Pipeline Mastery: How Owning the Pipeline Number Transforms Marketing Leadership

Revenue Rehab

This week our host Brandi Starr is joined by MJ Smith, CMO of Colab.

Meet MJ Smith, a dynamic leader with a robust background in the industrial and software sectors. From her key roles at Refine Labs and FTSE 100 Halma to leading marketing at Colab, MJ brings a wealth of experience and strategic insights.

In this episode of Revenue Rehab, Brandi and MJ dive into the pivotal role of marketing leadership in owning the entire pipeline number, a function traditionally dominated by sales. They explore how marketers can effectively manage and optimize pipeline generation, focusing on executing known strategies with excellence and maintaining innovation.

Join Brandi and MJ as they unravel actionable strategies, emphasizing quality over quantity, to drive exceptional results and foster a culture of internal competition and creativity.

Bullet Points of Key Topics + Chapter Markers:

Topic #1 Owning the Entire Pipeline Number as a CMO [08:45]

MJ Smith discusses the benefits of marketing leadership taking ownership of sales development to streamline processes and avoid inter-department conflicts. "When marketing owns the entire pipeline, you treat SDRs as a channel to distribute your messaging, ensuring resources are invested more efficiently," MJ shares. "It prevents a lot of the 'sales vs. marketing' battles over who’s responsible for revenue."

Topic #2 The Importance of Personalization in BDR Outreach [16:22]

MJ emphasizes the necessity of personalized interactions over mass-produced messages for Business Development Representatives (BDRs). "It's about crafting meaningful connections rather than pushing out scripted automation. Personalized touchpoints can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your outreach," she asserts, highlighting how tailored communication can drive better results.

Topic #3 Mastering One Channel Before Moving to Another [29:54]

In discussing growth strategies, MJ advises focusing on perfecting one marketing channel at a time. "Conferences, despite their high costs, were part of our initial strategy because they allowed for rich, face-to-face interactions that translated into valuable leads," she explains. "Our idea was to execute top-tier strategies rather than chasing every new trend. It’s about quality over quantity, making each channel work exceptionally well before expanding further.

So, What’s the One Thing You Can Do Today?

MJ’s ‘One Thing’ is to launch a use case campaign to drive targeted growth. "Start by collecting customer interaction data, such as calls, to identify recurring needs and frustrations. Analyze this data to uncover patterns and insights, and then use these findings to create specific marketing assets like ads or landing pages. This targeted approach allows you to demonstrate your capability in addressing both strategic messaging and tactical execution. By focusing on this task, you can achieve meaningful results within a two to three-week cycle.”

Buzzword Banishment: Buzzword Banishment: MJ's Buzzword to Banish is "headcount." MJ dislikes this term because she believes it dehumanizes roles that are filled by real people. She emphasizes that referring to team members merely as numbers undermines their value and contributions, reducing them to mere headcounts rather than recognizing them as individuals with unique skills and importance. Links:

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