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# The winnability gap: Why pipeline has slowed, and why more intent data won’t fix it
- URL: https://www.cmoalliance.com/the-winnability-gap/
- Published: 2026-06-28T15:33:21.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-01T14:27:45.000Z
- Author: CMO Alliance
- Tags: eBooks, Account-Based Marketing (ABM), Sales and Marketing, Demand Generation, B2B Marketing

Pipeline is harder to build than it was two years ago. Most senior marketing leaders are reporting inbound pipeline down 10% or more compared to prior cycles - even as intent signals and engagement remain strong.

The familiar plays aren't working. Broad intent activation, increased ad spend, content syndication at volume - none of it is producing pipeline at the pace the business needs. 

That's not a failure of execution. It's a signal that the underlying model needs to change.

The issue isn't a lack of activity. It's that most programs are converting fewer of the right accounts than they should. And the reason is simple: intent data answers one question: *is this account researching your category?* 

It doesn't answer the question that actually determines conversion: *does this account have the structural conditions to buy this cycle?*

That gap - between accounts that are active and accounts that are actually positioned to convert - is what this eBook is about. 

DemandScience's 2026 research across 750 senior marketing leaders puts numbers on the problem: **87%** of organizations are chasing intent signals that don't convert, only **26%** of intent signals ever reach qualified pipeline, and **25%** of marketing budget is being wasted on non-converting spend.

Inside this eBook, you'll find out: 

- why intent data alone is no longer enough,
- the four signals that separate active accounts from truly winnable ones,
- why many organizations are over-invested in low-conversion activity,
- and how leading teams are balancing broad demand programs with high-conversion, in-market motions.

You'll also see why some organizations are **generating 3-4x more pipeline** from the same investment, and what modern pipeline efficiency actually looks like in practice.

**Download the eBook to get the full framework, the scenario model, and the Fortune 500 case study showing $475M in pipeline generated in six months.**