Your GTM process is a factory that turns raw materials (leads) into a product (pipeline). Just as a car factory rejects faulty parts, you must analyze your process to stop feeding it low-quality leads that SDRs discard, thereby eliminating massive marketing and sales waste.

Stop using early deal stages to manage unqualified leads, as this creates fuzzy reporting. Implementing HubSpot's dedicated Lead Object creates a clean separation between the lead qualification process and the deal closing process. This clarifies metrics and improves BDR workflow.

An overly simple lead capture process attracts low-quality leads and wastes sales time. Add qualifying questions to your form and only show the booking link to prospects who meet specific criteria. This automates qualification and protects your sales team's capacity.

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.

Adding qualification steps to a sales funnel weeds out bad-fit leads. This increases cost-per-lead but lowers overall customer acquisition cost (CAC) and boosts morale by letting salespeople focus only on high-intent, closable deals.

As companies scale, they shift from inbound to outbound sales. Reps accustomed to a steady flow of leads often lack the desire or skill to build their own pipeline. The CRO guest estimates fewer than half can successfully make this critical career transition, leading to high turnover.

Small companies often overload their first salesperson with both new logo acquisition and existing account management. This is a trap. Prospecting will always lose out to servicing known customers. Plan for account continuity early to protect your growth engine, even before you can afford a second hire.

MQLs should function as internal signals for the marketing team to orchestrate the next step in the buyer's journey, such as triggering a new automation. They are a delivery system within marketing, not a basket of leads to be handed to sales, which prevents sales from chasing low-quality signals.

The future of sales requires more authentic, time-intensive conversations to build the trust needed to win. This means salespeople must focus on a smaller number of high-propensity prospects, leading to a thinner but more valuable pipeline. The emphasis shifts from the volume of leads to the quality and depth of engagement.