It’s Day 33 of the current quarter, and you're in the weekly pipeline review meeting. Your CEO, fresh from a board meeting, asks a question that catches you off guard:
"How much pipeline will we have going into next quarter?"
This isn’t the typical “how’s the pipeline looking” question. She’s asking about Day 1 Pipeline Coverage for next quarter—the pipeline that’s already matured and ready for closing right at the start of the new quarter.
The CEO's Concern: Predictability and Forward-Looking Visibility
In this scenario, your CEO is looking for a clear picture of how much pipeline will be immediately actionable on Day 1 of the next quarter, not just the general pipeline number. This request highlights a critical gap in most pipeline review processes. It’s not enough to know what’s in the pipeline; you need to know what’s ready to close—and what’s likely to close soon.
From Lead Generation to Pipeline Generation: Marketing’s Role
Earlier in the year, you took ownership of Pipeline Generation targets, specifically for the Stage 2 pipeline. Marketing has now evolved from being a lead generator to owning responsibility for pipeline health. This shift means that marketing leaders must ensure their efforts will produce enough quality opportunities for sales to convert, especially as the new quarter approaches.
But the CEO's question about the pipeline for next quarter isn’t just about the total pipeline generated. It's about pipeline predictability:
- What opportunities will be close to the finish line?
- Will there be enough opportunities to meet revenue goals early in the quarter?
The Missing Element: Predictive Pipeline Visibility
As you sit in that meeting, you realize there’s no reliable way to answer the CEO’s question. You have tools for attribution, ABM, marketing automation, and sales forecasting, but none provide a predictive view of Day 1 pipeline readiness for the next quarter. You need to know now what the likely pipeline will be two months from now to adjust your marketing and sales efforts accordingly.
This gap in visibility is risky. Without a predictive estimate of pipeline coverage, you’re flying blind. You may have a great plan, but you lack the real-time insights needed to adjust and course-correct well before Day 1 of the next quarter.
The Solution: Predictive Pipeline Coverage
What’s needed is predictive pipeline visibility—the ability to forecast not just the volume of the pipeline but also the likelihood of deals closing in future quarters. Tools like RevSure can provide this crucial insight, allowing marketing leaders to:
- Track pipeline health in real-time.
- Get a predictive view of what your Day 1 pipeline for the next quarter will look like.
- Make early adjustments to campaigns to influence pipeline health.
Conclusion
Walking into the next quarter with a strong pipeline is essential for meeting revenue goals, but predictability is the missing piece. With the right tools, marketing leaders can gain visibility into the quality and readiness of their pipeline, ensuring they hit Day 1 with the right opportunities.
If you’re a marketing leader responsible for pipeline generation, predictive visibility isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. Tools like RevSure can provide the answers you need.
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