Old-school funnel management principles, still followed by too many companies today, is woefully out of step with how B2B products are purchased today. This presentation covers: 1. The new Buyer and your funnel 2. The missing funnel stages 3. Well-aligned Funnel examples 4. Rebuilding your funnel model 5. Calculating the necessary funnel velocity

1. Where Funnel Management
Can Go Wrong:
The Case of the Missing Stages
Charles Besondy, President
Besondy Consulting & Interim Management LLC
www.BesondyLLC.com 1

2. Agenda
• The new Buyer and your funnel
• The missing funnel stages
• Well-aligned Funnel examples
• Rebuilding your funnel model
• Calculating the necessary funnel velocity
www.BesondyLLC.com 2

3. The Old Buyer
I don’t know your company
I don’t know your customers
I don’t know your products
I don’t know your service record
I don’t know your execs
I don’t know your financial stability
Now, what did you want
to sell me?
www.BesondyLLC.com 3

4. The New Buyer
• My team and I have decided to invest in
solving a problem
• I’ve checked out your company’s reputation
• I’ve checked out your product’s reputation
• I’ve checked out your competitors
You’re on my short list; give me
your best deal
www.BesondyLLC.com 4

5. Poll
• Where does your sales funnel/pipeline
begin? What is the first stage that is
measured?
– When sales department declares a lead as a
sales opportunity
– When sales declares a name as a “lead”
– As soon as we know a name and company
– When lead quality has been verified by
marketingwww.BesondyLLC.com 5

6. Key Takeaway
• A large part of the buying process is
occurring before your sales department
knows about the opportunity
• The buyer is controlling most of the
process
Are you managing the funnel accordingly?
www.BesondyLLC.com 6

7. Missing Stages
Opportunity
Confirmation
Needs assessment
Budget Identified
Proposal
Negotiation
Decision
?
www.BesondyLLC.com 7

8. The Buyer’s Journey before Engagement with Sales
Interest
Problem identified
Need to solve agreed
Research solutions
Opportunity
Confirmation
Needs assessment
Budget Identified
Proposal
Negotiation
Decision
T
i
m
e Content
www.BesondyLLC.com 8
For a narrated version
of this presentation
visit my site.
http://www.besondyllc.
com/b2b-funnel-
management/

9. Examples of Aligned Funnels
Example 1
Position in Category
Interest established
Problem identified (MQL)
Need agreed (SAL)
Offer understood
Preference
formed
Decision
made
Contract
received
Sales
Marketing
MathMarketing
www.BesondyLLC.com 9

10. Examples of Aligned Funnels
Example 2
Marketo
www.BesondyLLC.com 10

11. Examples of Aligned Funnels
Example 3
SeriusDecisions
www.BesondyLLC.com 11

12. Examples of Aligned Funnels
Position in Category
Interest established
Problem identified (MQL)
Need agreed (SQL)
Offer understood
Preference
formed
Decision
made
Contract
received
A Hybrid
Awareness / Friend
Name
Customer
Prospect
Lead
Sales Lead
Opportunity
www.BesondyLLC.com 12

13. Resources
www.BesondyLLC.com
(Resources and blog sections)
Funnel calculator
Funnel Vision newsletter
Funnel management videos
Funnel management books
Preparation tips for marketing automation
www.BesondyLLC.com 13

14. Key Takeaways
• Include all major stages of buyer’s
journey in your funnel
• Measure and track progressions
• Develop content that’s appropriate for
each stage
• It’s a buyer’s journey, not a sales journey
www.BesondyLLC.com 14

15. Why Include all Stages?
• Accurate stage identification improves
forecast accuracy and process alignment
between Marketing and Sales
• Aligns the company with the customer
• Drives content and lead gen strategies &
tactics
www.BesondyLLC.com 15

16. The Impact of Missing Stages
Position in Category
Interest established
Problem identified (MQL)
Need agreed (SQL)
Offer understood
Preference
formed
Decision
made
Contract
received
Lag in Weeks
8
4
4
2
2
2
1
1
Leakage
95%
60%
50%
25%
15%
10%
20%
1%
16 weeks
8 weeks
1%
60%
www.BesondyLLC.com 16

17. The Critical Funnel Math
of Top Stages
• What tactics will you employ at these
stages in order to drive these results?
When must the tactics be executed?
www.BesondyLLC.com 17

18. Summary
• Align your funnel to the entire buyer’s
journey
• Include the early stages of the buyer’s
journey in your funnel; measure where
possible
• It’s a revenue funnel, not a “sales
funnel”, or a “marketing funnel”, or a
“lead funnel”
www.BesondyLLC.com 18

19. Resources and Questions
For a narrated version of this presentation
http://www.besondyllc.com/b2b-funnel-management/
Charles Besondy
Cbesondy@BesondyLLC.com
512.692.9642
www.BesondyLLC.com
@CharlesBesondy
www.BesondyLLC.com 19