Contrary to the 'always be closing' mindset, the goal of early-stage qualification should be disqualification. Advancing deals based on mere 'interest' rather than true 'intent' leads to bloated pipelines and low win rates. Getting to 'no' quickly is more efficient than chasing unqualified leads.

Attributing pipeline to a single source (Marketing, SDR, AE) oversimplifies a collaborative process. This reporting style identifies team underperformance but offers no insight into *why* it's happening or how to fix it, rendering it strategically useless for scaling or problem-solving.

The company's overall win rate was low (6-7%) and decreasing. Analysis showed this decline mirrored a drop in marketing 'signals' (e.g., event attendance, content downloads) before an opportunity was created. This provided a clear data link between mid-funnel marketing activities and sales success.

Instead of a linear handoff, the "GTM Factory" model tracks sales and marketing as parallel processes. This provides end-to-end visibility, like a manufacturing line, exposing how marketing's ongoing influence throughout the sales cycle compounds with sales activities to accelerate pipeline and improve win rates.

Creating a Stage 0 opportunity when a lead books a meeting is a stop-gap for not having a measurable 'Prospecting' stage. A true opportunity should only be created after qualification via conversation. This faulty process pollutes pipeline data and hides prospecting inefficiencies.

In B2B sales with multiple decision-makers, tracking individual MQLs is a "lazy metric" that misrepresents buying intent. Success depends on identifying and engaging the entire buying group. Marketing's goal should be to qualify the group, not just a single lead.

Ditch MQLs. For sales-led motions, measure marketing on qualified pipeline (deals converting at >25%). For PLG motions, measure 'activated signups,' where users hit their 'aha moment.' This aligns marketing with quality and revenue, not volume.

The company had a significant 'prospecting black box.' For 40% of all opportunities, there was no traceable sales trigger or activity log, such as logged calls. This meant they couldn't measure or optimize a huge portion of their pipeline creation process, particularly SDR outbound efforts.

The handoff process from marketing to sales is a frequently neglected 'gray zone.' Marketers fear overstepping and sales may lack optimization skills. Making this a core strategic bet is a high-leverage way to generate pipeline while building top-of-funnel demand.