Case Study
Transforming the Marketing-to-Sales Handoff
Shared definitions, responsibilities, and systems for moving qualified demand toward pipeline.
The Problem
The lead handoff process had a visibility gap between SQL qualification and seller-created opportunities. Marketing could see engagement and BDR qualification, and Sales could see later-stage opportunities, but the middle layer was not consistently visible.
That delayed attribution and made it harder to understand which campaigns were creating qualified demand that actually moved toward pipeline. The business needed a shared operating model for Marketing, BDR, Sales, Sales Ops, and BI.
Redesigning the Handoff
I architected a Stage Zero Opportunity model that let BDRs draft opportunities once qualified demand reached the right threshold, then let sellers progress those opportunities as they matured. The change gave Marketing, BDR, and Sales shared definitions and clearer responsibilities at the handoff.
The work connected Salesforce opportunity architecture, Marketo lifecycle logic, Snowflake reporting, BDR handoff rules, and downstream attribution so the organization could measure pre-pipeline movement without waiting for later-stage seller-created opportunities.
What Changed
- Launched Stage Zero Opportunities as the bridge between SQL qualification and seller progression.
- Enabled BDRs to draft opportunities earlier in the lifecycle while keeping sellers accountable for progressing real pipeline.
- Connected Stage Zero reporting to marketing-sourced opportunity visibility, campaign attribution, and pipeline progression.
- Aligned Marketing, BDR, Sales, Sales Ops, and BI around shared definitions for handoff, opportunity coverage, and pipeline reporting.