The Marketing to Sales Handoff: Rethinking the Relay Race
Why MQLs Aren’t Invitations to Pitch — And How to Align Teams for a Winning Partnership
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁
As we pause to reflect on what we’re grateful for this year, we’d like to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. May this Thanksgiving bring you joy, peace, and valuable time with loved ones!
Marketing to Sales Handoff: It’s Not a Relay Race!
❌ In most companies, the journey from marketing to sales feels like passing a baton in a relay race.
❌ Marketing generates MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads), hands them off to sales, and sales sprints to pitch.
The Problem?
"Buyers don’t run this race with you—they observe it. And when your teams are out of sync, prospects are more likely to ‘friendzone’ your brand than move forward in their buying journey."
Here’s the truth:
✔️ MQLs are not buying intent. They’re interest signals.
✔️ They’re a great indicator of how well your demand gen program aligns with the buyer journey, but they’re not an invitation to pitch.
Instead, your Marketing and Sales teams should embrace:
- Collaborative Playbooks &
- Knowledge Sharing Sessions
How to Use MQLs Effectively:
Account Research:
Use MQLs to dig into account-level insights, priorities, pain points, and their stage in the buyer journey.Pipeline Segmentation:
Group MQLs into immediate opportunities or nurture streams for future pipeline development.Trigger Identification:
Analyze behaviors and signals to identify triggers that set the activation playbook into motion.
What NOT to Do:
❌ Pitch Immediately:
Reaching out to an MQL without validating intent will only create friction.
❌ Generic Sequences:
Dropping MQLs into a 5-step email sequence shows you care more about volume than value.
Marketing to sales is not a handoff. It’s a partnership. 💡
Have You Registered for the Big Game? 🏈
Before you dig into that turkey or pie, don’t forget to register for the most anticipated webinar of the year!
I’m thrilled to invite you to my upcoming webinar:
"2025 ABM Playbook: 3 Moves to Engage CXOs"
This interactive session is packed with actionable insights for B2B marketers ready to strengthen CXO connections and improve ABM strategies.
What You’ll Learn:
ABM Personalisation:
Discover how to create CXO-centric content that resonates with top executives.Executive-Only Events:
Learn how to run exclusive sessions that build trust without overspending on ad budgets.Intent Data in ABM:
Find out how to time your outreach perfectly to engage CXOs when it matters most.
Webinar Details:
Date: 10th December, 2024
Time: 10:00 A.M E.S.T / 8:30 P.M I.S.T
You can access the webinar recording and additional resources in our content hub!