As sales leaders, we live in a world of conflicting pressures. We’re tasked with hitting revenue targets, but we’re also acutely aware of the quality, or lack thereof, of the leads flowing into our pipeline. Modern SaaS buyers are savvy; they research, compare, and often, delay engaging with sales until they’re well along their buying journey. Simultaneously, our teams are incentivized to fill the funnel with as many “qualified” leads (MQLs) as possible, creating a stark misalignment that ultimately hurts more than it helps. This is a problem.
The Observed Pattern: MQLs as a Double-Edged Sword
We see it constantly. Demand generation teams are judged on MQL volume. Marketing metrics often prioritize the sheer number of leads generated, regardless of their conversion rates or actual fit. This pressure leads to strategies that cast a wide net, capturing a large volume of leads, many of whom are not actively evaluating solutions or even aware of their specific pain points. Sales teams, meanwhile, are flooded with these low-context leads, forced to sift through a sea of noise to find the few genuine opportunities. This creates a cycle of frustration for both sides.
Why It Fails: Solution Awareness and the Erosion of Trust
The problem is most acute when targeting buyers who are “solution aware.” These buyers understand they have a problem and know there are potential solutions, but haven’t yet decided which vendor to choose. They’re actively researching, comparing vendors, and likely consulting with multiple stakeholders within their organization. The high-volume MQL approach often misreads this stage. Generic content, broad outreach, and a lack of personalization are the norm. The result? Buyers become disengaged. They see irrelevant messaging and outreach that doesn’t resonate with their current needs. Sales reps spend their time chasing unqualified leads, damaging their credibility and wasting valuable time.
This approach actively erodes pipeline trust. When sales teams are constantly chasing low-quality leads, they become less effective at recognizing and focusing on the genuine opportunities. The signal-to-noise ratio is so poor that it becomes difficult to identify the truly engaged prospects. The sales team, knowing the low conversion rates of these MQLs, begins to distrust the pipeline, leading to slower follow-up, less effort, and potentially, missed opportunities.
What Changes Outcomes: Focus on Intent and Context
The solution lies in shifting the focus from quantity to quality. Instead of prioritizing MQL volume, demand generation needs to center around understanding buyer intent and context. This means:
- Targeted Content: Creating highly relevant content that addresses the specific needs and pain points of buyers at the solution-aware stage.
- Intent Signals: Identifying and leveraging intent data to understand which accounts are actively researching solutions.
- Personalized Outreach: Tailoring outreach to individual buyers and their specific context, showing that you understand their challenges.
- Internal Alignment: Fostering a closer relationship between marketing and sales, so that marketing’s efforts are directed at generating truly qualified leads.
By focusing on providing value and relevance, demand generation can transform the relationship between sales and marketing. When sales teams receive leads that are genuinely interested and well-informed, they can focus their efforts on closing deals instead of just chasing leads. This, in turn, boosts pipeline trust, increases conversion rates, and accelerates revenue growth.
Conclusion: Quality Over Quantity, Always
The pursuit of high MQL volume, particularly for solution-aware buyers, is often a misguided strategy. It may seem like a quick win in the short term, but it ultimately undermines pipeline trust and wastes valuable resources. As sales leaders, we need to champion an approach that prioritizes quality over quantity, relevance over reach. By understanding the buyer journey and aligning our demand generation efforts with their needs, we can build a stronger, more efficient, and ultimately more successful sales organization.