{"id":5844,"date":"2025-10-07T17:14:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/?p=5844"},"modified":"2025-10-07T17:15:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:15:56","slug":"why-your-mqls-arent-good-enough-and-how-to-make-the-switch-to-abm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/why-your-mqls-arent-good-enough-and-how-to-make-the-switch-to-abm\/","title":{"rendered":"Why your MQLs aren&#8217;t good enough (and how to make the switch to ABM)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udfa5 [Watch the replay of the session \u201cWhy your MQLs are no longer enough\u201d]\n<p>Video chapters<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>00:00:52 You&#8217;ve invested in marketing automation&#8230; but is it enough?<\/li>\n<li>00:03:40 The funnel problem<\/li>\n<li>00:08:24 Limit 1: Volume<\/li>\n<li>00:10:07 Limit 2: MQLs arrive too late<\/li>\n<li>00:13:47 Limit 3: Sales and marketing not aligned<\/li>\n<li>00:14:36 The necessary transition to ABM<\/li>\n<li>00:16:29 Lead Funnel vs Account Funnel<\/li>\n<li>00:20:05 Key ABM concepts<\/li>\n<li>00:22:07 ABM + Marketing Automation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Below is the Miro board used in Marketing Office Hours. It contains links to other boards used<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.com\/app\/live-embed\/uXjVJDyMdEs=\/? embedMode=view_only_without_ui&amp;moveToViewport=-298,-1085,5264,3159&amp;embedId=850552686189\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>You&#8217;ve invested in marketing automation&#8230; but is it enough?<\/h2>\n<p>You&#8217;ve deployed Marketo, built your nurturing scenarios, set up your scoring, and aligned your campaigns.<br \/>\nYour reports show rising MQLs, and your workflows are running like clockwork.<\/p>\n<p>Well done<\/p>\n<p>But is that really enough to generate business?<br \/>\nNot quite.<\/p>\n<p>Most B2B marketing departments face the same problem: despite a well-stocked lead pipeline, <strong>sales are struggling to convert<\/strong>. This is the current marketing department blues.<br \/>\nAnd it&#8217;s not a technical execution problem: it&#8217;s a <strong>model<\/strong> problem.<\/p>\n<h2>The problem with the traditional funnel<\/h2>\n<p>The classic funnel (Visitor \u2192 Lead \u2192 MQL \u2192 SQL \u2192 Opportunity) was designed to simplify an overly complex reality. And we made the convenient assumption that <strong>purchasing decisions were linear and individual.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Suddenly, it was easier to<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>create tracking indicators<\/li>\n<li>evaluate marketing and set objectives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And the \u201c<strong>model became reality<\/strong>\u201d in many companies: exclusive focus on MQLs, volume targets, and intense pressure when quotas were not met.<\/p>\n<p>However, <strong>modern B2B has never worked this way<\/strong> (except in the case of the startup market, and even then&#8230;).<\/p>\n<p>Today, a B2B purchase involves<strong> several decision-makers<\/strong>, often from different departments, and <strong>70% of the purchasing process takes place without direct contact with your teams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The result:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The marketing lead (MQL) represents only <strong>a fraction of the account<\/strong>,<\/li>\n<li>And the traditional funnel no longer reflects the reality of the purchasing journey.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Limitation #1: Too much volume, not enough focus<\/h2>\n<p>Marketing automation has made it possible to generate <strong>lots of leads<\/strong>. Too many, sometimes.<br \/>\nHundreds of MQLs are generated, but only a handful are truly strategic accounts.<\/p>\n<p>This discrepancy creates noise: sales teams spend their time sorting through leads instead of focusing on the right accounts.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWe have too many MQLs and not enough customers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This is a phrase often heard in organizations with mature marketing automation programs.<\/p>\n<h2>Limitation #2: MQLs arrive too late<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c80% of buyers choose a brand they already know\u201d (<b>The Day One List <\/b>Bain &amp; Company)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>When a prospect reaches the MQL scoring threshold, <strong>they are often already well advanced in their journey<\/strong>.<br \/>\nSigns of interest (search intentions, visits to key pages, social interactions) have been visible for weeks, but have not been exploited.<\/p>\n<p>The result: marketing reacts instead of anticipating.<\/p>\n<p>Buyers have already shortlisted their options or even chosen a competitor.<br \/>\nYou are <strong>entering the discussion too late<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Limitation #3: Lack of alignment between marketing and sales<\/h2>\n<p>Sales says: <em>\u201cThese leads are not good.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\nMarketing responds: <em>\u201cBut they meet our MQL criteria.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Both are right.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that each is <strong>working on a different logic<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marketing thinks in terms of individual leads,<\/li>\n<li>Sales thinks in terms of accounts and opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This structural misalignment explains why the <strong>MQL \u2192 opportunity conversion rate remains low<\/strong> despite all the automation efforts.<\/p>\n<h2>The necessary transition to ABM<\/h2>\n<p>This is where <strong>Account-Based Marketing (ABM)<\/strong> comes in.<br \/>\nABM offers a radically different approach: <strong>moving from leads to accounts.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rather than seeking to generate more and more leads, the focus is on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strategic accounts (those that really matter to the business),<\/li>\n<li>Signals of intent, to detect the right moment for action,<\/li>\n<li>And orchestration between marketing and sales to deliver the right message to the right people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Lead funnel vs. account funnel<\/h2>\n<p>In a lead-based funnel, each contact progresses alone.<br \/>\nIn an account-based funnel, it is the<strong> entire account<\/strong> that progresses through the journey.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-table su-table-responsive su-table-alternate\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Lead-Based Approach<\/td>\n<td>Account-Based Approach<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Unit = individual<\/td>\n<td>Unit = account<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Objective = volume<\/td>\n<td>Objective = relevance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Individual scoring<\/td>\n<td>Collective scoring (Intent + Engagement)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marketing pushes leads<\/td>\n<td>Marketing and sales work together<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Measurement = MQL<\/td>\n<td>Measurement = account progression<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>This shift changes everything: marketing becomes a <strong>strategic partner<\/strong> in business development.<\/p>\n<h2>Key ABM concepts<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Target Account List (TAL)<\/h3>\n<p>A list of priority accounts defined jointly with sales.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Intent Data<\/h3>\n<p>Analysis of search signals to detect accounts \u201cin the market.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>3. Buying Groups<\/h3>\n<p>Identify, map, and engage purchasing committees collectively.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Personalization<\/h3>\n<p>Tailor messaging and campaigns to the reality of each account.<\/p>\n<h2>ABM + Marketing Automation: A Powerful Combination<\/h2>\n<p>Good news: everything you&#8217;ve built with your marketing automation tool (Marketo, Eloqua, HubSpot, etc.) <strong>remains useful<\/strong>.<br \/>\nABM doesn&#8217;t replace your existing stack: <strong>it guides and reinforces it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marketing Automation = the execution engine (nurturing, email, campaigns, scoring)<\/li>\n<li>ABM = the navigation system (targeting, timing, alignment, strategy)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Marketo + ABM is like a powerful engine with smart GPS.<\/p>\n<p>By combining the two, you move from volume-oriented marketing to value-oriented marketing.<\/p>\n<h2>In conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Your MQLs aren&#8217;t dead, but they need to evolve<\/p>\n<p>MQLs remain a useful indicator, but they can no longer be the sole compass for B2B marketing.<br \/>\nWhat matters now is the progress of strategic accounts in their buying cycle.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s the point of this new Marketing Office Hours series: to help marketers move from volume-driven to value-driven management.<\/p>\n<h2>Our other ABM articles<\/h2>\n<div class=\"su-custom-gallery su-custom-gallery-align-center su-custom-gallery-title-always\"><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/qualification-score-prioritizing-the-right-accounts-with-ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Qualification Score: prioritizing the right accounts with AI\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Demandbase-tips.jpg\" alt=\"Qualification Score: prioritizing the right accounts with AI\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">Qualification Score: prioritizing the right accounts with AI<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/build-your-target-account-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Build your Target Account List\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Demandbase-tips.jpg\" alt=\"Build your Target Account List\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">Build your Target Account List<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/why-your-mqls-arent-good-enough-and-how-to-make-the-switch-to-abm\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Why your MQLs aren&#8217;t good enough (and how to make the switch to ABM)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/01\/Marketo-Office-Hour-400x200-1.png\" alt=\"Why your MQLs aren&#8217;t good enough (and how to make the switch to ABM)\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">Why your MQLs aren&#8217;t good enough (and how to make the switch to ABM)<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/2025-why-your-lead-gen-strategy-is-no-longer-enough-and-how-account-based-marketing-can-restart-your-growth\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"2025: Why Your Lead Gen Strategy Is No Longer Enough (and How Account-Based Marketing Can Restart Your Growth)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/2025-Why-Your-Lead-Gen-Strategy-Is-No-Longer-Enough.png\" alt=\"2025: Why Your Lead Gen Strategy Is No Longer Enough (and How Account-Based Marketing Can Restart Your Growth)\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">2025: Why Your Lead Gen Strategy Is No Longer Enough (and How Account-Based Marketing Can Restart Your Growth)<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/successful-abx-poc-practical-features-steps-and-tactics\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Successful ABx POC: practical features, steps and tactics\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/01\/Marketo-Office-Hour-400x200-1.png\" alt=\"Successful ABx POC: practical features, steps and tactics\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">Successful ABx POC: practical features, steps and tactics<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-custom-gallery-slide\" style=\"width:200px;height:100px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/which-martech-stack-to-choose-for-your-abx-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Which Martech stack to choose for your ABx strategy?\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/merlinleonard.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/01\/Marketo-Office-Hour-400x200-1.png\" alt=\"Which Martech stack to choose for your ABx strategy?\" width=\"200\" height=\"100\" \/><span class=\"su-custom-gallery-title\">Which Martech stack to choose for your ABx strategy?<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-clear\"><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udfa5 [Watch the replay of the session \u201cWhy your MQLs are no longer enough\u201d]&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":0,"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":90,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,25],"tags":[26,42,44,47],"technology":[],"class_list":["post-5844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-videos","category-virtual-roundtables","tag-abm","tag-marketing-automation","tag-marketing-strategy","tag-marketing-office-hours"],"acf":{"rsrc_module":null,"meta_duration":30,"meta_difficulty":"dif-beginner","modules_bottom":null,"post_or_page":"","agenda_shortcode":"[mktoagenda formid=\"2030\" button_text=\"Register now!\" form_title=\"Register for one hour of free Marketo support every week!\" focus_area=\"officehours\"]\r\n<script src=\"\/\/go.merlinleonard.com\/js\/forms2\/js\/forms2.min.js\"><\/script> <form id=\"mktoForm_2030\"><\/form> <script>MktoForms2.loadForm(\"\/\/go.merlinleonard.com\", \"380-REU-819\", 2030);<\/script>[\/mktoagenda]","post_featured_image_style":"normal","ressources_video":"","post_subtitle":"","modules":[{"acf_fc_layout":"mod_video","mod_video__embedcode":"<div itemprop=\"video\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\" title=\"Why your MQLs are not enough anymore - MOH 2025 09 26\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Why your MQLs are not enough anymore - MOH 2025 09 26\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"You've invested in marketing automation... but is that enough?   You've deployed Marketo, built your nurturing scenarios, set up your scoring, and aligned your campaigns.  Your reports show rising MQLs, and your workflows are running like clockwork.   Well done.   But is that really enough to generate business?  Not quite.  Most B2B marketing departments face the same problem: despite a well-stocked lead pipeline, sales are struggling to convert. It's the modern marketing blues.  And it's not a technical execution problem: it's a  model  problem.   The problem with the traditional funnel   The classic funnel (Visitor &amp;rarr; Lead &amp;rarr; MQL &amp;rarr; SQL &amp;rarr; Opportunity) was designed to simplify a much more complex reality.  And we made the convenient assumption that purchasing decisions were linear and individual.  Suddenly, everything became simpler:    Creating tracking metrics,    Evaluating marketing performance,    Setting volume targets.    But by simplifying,  the model became reality  in many companies:  exclusive focus on MQLs, pressure on quotas, and volume targets disconnected from the real business.  However, modern B2B does not work that way.  Today, a B2B purchase involves  several decision-makers , often from different departments, and  70% of the purchasing journey  takes place without direct contact with your teams.  The result:    The MQL represents only a  fragment of the account ,    and the traditional funnel no longer reflects  the reality of the purchasing journey .     Limitation #1: Too much volume, not enough focus   Marketing automation has made it possible to generate a lot of leads. Too many, sometimes.  Hundreds of MQLs are generated, but only a handful are truly strategic accounts.  This discrepancy creates noise: sales teams spend their time sorting through leads instead of focusing on the right accounts.  &amp;ldquo;We have too many MQLs and not enough customers.&amp;rdquo;  This is a phrase often heard in organizations with mature marketing automation programs.   Limitation #2: MQLs arrive too late   &amp;ldquo;80% of buyers choose a brand they already know.&amp;rdquo;  ( The Day One List, Bain  Company )  When a contact reaches MQL status, they are often  already well advanced in their journey .  Signs of interest&amp;mdash;searches, page visits, interactions&amp;mdash;have been visible for weeks, but have not been exploited.  As a result, marketing  reacts  instead of anticipating.  Buyers have already shortlisted their options, sometimes even choosing a competitor.  You're coming into the conversation  too late .   Limitation #3: Lack of alignment between Marketing and Sales   Sales says, &amp;ldquo;These leads aren't good.&amp;rdquo;  Marketing responds, &amp;ldquo;But they meet our MQL criteria.&amp;rdquo;  Both are right.  But each is working according to a different logic:    Marketing thinks in terms of individual leads,    Sales thinks in terms of accounts and opportunities.    This structural misalignment explains why the  MQL &amp;rarr; opportunity  conversion rate remains low, despite all the automation efforts.   The necessary transition to ABM   This is where  Account-Based Marketing (ABM)  comes in.  ABM offers a radically different approach:  moving from lead to account .  Rather than seeking to generate more and more leads, ABM focuses on:     Strategic accounts , those that really matter to the business,     Signals of intent , to detect the right moment for action,    And  orchestration between marketing and sales , to send the right message to the right people.     Lead funnel vs. account funnel   In a lead-based funnel, each contact progresses on its own.  In an account-based funnel, it is  the entire account  that advances in its journey.  Lead-Based Approach &amp;larr; Account-Based Approach  Unit = individual &amp;larr; Unit = account  Objective = volume &amp;larr; Objective = relevance  Individual scoring &amp;larr; Collective scoring (Intent + Engagement)  Marketing pushes leads &amp;larr; Marketing and sales work together  Measurement = MQL &amp;larr; Measurement = account progress  This shift changes everything: marketing becomes a  strategic partner in business development .   Key concepts of ABM      Target Account List (TAL) A list of priority accounts defined jointly with sales.     Intent Data Analysis of search signals to detect accounts &amp;ldquo;in the market.&amp;rdquo;     Buying Groups Purchasing committees to be identified, mapped, and engaged collectively.     Personalization Adapting the message and campaigns to the reality of each account.     ABM + Marketing Automation: a powerful combination   Good news: everything you've built with your marketing automation tool (Marketo, Eloqua, HubSpot, etc.)  remains useful .  ABM does not replace your existing stack: it  guides and reinforces  it.     Marketing Automation  = the execution engine (nurturing, email, campaigns, scoring)     ABM  = the navigation system (targeting, timing, alignment, strategy)    Marketo + ABM is like a powerful engine with smart GPS.  By combining the two, you move from volume-oriented marketing to  value-oriented  marketing.   In conclusion   Your MQLs aren't dead, but they need to evolve.  MQLs remain a useful indicator, but they can no longer be the sole compass for B2B marketing.  What matters now is the  progress of strategic accounts  in their buying cycle.  That's the purpose of this new series of  Marketing Office Hours : to help marketers move from volume-driven to value-driven management.\" \/><meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/videos-en.merlinleonard.com\/64968575\/117148744\/34ef9aab1c64fe85b699ce7b7352dc01\/large\/why-your-mqls-are-not-enough-13-thumbnail.jpg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"image\" content=\"https:\/\/videos-en.merlinleonard.com\/64968575\/117148744\/34ef9aab1c64fe85b699ce7b7352dc01\/large\/why-your-mqls-are-not-enough-13-thumbnail.jpg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"embedUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/videos-en.merlinleonard.com\/v.ihtml\/player.html?token=34ef9aab1c64fe85b699ce7b7352dc01&amp;amp;source=embed&amp;amp;photo%5fid=117148744&amp;amp;endOn=\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-10-07T10:08:20\" \/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"360\" \/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"640\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"T24M31S\" \/><div style=\"width:100%; height:0; position: relative; padding-bottom:56.25%\"><iframe title=\"Why your MQLs are not enough anymore - 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