Marketing and sales are out of sync.
CMOs need to step in and fix it.
Many of the processes intended to drive pipeline are failing today. Leads enter a workflow, get vaguely “scored” as an MQL based on early behavior, and then are lobbed over to sales—often prematurely—to do the heavy lifting.
Not only is this ineffective, but it’s detrimental to any business’s bottom line.
Quality pipeline is a major problem that’s rarely fixed for long.
There’s a common perception that marketing sends junk leads, highly unlikely to convert. This creates a vicious cycle of wasted spend and mistrust. It can also create false confidence when it works well temporarily. This begs the question: Who then is responsible for ongoing quality pipeline?
Lead-centric strategies limit visibility into the entire buying committee.
The buyer for high-consideration, sales-led purchases is typically a group of decision-makers who enter the buying cycle at different times. What can marketing do to adapt?
Buying groups outlast sales organization structures.
As more teams reconsider SDR/BDR roles, rep profiles, assignment processes, tech stacks and more, it’s easy to get lost in sales structure rather than buyer needs. Who should represent the voice of the customer as go-to-market strategies evolve?
It’s time for marketing to take on the role of change agent and market driver.
As the starting point for lead generation, marketing is well positioned to drive changes that can increase revenue, boost conversion, and foster greater alignment and collaboration with sales. In other words, it’s marketing’s time to shine.
What you’ll learn in this guide:
- Pitfalls and inefficiencies of current pipeline strategies.
- Impact of a rapidly-evolving and increasingly-ungated buyer journey.
- Strategies for building an effective, high-converting pipeline.
- A roadmap for CMOs to own and optimize pipeline orchestration.
