Sales Pipeline Challenges
In an era of rapid digital transformation and global economic shifts, building a healthy sales pipeline has become increasingly challenging for businesses worldwide. A recent discussion hosted by Joaquin Dominguez, Head of Marketing at Adzact, brought together marketing leaders to examine the complexities of pipeline management and the strategies to overcome these hurdles. The conversation highlighted how marketers are navigating obstacles such as economic conditions, regional nuances, and the evolving role of AI in driving pipeline quality and efficiency.
Host
Joaquin Dominguez
Guests
Ananda Narasimhan, Director of Marketing Operations at Clevertap
Sunniya Saleem, Vice President of Digital Marketing at Creatio
Pipeline Challenges in a Global Landscape
The conversation began with a shared understanding of the diverse challenges businesses face in managing sales pipelines. Both Ananda and Sunniya noted that the primary metric across all regions remains pipeline health, but achieving it varies greatly by geography. Economic conditions and cultural nuances play a pivotal role in determining outreach success, engagement rates, and conversion quality.
Sunniya explained how generating pipeline for multiple regions requires adapting strategies to local market dynamics, including differences in buyer intent, rules of engagement, and campaign localisation. Ananda emphasised the need to refine targeting strategies by leveraging persona-specific insights, intent data, and regional priorities. Both agreed that today’s fragmented and distracted audiences require more tailored approaches to capture attention and drive meaningful engagement.
"Generating pipeline across multiple regions demands a nuanced approach—understanding local market dynamics, buyer intent, and rules of engagement is essential. It’s about adapting campaigns with the right regional flavour to truly resonate and partner effectively with sales teams on the ground." – Sunniya Saleem
Defining Quality in a Complex Ecosystem
Quality emerged as a critical factor in pipeline success, with both speakers stressing the importance of demand generation and demand capture working in harmony. Sunniya outlined how anchoring messages on the unique value propositions of a product while addressing customer pain points creates resonance across different markets. However, she also highlighted that generating quality pipeline is only effective if demand capture mechanisms are optimised to meet potential customers where they are.
Ananda added that achieving quality requires both top-down and bottom-up analysis of customer engagement patterns. Insights into content consumption, channel effectiveness, and funnel metrics are essential for identifying and refining opportunities. He noted that declining general traffic due to distractions like AI underscores the need for more focused and deliberate marketing strategies.
"Achieving quality pipeline requires a holistic view—combining top-down and bottom-up analysis of engagement patterns, content consumption, and channel effectiveness. As general traffic declines amidst distractions like AI, marketers must adopt more focused and deliberate strategies to drive meaningful opportunities." – Ananda Narasimhan
Sales and Marketing: Bridging the Gap
The panel delved into the crucial relationship between sales and marketing teams, noting that alignment is often the difference between a thriving pipeline and a struggling one. Sunniya highlighted the importance of shared pipeline goals between marketing and sales to foster accountability and minimise friction. By focusing on delivering quality leads rather than sheer volume, her teams ensure closer collaboration with sales counterparts.
Ananda echoed this sentiment, adding that digital insights are a vital yet underutilised resource for sales teams. He explained that marketing often has better visibility into digital behaviour and market trends, which can inform sales strategies. Bridging this gap requires marketers to proactively share actionable insights with sales teams, enabling them to tailor pitches and engagement efforts more effectively.
The Role of AI in Pipeline Optimisation
AI emerged as a key theme in the discussion, with both speakers noting its transformative potential. Sunniya described how AI has moved from predictive models in account-based marketing (ABM) to more accessible and flexible tools that empower smaller organisations. She emphasised that AI should augment human effort rather than replace it, enabling marketers and sales teams to focus on higher-value activities.
Ananda pointed out that AI is democratising access to advanced capabilities, allowing businesses to address specific challenges like traffic analysis and conversion optimisation through affordable, out-of-the-box solutions. He noted that while AI accelerates campaign readiness and insight generation, it is the human touch that ensures quality and relevance in execution.
Practical Advice for Marketers
The conversation concluded with actionable insights for marketers grappling with pipeline challenges:
Leverage Data and Insights: Both speakers stressed the importance of using data to identify bottlenecks in the funnel and guide decision-making. Tools powered by AI can provide granular insights into customer behaviour and pipeline performance.
Prioritise Collaboration: Strong alignment between sales and marketing teams, supported by clear communication and shared goals, is essential for building a successful pipeline.
Adopt Emerging Technologies Thoughtfully: AI and automation can streamline repetitive tasks and enhance campaign effectiveness, but they should be viewed as tools to complement human expertise.
Focus on Quality: Marketers must move beyond volume-driven metrics and prioritise creating value through well-crafted messages and targeted engagement strategies.
Conclusion
The discussion underscored that while pipeline management is inherently complex, it also presents significant opportunities for innovation. By fostering collaboration, leveraging AI, and maintaining a sharp focus on quality, B2B marketers can navigate today’s challenges and build robust, high-performing pipelines. As the landscape continues to evolve, the strategies explored in this conversation serve as a blueprint for adapting and thriving in an increasingly competitive environment.
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