It has long been a struggle for companies to get their sales and marketing teams to align. Throughout the last decade, there have been numerous changes in the sales world, and sales and marketing departments have not been unaffected. However, with these changes have come some complications. It has become challenging to integrate sales and marketing, and the standard method of trying to encourage integration has not necessarily been successful. Instead, Mike Bosworth, interviewed by John Golden, suggests that agreement is the way to help sales and marketing align.
This expert sales interview is all about sales and marketing alignment, including:
- The influence technology has played
- The common denominator to unify sales and marketing
- Bosworth’s checklist for getting sales and marketing to agree
Technology’s Influence
Technology, in some ways, has fostered the disconnect between sales and marketing. When a sales and marketing team are asked to integrate, it can the divide between the two. “When they think ‘integrate,’ they think, how well can our computer plug into their computer? How can we get this software running so that we can never talk to these people again?” said Bosworth. “They’re trying to automate themselves out of a relationship.” As an alternative, instead of promoting integration, substitute agreement. “Let’s take any thought of technology out of it. Let humans beings find ways to agree with other human beings,” said Bosworth.
The Common Denominator:
There’s a lot of finger pointing happening between these two teams. Sales say that the leads they get from marketing aren’t up to par. Marketing says that they sent the sales team great leads, and then never hear back about a follow-up. However, despite their differences, there is one touch point between the two: the lead. “If there’s conflict, it’s because they haven’t agreed on a definition of what a good lead is,” said Bosworth.
Bosworth’s Checklist:
To help sales and marketing seek agreement, Bosworth has composed a checklist for companies to help foster alignment.
- Both sales and marketing must agree on who the target market is. Sometimes there is a disagreement on the intended buying audience. Define a specific buyer persona, and communicate it to both parties.
- Agree on hero marketing. Use storytelling to make the buyer the hero of their own story.
- Understand the steps in the buying process. What are the steps in buying from your company?
- Agree on how you want to teach the product.
- Develop buyer personas and sell to them. Have prepared scenarios to help the newly hired sales and marketing people understand the personas and how to sell to each of them.
About Our Host
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
Pipeliner CRM empowers sales and marketing alignment. Get your free trial of Pipeliner CRM now.
Comments