Check out one of my favorite images below depicting the marketing/sales funnel.  From generating new leads/top of the sales funnel, to developing leads/middle of sales funnel to finally closing qualified leads/sales revenue opportunities.  To me, the image below really shows how marketing activities make a direct and ongoing impact on the sales cycle.  Effective, targeted and consistant marketing initiatives are critical to sales success.  If your marketing and sales teams are in “lock-step” with each other as well as with the prospective customer, success is inevitable.

Image is kinda hard to read, so click to enlarge >>

An integrated marketing automation solution I am presently evaluating for one of my clients is Eloqua.  Have you heard of it?  What do you know about it? Or, what marketing automation tool/s are you using and having success with?