How to Turn Marketing Qualified Accounts into Marketing Qualified Leads

Tony

So, you’ve got a marketing qualified account (6QA). That’s great, but now what? The real magic happens when you turn that interest into a lead that your business development reps can call or email. Here are three solid ways to make that leap. 

1. Enrich Contacts Before Handing Them Off to BDRs 

Timing is everything. Once an account shows sufficient intent (like hitting 6QA status in 6sense), you want your BDRs or SDRs reaching out fast. The longer you wait, the colder the lead gets, and the more likely a competitor swoops in first. 

Start by identifying the buying committee. That’s the group of people who influence or make the purchase decision. Usually, it’s 4–8 folks depending on the size of the company and complexity of the deal. You’re looking for roles like: 

• Decision maker – gives the final yes 
• Champion – your internal cheerleader 
• Influencer – shares input or requirements 
• User – the person who’ll actually use your product 
• Gatekeeper – controls access or budget 

Once you’ve mapped out who’s who (often by selecting a few key personas based on seniority and function), enrich those records with contact data. Then, hand them off (automatically if possible) using Intelligent Workflows or by pushing them into your CRM. Manual handoffs via CSV work too, but automation saves time and keeps things moving. 

2. Use an Email Cadence to Book Meetings 

Here’s another option. Email still works if you do it right. You can use AI to personalize the messages (for instance with 6sense email) for improved engagement, or stick with a more traditional approach. A simple 3-touch sequence can turn interest into a booked meeting. 

• Email 1: Value & Relevance 

 Personalize it. Speak to their role, company, or pain point. Skip the demo pitch and focus on outcomes. 

 Example: “We helped [peer company] boost [metric] by [X%]. Here’s how.” 

• Email 2: Social Proof & Insight 

 Build trust. Share a customer story or a juicy data point. Keep the call-to-action light. 

 Example: “Want to see how this could apply to your team?” 

• Email 3: Direct Ask & Urgency 

 Be clear and confident. Offer time slots, recap the value, and explain why now matters. 

 Example: “Can we set up a quick 20-minute call next week to explore [specific benefit]?” 

If there’s no response after the third email, hand it off to either your social media advertising or your regular weekly/monthly email nurture campaigns. 

3. Use Paid Social Media to Drive Sign-ups 

Speaking of social media... LinkedIn and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) offer native lead gen forms that make it super easy for prospects to share their info without leaving the platforms. This is your third option for converting 6QAs into leads. 

You can create a 6sense segment from your new 6QAs and push that to LinkedIn and Meta using our Segment Sync feature. 6sense will keep the account list up-to-date. You can then log in to your campaign manager, create a native form and set up a CPL campaign to target the 6QAs. Be sure to apply targeting criteria (seniority, function, job title, etc) to limit the audience to roles in your buying committee. 

Why it works: 

• Less friction: No need to visit a landing page. 
• Higher conversions: Pre-filled fields make it easy, especially on mobile. 
• Better data: Info comes straight from profiles. 
• Easy integration: Leads can flow right into your CRM or marketing platform. 

If you’re looking for quick wins and scalable outreach, paid social is a great way to go. 

Wrapping It Up 

Turning MQAs into MQLs isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re enriching contacts, running email cadences, or launching paid ads, the key is speed, relevance, and smart targeting. Pick the approach that fits your team and goals, or mix and match based on measured results. 

Happy hunting!