The marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a long-standing metric in B2B marketing that increasingly finds itself under fire for a number of reasons. Those who want to see the MQL banished to the B2B marketing wastebasket say it’s too subjective, not tied to revenue growth, and not indicative of the complexity of the B2B buying process.
But marketers who are considering moving beyond the MQL need to find a worthy replacement. Simply re-labeling an MQL as something else doesn’t solve the problem or improve your marketing.
James Stanton is the Vice President of Marketing at Empyrean Benefits Solutions, an HR tech vendor. For James, moving beyond the MQL means looking at prospects through the lens of “opportunities,” which sounds a lot more aligned with how B2B works but does present some challenges of its own.
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In this episode of B2B Nation, we’re talking to James about MQLs, his company’s experience outsourcing practically all of its digital marketing functions, and more.
Episode Guide
3:09: Is this the year marketers drop MQLs, and what’s the replacement?
4:17: “In this humble marketer’s opinion, the MQL is dead. It’s done.”
4:41: What metric will James be watching if not the MQL?
8:30: Tips for explaining plans to ditch the MQL to your leadership.
11:45: The challenges of moving from MQLs to demand units and opportunities.
14:52: How and why James is outsourcing Empyrean’s digital marketing functions.
22:40: What is James excited about in the business world in 2022?
27:00: What is James’ take on in-person events?
29:15: What is James’ favorite tool?
