Alex Pappas
2 episodes
Questions Alex Pappas answered
MQLs are easy to measure, easy to report to CEOs and boards, and give a seductive promise of quick wins and predictability — but they rarely translate into revenue, and most teams end up manipulating scoring models to hit volume goals.
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist2:04
Alex clusters intent keywords around use cases aligned to his company's solutions rather than brand or category terms. This surfaces accounts that are genuinely in market, reveals what they are trying to solve, and points sales to the department or persona likely driving the research — shifting conversations to the buyer's problem instead of the product.
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist17:27
Start with a fresh view of which accounts are in market, then change reporting: track account-level leading indicators like time on site, new and returning accounts, trending intent, and lower-funnel metrics like opportunities and contact counts from in-market accounts — not campaign lead volume.
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist23:37
People mistake activity for productivity. Align with SDR and revenue leadership on spiffs for the right actions — such as opportunities with multiple contacts attached or converting MQAs — instead of rewarding task volume, which just leads reps to flood accounts indiscriminately.
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist25:40
At Venofi the team initially overcorrected MQA criteria, shrinking volume to about 12% of previous levels. They rebalanced by adjusting engagement-minute thresholds and intent time windows, maintained a feedback loop with sales, and validated that the resulting accounts produced more productive conversations with the right personas.
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist36:52
In Alex Pappas's words
“An account being in market is more valuable than a bunch of MQLs coming in from accounts that aren't in market.”
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist10:17
“People like to set up intent very generically to show interest, but showing interest is not the same thing as showing intent.”
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist18:29
“People can mistake activity with productivity. If we're doing a lot of things all at once and we look busy, people think that we're going to be successful.”
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist25:40
“MQLs are easy to report on, but they're also very misleading. And so find a way to take it a step deeper.”
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist43:58
“Even a great lead, no matter how engaged they are, can lead you on. And you have to be very careful with being too myopic on one lead, no matter how great they seem.”
MQLs: Are They Leading Us On, with Alex Pappas and Anna Tsymbalist47:01