We're not really that different, so why can't we just get along?
This age old question that plagues marketing and sales alignment. But, the issues are usually simple to fix with willing participants. There isn’t a lot of ‘secret sauce’ to solve this challenge. Just plain, old fashioned hard work and clear communication. Our team has extensive experience with cutting through the noise and getting to the root of what’s keeping your sales team up at night.
Agree on Terminology
What is a qualified lead? What constitutes an opportunity? What do you call someone who isn’t a lead yet? What are all of the stages in the marketing and sales funnel?
It’s important to agree on all definitions across your funnel. And, make sure you discuss SLAs, expected conversion times and rates and ownership at each stage.
Develop SLAs for both sides
When does marketing hand off a lead to sales? How long should it be before it goes back? What’s the expectation for communication between teams?
Having an agreement on who does what and when is critical. It will stamp down finger pointing and let both teams focus on their jobs.
report, refine, repeat
How many potential opportunities were passed to sales this week? What is the status of potential opps passed by marketing YTD? How is the current campaign trending?
Set the metrics both teams want to track and schedule a regular meeting to discuss. The intention is not to complain and blame, but to collaborate and refine – on both sides.