About the Session
In this episode of Science of B2B, Kerry Cunningham introduces the concept of a Cargo Cult mindset in B2B marketing and sales—where teams follow outdated rituals around leads, hoping for success, without understanding the deeper mechanics of the buying process. Research from 936 B2B buyers reveals that traditional lead-centric thinking is fundamentally flawed, yet BDRs and SDRs are still measured on meeting-setting activities that often happen too early in the process. Kerry challenges the status quo and calls for a rethinking of how B2B teams approach leads, shifting from lead-chasing to buyer enablement.
Topics Covered
The Cargo Cult of Leads: Many organizations treat lead generation as a sacred ritual—chasing MQLs, running sequences, and measuring activity—without questioning if it actually aligns with buyer behavior.
Why Buyers Dictate Engagement Timing: Research confirms that buyers control the first interaction, and whether they respond to outreach or initiate contact themselves, it happens at the same stage—70% of the way through the buying journey.
Why Traditional Lead Follow-Up is Broken: The typical MQL follow-up sequence often concludes long before the buyer is ready to engage, leading to wasted effort, lost deals, and awkward ‘breakup’ emails that misunderstand the buyer’s intent.
A Smarter Approach: Stop Selling, Start Enabling: Instead of treating leads as sales opportunities, BDRs and SDRs should focus on buyer enablement—offering valuable resources, connecting buyers with experts, and ensuring they have what they need to make a confident purchase decision.
Takeaways
Rethink the Role of BDRs and SDRs: The job isn’t to set meetings—it’s to help buyers make a decision that leads to your company.
Stop Worshiping the MQL: Just because someone fills out a form doesn’t mean they’re ready to engage. Identify where accounts truly are in their buying journey before pushing for a meeting.
Ditch the Breakup Emails: Buyers aren’t ghosting you—they’re just not ready yet. Instead of assuming disinterest, focus on providing relevant insights over time.
Use Intent Data to See Beyond Leads: Not every company in your ICP is in-market. Identify buying groups that are actively researching solutions and adjust outreach accordingly.
Insights Surfaced
- Buyers Control the Buying Process: Engagement timing is dictated by the buyer, not vendor outreach persistence.
- Most Leads Aren’t Ready to Talk: Many MQLs are early in the buying process and need nurturing rather than aggressive sales pressure.
- BDRs and SDRs Can Be a Competitive Advantage—If Used Correctly: Teams that shift from lead-chasing to buyer enablement will have the strongest position when buyers are ready to engage.
Key Quotes
“Chasing leads without understanding where buyers are in their journey is like building an airstrip in the jungle hoping to attract planes. The goal isn’t more leads—it’s better buying experiences that lead to you.”
Future Topics
In the next episode, Kerry will explore how organizations can move beyond lead-based attribution and measure what truly matters—engagement, influence, and revenue impact. Expect a deep dive into AI-driven intent data, predictive analytics, and modern go-to-market strategies.
- Buyer Experience Study
- The 70/30 Buying Journey
- Same Dance, Different Shoes: What buyers like and do during their buying journeys
- The Lead-based Approach Has Failed Us: It’s Time To Move On
All resources are free and available without requiring a form fill.
