TL;DR
If your funnel is rich in MQLs but light on revenue, fix the handoff and the math. Use predictive scoring (fit + intent + behavior), enforce SAL SLAs with timers and auto-recycle, and align dashboards to pipeline and win rate—not vanity metrics.
Why volume-led MQLs miss revenue targets
- They optimize for form fills, not buying groups or account readiness.
- Handoffs fail: slow responses, unclear owners, and no SLA clock.
- Scoring rules are static and ignore intent/usage signals.
- Success is tracked on opens/clicks instead of opps created, velocity, win rate.
To orchestrate buying groups, pair this with ABM 2.0: AI Agents for Multithreaded Enterprise Outreach.
For cookieless data foundations, see Cookieless B2B: The First-Party Data Playbook (2025).
The scoring formula that actually predicts revenue
Use a weighted model at account and contact levels. Keep it simple, auditable, and retrain quarterly.
Table 1 — Predictive scoring inputs (example weights)
| Dimension | Signal examples | Weight (A/C) |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | firmographic tier (ICP match), technographics, region | 40% |
| Intent | 3rd-party research, topic clusters, review visits | 30% |
| Behavior | first-party events: repeat visits, content depth, product usage | 25% |
| Recency | time-decay bonus within 7–14 days | 5% |
Account Score = 0.4*Fit + 0.3*Intent + 0.25*Behavior + 0.05*Recency
Contact Score = scaled version emphasizing role/seniority (+10% multiplier for decision makers).
Thresholds (tune by segment):
- MQA (Marketing Qualified Account): Account Score ≥ 75 and ≥2 roles identified
- HQL (High-Quality Lead): Contact Score ≥ 70 within an MQA
- No-fit / Nurture: Account Score < 50 → hold, enrich, or recycle
For data readiness and identity, align with The First-Party Data Playbook.
Routing logic that protects speed-to-lead
Fast routing beats perfect routing. Use deterministic rules first, then refine.
Table 2 — Routing rules (baseline)
| Rule | If… | Then owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Territory | Country/region = LATAM | LATAM SDR | Fallback to global if OOO |
| Tiering | ICP Tier = T1 | Enterprise SDR | Prioritize phone + LinkedIn |
| Product usage | Active trial > X users | AE + SDR in parallel | Create “trial to opp” task |
| Vertical play | Industry = Energy | Vertical SDR | Attach security/ROI pack |
| Overflow | Owner SLA breach | Auto reassign | Keep audit log & notify |
Speed-to-lead: target < 5 minutes on net-new SAL-worthy activity.
SAL SLAs: definitions that stop gray areas
Definitions:
- MQL: contact meets engagement threshold (contact-level).
- MQA: account meets account score threshold and buying group maturity.
- SAL (Sales Accepted Lead/Account): sales explicitly accepts responsibility to work it within SLA.
- SQL: qualified opportunity with BANT/criteria sufficient to forecast.
Table 3 — SLA timers (example)
| Stage | Timer starts when… | Must happen by… | Owner | Auto action if breached |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAL accept | Routing posted to owner | 2 hours | SDR/AE | Auto-reassign to backup; alert manager |
| First touch | SAL accepted | 4 hours | SDR | Escalate + add parallel task |
| Live conversation | First touch | 3 business days | SDR/AE | Recycle to nurture; note reason |
| SQL creation | Live conversation | 7 business days | AE | Flag in pipeline review |
Cross-check common failure modes with 5 Signs Your Sales Team Is Losing Opportunities (and How to Fix Them).
Dashboards that prove impact (not activity)
Build one revenue dashboard for Marketing + Sales. Here’s the minimal set.
Table 4 — Pipeline KPIs (single source of truth)
| Funnel slice | KPI | Target view | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readiness | MQAs created | Weekly trend, by segment | Signals true demand |
| Handoff | SAL acceptance rate | By owner, by tier | Exposes leakage |
| Creation | Opportunities created | By source & segment | Real buying intent |
| Velocity | Days per stage | By segment | Removes stalled work |
| Win | Win rate, ACV | 90-day cohort | Value creation, not clicks |
Quality check: add a “Closed-Lost reason” bar chart. Top 3 reasons → weekly enablement topics.
30-60-90 plan (ship value every month)
Days 0–30 (Foundations):
- Agree on definitions: MQL/MQA/SAL/SQL.
- Implement Account & Contact Score v1 with current signals.
- Turn on SLA timers + auto-recycle in your CRM/Engagement tool.
- Publish the Owner of Record rules (Table 2).
- Launch a shared Revenue Dashboard v1 (Table 4 metrics).
Days 31–60 (Scale & enablement):
- Add 3rd-party intent and product-usage events to scoring.
- Create vertical playpacks (Tech / Energy) with scripts & objection handling.
- Start weekly Handoff Review (15 minutes): SAL breaches, reassignment, learnings.
- A/B test Speed-to-Lead tactics (phone-first vs. LinkedIn-first).
Days 61–90 (Optimize):
- Retrain weights using last 90 days’ opp conversion.
- Tighten thresholds by segment (Enterprise vs Mid-market).
- Add MAP templates to accelerate champion mobilization.
- Quarterly audit: remove vanity metrics from exec view.
For vertical plays and champion enablement, see Unlocking Scalable Growth Strategies for Large Enterprises and From Prospect to Client: The Art of Generating Qualified Leads.
Mini-scripts (role-based)
- Champion (Director/Head): “We’ve mapped your buying group and built a 6-week MAP to compress review by 30%. Shall we walk through gaps this week?”
- Economic Buyer: “Here’s the pipeline velocity delta vs. status quo and the ACV uplift from shorter days-in-stage.”
- Security/IT: “Attached: controls matrix, data retention, and audit trail for AI-assisted sequences.”
- Procurement: “Standard T&Cs + DPA + sub-processor list; review timeline is in the MAP.”
Common failure modes & fixes
- Too many MQLs, too few opps: Raise thresholds; gate on account readiness (MQA).
- Slow responses: Enforce SLA timers + backup owners; review breaches weekly.
- Messy data: Normalize companies/contacts; auto-dedupe with identity rules.
- Static scoring: Retrain weights quarterly; add time-decay.
- No learning loop: Post-mortem Closed-Lost by reason; feed insights to plays.
Templates (free to copy)
- Scoring Sheet (Google Sheet): weights, thresholds, segments.
- SLA Playbook (PDF): timers, owners, auto-recycle rules.
- MAP Template (Doc): milestones, risks, mutual dates.
- Revenue Dashboard Spec (Doc): fields, filters, charts.
CTA: Want these templates customized to your stack? → Request the MQL→Revenue Kit
FAQ (FAQPage-friendly)
1) Should we score accounts or leads?
Both—account readiness (MQA) + contact heat (HQL). Route only when both are strong.
2) How fast should we respond to SALs?
Under 2 hours to accept, first touch in 4 hours. Shorter is better; measure it.
3) Do we need AI to start?
No. Start with simple weights; add intent and usage. Layer AI after your data is trustworthy.
4) What’s the best single KPI?
Opportunities created per segment—leading indicator of revenue.
5) How often should we retrain scoring?
Quarterly or when conversion drifts >15% from baseline.
