You know that feeling when someone walks up to you at a party and says, “Hey, I’d love to hear more about your incredibly interesting life?” Yeah, me neither. But in marketing, that moment does exist—it’s called a hand raise. That glorious moment when a prospect fills out a form saying, Please, for the love of all things B2B, let me talk to sales.
So why do we make these buyers jump through so many hoops—when the intent is clear?
Buyers have already done their research—according to Gartner, 83% of the journey happens before they ever talk to a seller. Yet we still force them to wait 6-10 days for follow-up and wallow through landing pages and forms when all they want is to see the product.
MQLs aren’t dead, but buyer behavior has changed. AI and instant access to information mean buyers no longer need to rely on gated content to get answers. The byproduct? MQL volume is down and traditional content-based lead generation isn’t delivering like it used to. So what’s the alternative?
- Let buyers experience the product first. Giving buyers direct product experiences—so they raise their hands faster. Interactive demos, click-through tours, and guided videos let them explore on their own terms.
- Use PQLs as a bridge. Buyers who engage with demos or product tours are already showing intent—no need to overcomplicate it.
- Ditch the ‘request a demo’ dead-end. Give them a taste of the product upfront. Not full PLG, just enough to build confidence.
- Stop slowing down hand-raisers. The longer the process, the higher the drop-off. If someone wants to talk to sales, don’t make them wait.
More high-intent buyers are out there. Are we helping them raise their hands—or getting in their way?
Talk soon,
Judy
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