Marketing-sourced pipeline
In short
Marketing-sourced pipeline is the total value of open opportunities whose first qualifying source was a marketing program, such as a webinar, paid campaign, or inbound form. It answers the question of how much pipeline marketing created.
It differs from marketing-influenced pipeline, which counts any opportunity that marketing touched at some point, whoever sourced it. Sourced is stricter and credits one origin; influenced is broader and credits participation.
How to calculate it
Add up the amount of opportunities with a marketing source value, within a period and by stage. Example: say a team has 40 new opportunities in a quarter, 14 of them tagged as marketing-sourced, with an average amount of 30,000. Marketing-sourced pipeline is 14 times 30,000, or 420,000. Compare it against the pipeline target for that quarter.
What makes it reliable
- Clear source rules: Define which actions count, such as a form fill or a booked meeting from a campaign.
- Locked source field: Set the source at creation and restrict later edits.
- Consistent tagging: Campaign and channel naming must be standardized.
- Opportunity-level credit: Attach source to the opportunity, not just the contact.
How to use it
Track sourced pipeline next to coverage against quota, conversion by stage, and win rate. Look at it by channel to find where deals start, then weigh it against cost. Review it with sales so both sides trust where deals came from.
Common mistakes
- Claiming everything: Counting every touched deal as sourced overstates marketing and loses sales' trust.
- Ignoring quality: Pipeline value without win rate rewards inflated amounts.
- Short windows: In long cycles, last quarter's programs create this quarter's pipeline.
- Missing dark-funnel sources: Add a self-reported field to catch podcasts and referrals.
Marketing-sourced pipeline FAQs
What is marketing-sourced pipeline?
Marketing-sourced pipeline is the total value of opportunities whose original source was a marketing program, such as a campaign, webinar, or inbound request. It shows how much new pipeline marketing created directly.
What is the difference between marketing-sourced and marketing-influenced pipeline?
Sourced pipeline credits marketing only for opportunities that marketing originated. Influenced pipeline counts any opportunity marketing touched along the way, even if sales or a partner started it. Influenced is always the larger number.
How do you calculate marketing-sourced pipeline?
Sum the amounts of opportunities created in a period whose source field is marketing. Break it down by stage and channel, and compare it against the pipeline target set for marketing in that period.
How much pipeline should marketing source?
It depends on your motion. Product-led and inbound companies expect marketing to source most pipeline, while outbound-heavy enterprise teams expect less. Set the target from your own history and your overall pipeline goal.
