Description
In this insightful conversation, host Mike Cottrill sits down with Rob Yoho, a Sandler Sales expert, to tackle the age-old tension between marketing and sales teams. Together they explore why marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) often fail to convert into sales-qualified leads (SQLs), creating what they call the “million-dollar gap” between departments.
Rob explains how Sandler Sales provides systematic, repeatable approaches to business development, while addressing common pain points: long sales cycles, difficulty finding decision-makers, and stagnant growth. The conversation reveals how misalignment happens when “the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing” — marketing teams celebrate increased lead volume while sales teams complain about lead quality.
The discussion covers:
- The critical differences between marketing’s view of qualification (forms filled, content downloaded) versus sales’ deeper qualification needs
- Moving beyond traditional BANT (Budget, Authority, Needs, Timeline) to understand emotional buying reasons and decision-making processes
- The awkward handoff when marketing sends leads that weren’t expecting sales contact
- Practical steps for better collaboration, including improved CRM organization and more transparent communication about prospect expectations
Both experts acknowledge fault on both sides: marketers who “throw fish over their shoulders” without proper qualification, and sales teams who don’t properly track or communicate why leads aren’t converting. The episode concludes with actionable advice for creating alignment that benefits both departments and ultimately delivers better customer experiences.
This conversation is essential listening for marketing professionals seeking to improve lead quality and sales teams looking to better communicate their qualification needs.
