The Alignment Problem That’s Costing You Revenue
Sales blames marketing for sending “bad leads.”
Marketing blames sales for not following up fast enough.
RevOps quietly shakes their head because they see the gaps everywhere.
Sound familiar?
For too many GTM teams, this cycle plays out month after month — and it’s killing pipeline potential. The problem isn’t just communication. It’s that sales, marketing, and operations are often working from different data sets, timelines, and definitions of a “good lead.”
This is where intent data becomes a game-changer. When every team can see the same signals — and act on them in sync — alignment stops being a buzzword and starts becoming a revenue multiplier.
Why Intent Data Creates a Common Language
Traditional GTM models rely on static lead scoring: job titles, industries, or one-off form fills. But those don’t reveal who’s actively in-market right now.
Multi-source intent data flips the script. It shows:
- Which accounts are researching your category
- Which individuals are engaging with relevant topics
- Where they are in the buying journey
When marketing, sales, and RevOps all have access to this same source of truth, conversations shift from:
❌ “Why did you send me this lead?”
✅ “Here’s how we can move this account forward based on their recent activity.”
Stage 1: Define Shared Goals & Metrics
Alignment doesn’t start with tools — it starts with agreement on what matters most.
Using Lead Onion’s IQL → MQL → SQL framework, teams can align on:
- IQL (Intent Qualified Lead): An account or person showing strong buying signals, even without brand engagement.
- MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead): An IQL that has interacted with your campaigns, content, or website.
- SQL (Sales Qualified Lead): A vetted opportunity ready for direct outreach.
When these definitions are clear, every team is speaking the same language from day one.
Stage 2: Map Buyer Signals to Team Actions
Here’s how aligned GTM teams typically work with intent signals:
Marketing
- Runs targeted campaigns to warm up IQLs into MQLs
- Delivers personalized messaging based on recent research activity
Sales
- Prioritizes outreach to MQLs with high fit + high intent
- Uses buyer context to tailor discovery calls and demos
RevOps
- Monitors pipeline flow between IQL, MQL, and SQL
- Optimizes automation so no hot lead stalls in the funnel
Example:
An account spikes on competitor comparisons (IQL). Marketing sends a competitive positioning asset. Two contacts visit your pricing page (MQL). Sales is alerted and calls within 24 hours (SQL).
Stage 3: Centralize Data in a Single View
Disjointed tools = disjointed strategy.
When intent data, engagement history, and pipeline status all live in one platform like Lead Onion, every team can:
- See exactly where each account is in the journey
- Understand what’s driving intent surges
- Trigger the right follow-up without guesswork
Our Research Quadrant™ adds another layer — plotting accounts by fit and intent stage so prioritization is obvious across departments.
Stage 4: Build Real-Time Handoff Workflows
Leads go cold fast. Research shows that 50% of buyers choose the vendor who responds first.
An aligned GTM system ensures:
- Marketing → Sales handoffs happen instantly via alerts or CRM updates
- Sales cadences are pre-loaded with relevant talking points from buyer activity
- RevOps can track time-to-follow-up for continuous improvement
Stage 5: Review, Refine, Repeat
Alignment isn’t one-and-done. Regular reviews keep teams synced:
- Weekly pipeline syncs reviewing IQL → SQL flow
- Monthly campaign retros to analyze what worked (and what didn’t)
- Quarterly resets to realign on markets, messaging, or ICP shifts
The Revenue Impact of Alignment Through Intent
According to LinkedIn’s State of Sales report, companies with strong sales–marketing alignment see:
📈 208% higher marketing revenue contribution
📈 38% higher win rates
📈 36% faster sales cycles
When powered by multi-source intent data, these gains accelerate because teams spend more time on buyers who are ready to purchase — and less time debating lead quality.
Mini Case Study: From Friction to Flow
A B2B SaaS client came to Lead Onion with siloed teams.
- Marketing sent 500+ “qualified” leads each month.
- Sales followed up on less than half, and conversions lagged.
After implementing Lead Onion:
- They adopted the IQL → MQL → SQL framework.
- Shared dashboards gave both teams real-time visibility into buyer intent.
- Follow-up times dropped from 5 days to same-day.
Results after 90 days:
- 42% increase in SQLs
- 29% shorter sales cycle
- Better morale across both teams
Conclusion
Alignment isn’t about sitting in the same meetings or using the same jargon. It’s about working from the same truth — the buyer’s intent signals — and taking coordinated action in real time.
When GTM teams align around intent data, every handoff is smoother, every conversation is more relevant, and every deal moves faster.
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