Ecosystem Qualified Leads - What are they?

Definition, Techniques, and Best Practices

Ecosystem Qualified Leads

Today's SaaS technology tools are no longer all-in-one "platforms." They are part of an interconnected ecosystem of partners. This includes Channel Partners that aid in the distribution and selling of software and Integration or Tech Partners.

Ecosystem Qualified Leads or "EQLs" are contacts passed along from your ecosystem of partners. This can include (but is not limited to)

Why measure Ecosystem Qualified Leads

Conventionally, SaaS companies utilizing a direct sale approach have a hard ceiling to growth. After all, your sales and marketing teams can only reach so many people. Leaning on partners for new leads allows you to unlock a new level of growth. Because partner programs can be resource-intensive, Measuring partner ecosystem-sourced revenue in the form of Ecosystem Qualified Leads helps your organization know where to allocate resources.

For partner managers and partner organizations, advocating for EQL as a metric can give you attribution for the revenue you drive, leading to promotions and more resources. After all: what gets measured gets managed.

How to measure Ecosystem Qualified Leads

To measure EQLs you'll need a Partner Ecosystem Platform such as Crossbeam, integrated with your CRM of choice, such as Salesforce. The PEP will source new partner-created opportunities for your sales and marketing teams and insert that into your existing workflow. Your exact next steps depend on your needs.