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The Attribution Mirage & Why Chasing MQLs Keeps You Stuck
Most GTM teamstoday are missing targets because they're simply measuring the wrong things. In this episode, Carolyn and Amber unpack why attribution is a mirage (it only shows the lucky 2% that become opportunities) and why the MQL hamster wheel keeps smart teams stuck optimizing a tiny slice of reality. We dig into the pre-pipeline “factory floor,” show how to expose the messy middle, and explain why “more volume” isn’t a strategy—it’s a cash leak.
You’ll hear concrete ways to replace vanity conversion stats with a causal view of attempts → connects → meetings → opps → DQs (with reasons), what to do about pipeline shock when you tighten scoring, and why pipeline needs a single owner (hint: not “marketing-sourced”).
We also talk about modular change vs. big-bang transformations, and where attribution actually belongs (as seasoning, not the main ingredient), dig into where attribution actually belongs in GTM measurement (spoiler: it’s seasoning, not the protein), and explain why modular change beats waiting for a full-scale transformation.
What You’ll Learn:
Attribution ≠ answers: It validates the 2-5% that convert and hides the waste in the 98%.
Kill the MQL hamster wheel: Measure the journey, not just MQL→SQL%.
Instrument the factory floor: Person-level steps that predict pipeline (and the drop-offs to fix).
Volume lies: “Do more dials” is a 2012 play—engineer repeatable patterns instead.
Pipeline shock is healthy: Fewer junk opps → higher win rate and better CAC.
One owner for pipeline: Align Sales + Marketing on quality pipeline, not credit.
When to use attribution: After you fix data hygiene and pre-pipeline tracking.
If your dashboards keep telling you to “get more leads” or “add more dials,” you’re staring at the pipeline mirage. Break free from the hamster wheel, shine a light on the messy middle, and finally see what’s really driving, or draining, your revenue.
This episode is powered by Passetto, a GTM advisory and software company with a solution that eliminates the Pipeline Black Box™, the critical data hidden inside every GTM engine where leaders are flying blind when it matters most.
🔗 LINKS & CTAs
- Follow Carolyn on LinkedIn
- Follow Amber on LinkedIn
- Start your 14-Day Pipeline Optimization Sprint to uncover where your pipeline is leaking and to surface the KPIs needed to start engineering predictable pipeline growth.
Published on 9 hours ago