The modern SaaS buyer is a master of self-education. They research relentlessly, build internal consensus, and often delay vendor interaction until they’ve thoroughly vetted their options. Meanwhile, sales teams are under immense pressure to hit quota, sifting through a mountain of leads, and understandably skeptical of anything that doesn’t scream “ready to buy.” This creates a fundamental disconnect. While demand generation efforts often aim for maximum MQL volume, they frequently end up generating noise, not qualified opportunities. The result? A sales team that distrusts the pipeline, leading to missed opportunities and a broken buyer experience. This post explores why chasing high MQL volume is counterproductive and what to prioritize instead.
The MQL Myth: Quantity Over Quality
The traditional approach to demand generation often prioritizes volume. More MQLs, the thinking goes, equals more opportunities, and ultimately, more revenue. But this model often fails to consider the crucial element: buyer readiness. Many MQLs are simply window shoppers—researching, gathering information, or early in their journey. They haven’t necessarily identified a specific problem or are actively seeking a solution. Pushing these unqualified leads to sales wastes everyone’s time and, crucially, erodes trust.
The Internal SaaS Decision-Making Bottleneck
Let’s step into the shoes of a SaaS sales rep. They receive a lead, flagged as an MQL. They call. They email. They get a polite brush-off, or worse, ghosted. This scenario repeats itself, and the rep starts to question the lead quality. They develop a bias against MQLs, prioritizing the “hot” leads that seem ready to buy immediately. This is perfectly rational behavior. They have a quota to hit, and their time is limited. The system, however, is flawed. It prioritizes volume over relevance and fails to understand the internal dynamics of the buying process.
The Vendor Evaluation Stage: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
The vendor evaluation stage is where buyers actively compare solutions, often involving multiple stakeholders and a complex internal evaluation process. This is the stage where sales teams *should* be focusing their efforts. But if the pipeline is clogged with unqualified leads, sales reps are less likely to dedicate time and resources to the buyers who are genuinely evaluating vendors. This creates a missed opportunity to influence the decision-making process, provide valuable insights, and ultimately win the deal.
Shifting Focus: Buyer Intent and Context
Instead of chasing high MQL volume, demand generation needs to prioritize buyer intent and context. This means understanding where buyers are in their journey and what information they need at each stage. It means focusing on content and campaigns that address specific pain points, demonstrate value, and position the company as a trusted advisor. It means aligning sales and marketing around a shared understanding of what constitutes a qualified opportunity, based on real buying signals, not just lead volume. Consider these tactics:
- Content Mapping: Create content that aligns with each stage of the buyer journey, providing value and addressing their specific needs.
- Intent Data: Use intent data to identify accounts actively researching solutions and engage them with relevant content.
- Lead Scoring: Implement a robust lead scoring system that considers both explicit and implicit buying signals.
- Sales and Marketing Alignment: Foster a strong relationship between sales and marketing, with a shared understanding of lead qualification criteria and a commitment to providing sales with high-quality, actionable leads.
Redefining Success: Quality Over Quantity
The goal of demand generation isn’t to generate the most leads; it’s to generate the right leads. It’s about building trust with sales by delivering qualified opportunities that are genuinely interested in your solution. It’s about reducing noise and focusing on the buyers who are actively evaluating vendors and ready to make a decision. This requires a shift in mindset, from a volume-driven approach to one focused on buyer intent, context, and a deep understanding of the internal SaaS decision-making process. Only then can demand generation truly become a driver of revenue, not just a source of frustration.