Is the MQL dead? (with Freya Ward, Headley Media)

#395 | Dasha sits down with Freya Ward, Associate Managing Director at Headley Media, to talk about why MQLs get a bad rap and what to do about it. Freya explains why the problem is usually the framing rather than the tactic, how renaming MQLs changes how sales handles them, and what you should rename them to. They also get into how to run a workshop that aligns the team on what counts as a qualified lead, and three specific fixes you can make today for better sales and marketing alignment.

Show notes

Gareth James at Hallam on getting brand investment signed off by finance directors: https://hallam.agency/blog/investment-for-brand-how-to-get-sign-off-from-finance-directors/

Timestamps: (00:00) - Why Freya quit marketing to join the sales team

(09:02) - Is the MQL actually dead?

(10:02) - Rename the MQL to qualified outbound leads

(11:22) - Why every marketer has speak the sales, finance, and other department’s languages

(16:47) - Three rituals that keep sales and marketing aligned

(20:47) - Build your MQL definition from deals that closed

(24:43) - Why Dasha's BDs report into marketing

(26:26) - Fix #1: make lead rejection a required CRM field

(31:46) - Fix #2: assign someone to nurture dead leads