Welcome to another insightful edition of Funnel Lab Fridays! If you’re just tuning in, Funnel Lab Fridays is a weekly LinkedIn live series where we dive into the challenges and use cases for data-savvy marketers. Today’s session, hosted by Doug Bell, CMO at CaliberMind, is all about transitioning from lead-based systems (MQLs) to account-based marketing (ABM) and moving from Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) to Marketing Qualified Accounts (MQAs). Doug is joined by two stellar guests: Nadia Davis, Senior Director of Revenue Marketing and Marketing Ops at PayIt, and Misha Salkinder, Director of Customer Data Strategy at CaliberMind.
Let’s dive right into the conversation that digs deep into how companies are handling the transition, the obstacles they face, and the strategies needed to optimize this new go-to-market motion.
The Death of the MQL – Or Is It?
Doug kicks off by addressing a declaration from Forrester in the 2010s: the MQL is dead. Though simple to declare, it’s been challenging to move away from the MQL given the entrenched ways marketers have operated for years. Historically, B2B marketing relied on optimizing the funnel, and the MQL was the star metric. Doug points out that even as sales teams have adapted faster to this shift, marketers still cling to MQLs as the easiest measurement of success.
Nadia quickly jumps in, debunking the myth around the MQL’s supposed demise. She offers an engaging breakdown, noting how in 2010, MQLs were commonly seen as “form fills = buying intent,” which often didn’t align with real purchasing behavior. The gap between marketing’s expectations and sales results created a rift, with sales teams labeling MQLs as poor-quality leads.
However, Nadia emphasizes a key point: MQLs should be seen as a leading indicator rather than a direct action trigger. They can highlight interest but are not an immediate call to action for sales. She explains that the transition from MQLs to an account-based approach mirrors the evolution of how sales teams adapted to modern buying groups, highlighting that the entire ecosystem around a lead matters.
From Leads to Accounts: Reversing the Funnel
Nadia elaborates on how sales teams have organically transitioned from lead-based approaches to account-based marketing over the years—without even labeling it as such. In traditional lead-based systems, the final step was qualifying an account, but ABM flips that model. Instead, account qualification is the first step in ABM. This reverse approach—starting with qualified accounts and layering on intent data and behavioral actions—has allowed marketers to look at the full picture of who they are targeting.
Yet, she warns against thinking that adopting tools automatically ensures success. It’s not just about collecting data or buying into ABM platforms. It’s about how well teams consume and act on the output of these tools, interpreting data to prioritize accounts.
Misha agrees with Nadia’s perspective, adding that many organizations still struggle with the transition to account-based models. They often still focus on individual leads and fail to shift their metrics and mindset to account-based measures. The challenge, he explains, is bridging the language gap between marketing and sales teams when it comes to data interpretation.
The Misconception About ABM’s Decline
Doug brings up another analyst claim: ABM is dead. Nadia and Doug both find this notion absurd. Nadia clarifies that ABM isn’t going anywhere; it’s simply becoming the de facto strategy for modern marketing teams, especially for organizations dealing with large, complex buying groups. She compares the idea of ABM’s decline to saying that “Agile is dead” in the world of software development—it’s simply a methodology, not a fleeting trend.
The real challenge, according to Nadia, is not in the methodology itself but in marketers’ ability to consume and manage data. With increasing data inputs, from account signals to multi-touchpoint engagements, marketing teams need to become better at interpreting and presenting this data in digestible ways for sales teams. Misha echoes this, pointing out the need for operational teams to simplify complex concepts into actionable steps for sales reps.
Orchestration: The Key to ABM Success
Nadia introduces the concept of orchestration in ABM, borrowing from the IT world. Orchestration in marketing means synchronizing all data sources—from in-person interactions to programmatic ads—into a cohesive view. She stresses the importance of having an effective tech stack that centralizes data, allowing marketing and sales teams to align on key actions.
Doug nods in agreement, sharing that at CaliberMind, their marketing and sales meetings often involve discussions on early indicators of success. However, he notes that it’s easy for sellers to get lost in the sea of data. The trick is to focus on how well the machine is performing and whether it’s moving the needle in terms of pipeline creation.
Misha adds that modern technology—such as the upcoming AI-powered features in CaliberMind—can help bridge the gap. He describes a feature called Ask Cal, which summarizes massive amounts of engagement data into easy-to-read insights for sales teams. Instead of presenting hundreds of data points, it distills the information to show the most crucial buying signals. The aim is to help sellers focus on the accounts with the highest probability of conversion.
Wrapping Up: ABM Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolving
As the discussion winds down, Doug revisits the core idea of ABM: it’s not dead, but rather, it’s become the standard. Marketing teams must now adopt and refine their approach to data, ensuring that sellers are empowered with actionable insights.
Nadia closes with a humorous yet sharp observation: ABM isn’t dead. We’ll all still have our jobs on Monday. Her message is clear—ABM is here to stay, but it requires constant evolution and orchestration between marketing and sales.
