From MQLs to Buying Groups: How Reltio Transformed Its GTM Strategy
A conversation with Eric Cross, CRO at Reltio.
For years, revenue teams have leaned heavily on the MQL. It was the industry-standard metric for marketing success—and the lifeblood of pipeline generation for B2B companies.
But in today’s world of complex buying decisions, anonymous research, and multi-threaded stakeholder involvement, the MQL is failing. The old playbooks simply don’t map to how enterprise buyers actually operate today.
Eric Cross, Chief Revenue Officer at Reltio, saw this firsthand. And rather than trying to force-fit modern buyers into outdated systems, he and his team made a bold move: they rebuilt their entire go-to-market motion around buying groups.
This wasn’t a pilot. It wasn’t a small A/B test. It was a company-wide transformation executed in just 60 days. And the results were staggering:
60% reduction in pipeline attrition
22–23% improvement in average time to close
20% increase in average deal size
Best-in-class competitive win rates
In this blog, we’ll walk you through exactly how Reltio made this shift—from early warning signs to full implementation, change management, technology, and metrics. If you’re a RevOps, Marketing, or Sales leader evaluating your next GTM evolution, this is the playbook.
Spotting the Cracks: Why the MQL Model Wasn’t Enough
Eric joined Reltio in 2020 and began evaluating the revenue engine. The data told a troubling story.
“We had a legacy demand gen model: leads to MQLs, then into pipeline, and hopefully into opportunities. But once deals entered the pipeline, we were evaporating 35–40% of them in the first two stages. That was alarming.”
The consequence? The pipeline looked deceptively healthy on paper, but in reality, a significant chunk was never going to close.
“We were creating a false sense of security about how healthy our pipeline was. That was the catalyst for change.”
Realignment Begins: “Sales Owns Marketing, and Marketing Owns Sales”
The first step wasn’t tactical—it was cultural.
“Most companies operate in silos. Sales blames marketing. Marketing blames sales. I had to rewire that thinking completely. We stopped talking about ‘sales’ and ‘marketing.’ We became one GTM team. Sales owns marketing. Marketing owns sales.”
To build consensus, Eric organized a two-day offsite with cross-functional leaders from Sales, Marketing, Product, Customer Success, and Ops.
“It wasn’t just a marketing and sales decision. This had to be a company decision. We locked the team in a room and said, ‘We’re walking out of here aligned.’”
The team was instructed to prepare:
A brief problem statement
Recommended actions
A vision for a new GTM model
And they debated—openly and intensely.
“You get highs and lows during a session like that. But we made a rule: we don’t have to agree, but we do have to commit. We were either all in or not doing it at all.”
Burning the Boats: Why Reltio Didn’t Pilot the Buying Group Model
One of the boldest decisions Reltio made was to roll the new model out across the company—not as a pilot.
“Pilot programs signal you’re not committed. People think: ‘This is an exercise, I don’t have to change.’ I’ve never seen a pet project like that succeed. So we said: all in, or not at all.”
That decision came with high stakes.
“I told our CEO, ‘This will either be a game-changer—or you’ll be looking for a new CRO.’”
But conviction won out. The team moved forward with full executive and board-level awareness and support.
Why Buying Groups? Understanding the Strategic Shift
Eric’s rationale for abandoning MQLs in favor of buying groups was rooted in today’s B2B buying behavior.
“Enterprise buyers don’t raise their hand right away. They stay anonymous for 60–70% of the buying journey. By the time they engage, they’ve already formed a direction.”
This made traditional lead generation—like cold calls and webinar follow-ups—ineffective.
“We’re in the era of the great ignore. Buyers get 30 spammy emails a day. They can see automation a mile away. We needed to earn attention earlier, smarter.”
The solution?
Use intent data to identify surging accounts
Personalize outreach for each persona within a buying group
Focus on qualified engagement from multiple stakeholders, not just one lead
“It’s no longer about how many people we reach. It’s about reaching the right people—the ones who matter to the deal.”
The 60-Day GTM Overhaul: From Planning to Execution
Eric broke the transformation into three phases:
1. Design and Planning
Finalize buying group motion
Align teams on definitions, personas, and ICP
Redefine opportunity entry/exit criteria
Introduce Forrester to validate and refine the strategy
“We brought in Forrester to spend half a day with us. They stress-tested our approach and made some great suggestions we incorporated.”
2. Development and Testing
Align tech stack: Salesforce, 6sense, Salesloft, Outreach
Build ABX dashboards for AEs and BDRs
Re-architect sales stages and qualification frameworks (BANT, MedPIC)
“We created dashboards where reps could see all their accounts and intent signals. The lightbulb went off—they’d never had visibility like that before.”
3. Production Launch and Measurement
Rolled out company-wide in 60 days
Quietly tested with one regional team for early signals
Measured success using pipeline quality, velocity, and conversion benchmarks
Overcoming Resistance: How Reltio Won Buy-in from the Frontlines
The biggest challenge? Change management among AEs.
“The top objection? ‘Just get me meetings. I’ll take it from there.’ That mindset doesn’t work anymore.”
To drive adoption, Eric:
Ran listening pods with small AE groups
Invited feedback to poke holes in the strategy
Used individual performance data to show why change was needed
“We showed them their personal conversion rates. Some were below 20%. Even if they were hitting quota, it was clear the system was broken.”
While 80% of reps leaned in, 20% resisted. In a few cases, Eric made the hard call.
“If you can’t get on board, we’ll reassign your accounts. This isn’t optional.”
Redefining Metrics: What Success Looks Like in a Buying Group World
Reltio stopped measuring MQLs and switched to two key indicators:
1. Pipeline Quality
Entry criteria: 3+ engaged personas, BANT-aligned, clear problem definition
Focus on conversion rates from Qualification (Stage 1) to Discovery (Stage 2)
“With our new motion, we hit Forrester’s benchmark of 28% conversion from Stage 1 to 2—and we’ve held steady.”
2. Pipeline Velocity
Close times improved by over 20%
High-fidelity forecasting with just 2–2.5X pipeline coverage
“We don’t need 3–5X coverage anymore. If our pipeline is real, 2.5X is plenty. We’re not guessing anymore.”
Reltio also started forecasting pre-pipeline, tracking accounts from:
Interest → Engagement → Prioritization → Pipeline
“35–40% of accounts that hit ‘Prioritized’ convert into pipeline. That’s best-in-class.”
The Impact: What Reltio Gained from the Buying Group Model
Let’s recap the results:
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline Attrition (Stage 1–2) | 35–40% | Down by 60% |
| Average Time to Close | Baseline | 22–23% faster |
| Average Deal Size | Baseline | 20% increase |
| Late-Stage Win Rate | Unknown | 90%+ |
| Forecast Accuracy | Limited | 5–7% variance |
“If we get to mid-stage with a deal, we close 90% of them. That’s not luck—it’s process.”
Lessons Learned: What Eric Would Do Differently
While the transition was successful, Eric shared a few reflections:
Don’t overlook regional nuances:
“We underestimated the difference in buying behavior between North America and Europe. We had to tweak our motion post-launch.”
Be even more granular with data early on:
“I could’ve done a better job stitching together AE-level data stories to overcome objections faster.”
Keep iterating:
Reltio formed a GTM Council of AEs, marketers, and CS leaders to review results every six weeks and evolve the model.
Advice for Revenue Leaders: How to Start the Shift
Eric’s recommendations for others looking to abandon MQLs and adopt a buying group strategy:
1. Get everyone in the boat
“You can’t paddle alone. Bring the whole GTM org into a room and align on a shared problem statement.”
2. Set a high bar for pipeline
“Don’t just qualify in. Try to qualify out. Make buyers prove they’re worth your time.”
3. Avoid the trap of pilots
“Pilots communicate hesitation. Go all in. Get uncomfortable. And stay the course.”
4. Drop cookie crumbs with execs
“Don’t drop big ideas cold. Mention them in passing. Let them percolate. Let the idea become theirs.”
Final Word
This isn’t just a story about metrics. It’s a story about changing mindset, changing behavior, and building a revenue engine that reflects the reality of how B2B buying works today.
“You’re going to make mistakes. That’s okay. That means you’re solving the right problems.”
If your current model is built around outdated behaviors and vanity metrics, it’s time to ask yourself the hard question: Are we structured to sell the way our buyers want to buy?
If not—maybe it’s time to do what Reltio did.
Want to hear more stories from revenue leaders? Subscribe to The Revenue Lounge podcast to never miss an episode!
More Resources
How to Strategically Engage and Conquer Buying committees
Delve into the complexities of engaging buying groups and unveiling strategic approaches to conquer the challenges that arise. In Sales, the key to accelerating deals lies in understanding the nuances of buying group dynamics.
5 Steps to Navigate Buying Groups in 2025: A RevOps Guide
5 Steps to Navigate Buying Groups in 2025: A RevOps Guide RevOps 10 min In today’s business environment, B2B buying is never just one person. According to Forrester Research, more than half of global business buyers purchase in complex buying scenarios that include more people, more departments, and generally higher price points. And this buying group can be made up of 7 to 20 people! Unlocking the power of buying groups is a crucial aspect of the B2B landscape. This blog is a synopsis of our conversation with revenue operations leader, Nandini Karkare. She is currently the SVP of RevOps at Zywave. Nandini suggests strategic steps to navigate through the realms of Revenue Operations and helps uncover the strategies, insights, and best practices that constitute a comprehensive guide to mastering the dynamics of buying groups. Read on to get actionable tips on how you can navigate buying groups in 2025 (and beyond). And implement the learnings to create a winning GTM motion. Here are the 5 steps Nandini recommends: 1. Decode Your Buying Groups The buying groups typically consist of members from departments and they all contribute different aspects. It is critical to understand the scope of decision-making including the people who play the most significant roles in making the call. Gartner’s report on B2B Buying highlights that 77% of B2B purchases involve a buying group of four or more people. PS: The key stakeholder can turn out someone altogether different from who you had building a relationship with all along. a. Capturing Buying Group Members Effective buying group management means considering not just decision-makers but influential stakeholders across departments. Misidentifying key players or focusing solely on the main contact risks derailing the sale. (i) How can you map the entire buying group efficiently? Leverage internal and external data to identify the key players Segment the Group by Role and Influence (ii) Not everyone in the buying group holds equal power or influence. Segment them into categories: Decision-makers (who give the final heads-up) Influencers (who sway the decision) Users (who use the product and provide feedback) Budget owners b. The Role Transition Within a Buying Group Moving the focus from a buying group to a renewal or expansion committee includes knowing precisely who remains in the relationship, as well as who becomes more active as an account grows. (i) New roles may emerge in a Buying Group Technical or operational leaders may become more influential post sale, since they are now using the product. (ii) The focus shifts from buying to renewal The interaction should be more about the return on investment (ROI) of the product placed on the market, ongoing value delivery, and ongoing needs. (iii) Alignment between the buying groups and renewal committee Leveraging the same enthusiasm and relationships generated at the first-buying stage helps in anchoring the transitions and preventing any drop-offs in engagement. Related Resource: Navigate Enterprise Buying Committees: Strategies for Driving Alignment c. Understand the Personal and Collective Priorities of a Buying Group As per McKinsey & Company, B2B buying decisions increasingly require engagement across departments, with 60% of purchasing committees including members from outside traditional procurement, like IT and HR. (i)Alignment Between C-Suite and Technical Teams Decisions aren’t Made in a Vacuum Collaboration between C-suite and technical teams ensures a holistic approach to solving customer problems, creating stronger, more sustainable relationships Their cross departmental collaboration can help with: (ii) Alignment on Strategic Goals C suite executives need technical assistance to translate their strategic vision to reality that also aligns with company-wide objectives. (iii) Technical Validation These insights guide the C-suite in making informed decisions that fit technical infrastructure and future-proofing. (iv) Cross-functional Communication Bridging the gap between these two groups involves continuous, open communication, ensuring that technical evaluations don’t delay business goals but instead support them cohesively. iii. Understand the Product Take product demos, listen to sales calls, and use tools that show how the product is sold. This helps in understanding the customer needs better. iv. Dive into Your CRM Understand your CRM (whether Salesforce or HubSpot) to assess how the data is organized. This is to check whether it’s easy to use, and identify immediate improvements. The CRM should be the central source of truth, with other tools supporting it. The data should be unified with easier adoption for the teams. v. Build Trust Internally Establish trust within your teams by listening carefully, asking questions about how RevOps can help, and addressing quick fixes to show you’re there to help. Having this trust shows them that you’re here to support their success. Quick wins, such as small fixes that make people’s jobs easier, helps in establishing credibility early. 2. Establish Clear KPIs i. Understanding Team KPIs It is important to ask you stakeholders about the KPIs that matter to understand their goals and what their expectations are. ii. Aligning KPIs Across Teams Different departments oftentimes work in silos. RevOps should strive to align these departments and check if these KPIs match the overall business objectives. Gaps must be closed if their KPIs don’t align. iii. Setting RevOps KPIs As you approach the end of the first 30 days, start establishing RevOps-specific KPIs that match company goals, which may involve metrics like revenue increase, conversion rates, or improvements in overall efficiency. 3. Tech Stack Audit Deep dive into the existing tools that your company is using. Identify all redundancies, and find opportunities to streamline the entire tech stack. i. Map Out Tools Compile a list of all tools used by teams, noting their purpose and how they work with the CRM. ii. Evaluate Use and Cost Determine if tools are actively used or if there are duplicates. Look for cost-saving opportunities by consolidating tools when possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVDJ9KI1tGw&t=869s Next 30 days – Alignment and Control The next 30 days marks a shift from discovery to alignment. The goals should be to create cohesion between departments (e.g., Sales, Marketing) and laying down effective controls. The improvements need to be implemented without overwhelming the teams. This phase combines
Everything You Need to Know About Sales Territory Mapping
Everything You Need to Know About Sales Territory Mapping RevOps 10 min Successful sales strategies play a key role in achieving business goals. But what drives these strategies from inception to execution, improving sales operations and on-ground performance? Sales territory mapping. Without the right sales territory map template, your sales team could face challenges, namely: Poor productivity Revenue mismatch or imbalance Subpar revenue performance Poor customer experience Leading to the loss of clients, and Waste of valuable resources So, how do you get sales territory mapping right to achieve business goals and grow your revenue? Let’s find out in this blog. Sales Territory Mapping: Setting On-Ground Sales in Motion Sales territory mapping defines and visualizes the area, sales amount, and revenue your sales team will target. It divides and categorizes customers based on specific characteristics within your ideal customer profile (ICP). A sales territory map template also helps you assign categories and customers to the salespersons best equipped to serve them. It lets you reach the right customers in the right areas with the right characteristics to achieve targets and improve growth. The task of aligning your sales plan with business goals in the most profitable way lies with sales managers. From the larger business perspective, sales territory mapping is part of location intelligence. Today, location intelligence helps segment customers and find more relevant target markets for revenue success. How Is Sales Territory Mapping Instrumental to Business Growth? A sales territory map template does more than act as a blueprint. Here are 6 more ways in which it contributes to growth. 1. Ties Back to Business Goals Sales territory mapping creates a blueprint for achieving your business goals. It clearly lays out sales targets and directs reps to the most profitable customers or verticals by strategically assigning territories. 2. Maintains Balance One of sales territory mapping’s primary objectives is to secure a balanced and fair distribution of work among sales teams. It moves and optimizes resources effectively to maximize revenue potential. 3. Increases Selling Time Reps can increase facetime with clients by cutting down time spent on planning. This is specifically made possible with sales territory mapping tools that decrease planning time from months to minutes. 4. Improves Win Rates Naturally, when reps spend more time selling, they can nurture clients better through the sales funnel. Moreover, each assignment is backed by data. This data offers more visibility into customers and prevents deals from slipping through the cracks. As a result, reps can improve customer experience and uncover new leads to increase win rates. 5. Boosts Morale A sales territory map template encourages intelligent planning, further improving sales productivity. Additionally, when reps can increase win rates, achieve their quota, and earn more, it boosts their morale. And if reps are happy, it means your attrition rates are lower. It’s not just that. A sales territory map template also highlights improvement areas useful for coaching. 6. Extracts Hidden Insights Sales territory mapping helps measure sales data by connecting the map to the CRM. Therefore, when multiple salespersons are involved in a deal, you can attribute the sale to the right person. Recognizing the benefits of sales territory mapping is the first step in setting up your own template. Step two is understanding its different types. Choosing From 5 Types of Sales Territory Mapping Conventionally, sales territories were based on locations. However, you can customize them today as per your customer, market, or even product needs. Let’s take a look at the 5 types below. 1. Geography Geographic sales territory mapping is the most commonly used and also the oldest. It classifies your market based on, you guessed it, geographical locations—cities, states, countries, and zip codes. For example, Sales Team A can serve Texas, while Sales Team B covers California. To get geographic mapping right, your sales team must have a regional, cultural, and linguistic understanding of the territory they’re allocated. It’s also important to ensure that the selected sales team is available when customers are active in the designated regions. 2. Product Product-based sales territory mapping can be used when you have multiple offerings. You can categorize and assign reps to specific products or technological offerings. This method is useful when certain reps have in-depth expertise on specific products. For example, Team A has expertise in CRM solutions and is assigned to this offering, while Team B caters to clients looking for Digital Advertising software. Assigning your reps to the right products will ensure they can sell to clients more convincingly. 3. Customer The third way to divide your sales territories is based on specific customer characteristics like demographics or roles. For instance, Sales Team A may sell to clients with a yearly revenue of $500,000. On the other hand, Sales Team B focuses on the higher margin clients with yearly revenue of $1 million and upwards. 4. Industry Industry-based sales territory mapping assigns reps to specific industries or verticals. It works best when your product caters to individuals or businesses from multiple industries. For example, Team A sells to the construction industry, while Team B covers the education sector. Similarly, Team A could be selling to the education industry overall, while Team B handles specific verticals–like universities or higher education–and Team C is responsible for schools. 5. Sales Channel An upcoming type of sales territory map template categorizes territories per the sales channels your reps or clients use. That’s because buyers now use ten or more channels, on average, as they move through the buying process. They use a combination of digital self-serve channels for certain activities and videos or in-person channels for others. Consider this example. Team A is responsible for selling via digital channels like social media, and Team B sells through offline channels such as cold calling. You may also get more granular by assigning reps with expertise in certain platforms to those mediums. For instance, Rep A sells via emails, and Rep B may use LinkedIn. Knowing the key types of sales territories is awesome. But figuring out the type of