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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryB2B & GrowthDemand Waterfall

B2B & Growth

Demand Waterfall

A model, popularized by SiriusDecisions, that tracks how leads convert through stages from inquiry to closed deal to measure funnel performance.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The demand waterfall is a model, popularized by SiriusDecisions, that tracks how leads convert through stages from inquiry to closed deal to measure funnel performance. Stages typically include marketing and sales qualification. It helps teams spot conversion bottlenecks and forecast pipeline, and later versions shifted focus from individual leads toward buying groups.