teams have to agree on what makes a lead a SAL. This teamwork makes sure that your sales folks are spending their time on leads that are more likely to turn into sales.

They Mean Better Leads

SALs help you focus on quality over quantity. It's all about making sure the leads your sales team talks to are the ones that are actually interested. This can save your team a lot of time and increase the chances of making a sale.

They Make Your Sales Funnel More Efficient

By concentrating on SALs, your sales team can work more efficiently. They're focusing on leads that have a higher chance of going through the whole buying process, which can lead to better sales numbers without wasting time on leads that won't go anywhere.

How to manage your sales accepted leads

  • Set Clear Criteria: First up, make sure everyone agrees on what makes a lead a SAL. Whether it's downloading a guide from your site, signing up for a webinar, or something else, having clear criteria is key.

  • Keep Marketing and Sales Talking: Good communication between your marketing and sales teams is super important. It keeps everyone on the same page about which leads are turning into SALs and helps adjust strategies as needed.

  • Use the Right Tools: Using CRM and lead management tools can really help in keeping track of your SALs and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. It's all about staying organized and making informed decisions.

  • Always Be Refining: Don't just set your criteria and forget about it. Keep an eye on how those SALs are doing and tweak your criteria as you learn what works and what doesn't.

Targeting the right accounts increases the likelihood of conversions, ensuring that sales teams focus their efforts on prospects with the highest potential for closing.

One way to do this is with Dreamdata’s Audience Hub, which offers the easiest way to create the most relevant audiences from your go-to-market data anywhere.

How do you calculate a sales accepted lead?

To calculate SAL, you must first identify the quantity of leads that fit the sales team's requirements. 

For example, if the sales team required that a lead have a budget of at least $10,000, purchasing authority, and a need for your product, you would count the number of leads who fulfill all three of these criteria.

This boils down to a simple formula:

Number of SALs = Total leads that meet the SAL criteria

If you want to take it a step further, calculate your SAL rate to see how effective your lead generation and qualification process is:

SAL Rate = (Number of SALs / Total number of leads) * 100

This percentage tells you how many of your total leads turn into sales accepted leads. A higher rate means your marketing-to-sales pipeline is doing well.

Conclusion

Sales Accepted Leads are a game-changer when it comes to making your sales process more efficient and successful. By focusing on leads that are genuinely interested, your teams can work better together and boost those sales numbers. So, give SALs the attention they deserve, and watch how they can help grow your business.