Significant resources are dedicated to generating Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) and executing the initial sales handoff. However, an often-overlooked and critical opportunity exists for marketing to provide strategic support throughout the post MQL sales cycle, driving higher
conversion rates and improving sales efficiency.
Leveraging modern marketing automation platforms—such as Account Engagement (Pardot) Engagement Studio or Marketing Cloud Journey Builder—marketing teams can transition from being solely lead generators to becoming strategic partners with the sales organization. The aim is to move beyond the traditional, linear-funnel perspective that views prospect management as a simple, conveyor belt-esque process.
The following three automated campaign types are essential for marketing to support the sales process effectively post-MQL.
Automated Nurture Campaigns
A common challenge in the sales cycle is maintaining contact with prospects who express future interest but are not ready to engage immediately. Leads often fall out of a sales representative’s
focus as new, higher-priority conversations emerge, leading to missed opportunities when the prospect is finally ready to re-engage.
Marketing’s Solution: Marketing automation can resolve this by establishing an automated, long-term nurturing strategy.
- Trigger: Sales representatives can systematically assign leads to a specific lead stage in Salesforce (e.g.,‘Nurture’) that serves as the trigger to initiate a personalized journey.
- Journey Design: This journey should be low-volume and high-value, focusing on remaining top-of-mind. Content should be informative and non-sales-driven, such as industry insights, thought leadership articles, or relevant assets.
- Reactivation: A robust Call-to-Action (CTA) or an asset download within the journey can act as an engagement trigger. This action should automatically update the lead stage back to a status such as “New Lead”, alerting the sales team that the prospect is now ready for renewed outreach.
Pre-Closed Won
The latter stages of the sales cycle are crucial, characterised by the prospect’s final evaluation and potential “buyer’s remorse”. We’ve all been there so we want to make this easy for your prospects!
- Strategic Content Placement: Marketing should deploy a targeted journey in the final stages of the sales cycle (e.g., the penultimate stage or the stage prior).
- Content Focus: The campaign must be weighted heavily toward social proof, specifically case studies and customer success stories.
- Objective: By showcasing verifiable successes from companies similar to the prospect, and highlighting tangible benefits achieved, the journey aims to validate the prospect’s decision and mitigate anxiety, making the choice to move forward with your solution straightforward and risk-free.
Competitor-Specific Campaigns
Gathering competitive intelligence is a crucial element of the sales process, often mandated by sales leadership before a deal can advance. When a sales representative identifies a specific competitor, marketing has a powerful opportunity to provide timely, targeted reinforcement.
- Data Trigger: A dedicated field in the Opportunity record for documenting the primary competitor can be used to initiate an automated marketing journey.
- Tailored Collateral: This trigger enables the delivery of highly specific collateral that directly addresses the competitive landscape. This can include:
- Feature Comparisons: Highlighting product features where your company demonstrates a clear advantage over the selected competitor.
- Success Stories: Sharing case studies from customers who previously used the competitor and switched to your solution, detailing the improved outcomes.
These targeted campaigns empower the sales team by providing automated, timely support and relevant information, allowing them to focus their energy on building relationships and closing deals.
