The sales and marketing departments of a company are often at odds. A quarter of businesses confess that their sales and marketing teams are rarely or never in sync. More than half of salespeople’s time is wasted trying to sell to uninterested parties or those who can’t afford it.
In any business, the marketing and sales teams are two of the most important. They have different goals and objectives, and this can often lead to tension and conflict. However, there are ways to close this gap and create a more cohesive team. By setting common goals, establishing communication protocols, and using data-driven decision-making, businesses can bridge the divide between these two important teams. Let’s explore each of the best methods in more depth.
The importance of common goals
If the marketing and sales teams don’t have common goals, they’re going to have a hard time working together. In order for them to be effective, they need to be on the same page. Common goals help to unify the team and keep everyone working together towards a common objective.
When setting goals, it’s important to make sure that they’re SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what they need to do in order to achieve success.
Establish communication protocols
In order for the marketing and sales teams to be effective, they need to be able to communicate with each other. This means establishing communication protocols so that everyone knows what’s expected of them.
Some things that should be included in your communication protocols are:
- What type of communication is preferred (email, chat, phone call)?
- How often should team members check in with each other?
- What is the process for sharing information (e.g., who is responsible for creating and sending reports)?
What type of communication is preferred (email, chat, phone call)?
When it comes to communication, there are a few different options that the marketing and sales teams can use.
Email: Email is a great way to share information, but it can be slow, and it can be difficult to track who has seen the message.
Chat: Chat is a faster way to communicate, but it can be hard to keep track of the conversation history.
Phone Calls: Phone calls are a great way to have a conversation, but they can be disruptive, and they can be difficult to schedule.
The best way to communicate will depend on the preferences of the team members. Some people prefer email because it’s less disruptive, while others prefer chat because it’s faster. The important thing is to establish a communication protocol that everyone is comfortable with.
How often should team members check in with each other?
The frequency of check-ins will depend on the team’s goals and objectives. If the team is working on a short-term project, they may need to check in with each other more frequently. If the team is working on a long-term project, they may only need to check in with each other once a week.
What is the process for sharing information (e.g., who is responsible for creating and sending reports)?
The process for sharing information will also depend on the team’s goals and objectives. In some cases, it may be necessary for the marketing team to create a report and send it to the sales team. In other cases, it may be necessary for the sales team to create a report and send it to the marketing team. The important thing is to establish a process for sharing information that everyone is comfortable with.
Use data-driven decision-making
One of the best ways to close the marketing and sales gap is to use data-driven decision-making. This means making decisions based on data rather than gut instinct.
When it comes to data, there are a few different things that the marketing and sales teams can track:
- Conversion
- Conversion Rate
- Sales Cycle Length
- Customer Lifetime Value
Conversion
Conversion tracking is one of the most important aspects of data-driven decision-making. When you track conversions, you can see how well your marketing efforts are working. This information can help you to make decisions about what marketing campaigns to continue, what campaigns to modify, and what campaigns to stop.
In order for conversion tracking to be effective, you need to track all of your conversions, not just the ones that result in a sale. This will give you a more accurate picture of how your marketing efforts are performing.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is the percentage of people who take the desired action. For example, if you have a website with 100 visitors and 10 of them buy something, your conversion rate would be 10%.
If you want to increase your conversion rate, there are a few things you can do:
- Make sure your website is easy to use
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
- Offer discounts or coupons
- Provide free shipping
- Use pop-ups or exit intent pop-ups
The conversion rate is a good metric to track, but it’s not the only metric that you should be tracking. You should also track the sales cycle length and the customer lifetime value.
Sales Cycle Length
The sales cycle length is the amount of time it takes for a lead to become a customer. The shorter the sales cycle, the better.
There are a few things you can do to shorten the sales cycle:
- Qualify your leads
- Follow up with your leads
- Nurture your leads
The sales cycle length is an important metric to track, but it’s not the only metric that you should be tracking. You should also track the conversion rate and the customer’s lifetime value.
Customer Lifetime Value
The customer lifetime value is the total amount of money that a customer spends with your company over the course of their relationship with you.
There are a few things you can do to increase the customer’s lifetime value:
- Increase the frequency of purchases
- Increase the average order size
- Decrease the churn rate
The customer lifetime value is an important metric to track, but it’s not the only metric that you should be tracking. You should also track the conversion rate and the sales cycle length.
By tracking these three metrics, you can get a good idea of how well your marketing and sales efforts are working. You can use this information to make decisions about what to do next.
Closing the marketing and sales gap using Marketing Orchestration
Now the landscape of sales and marketing has never been more complex than ever before. Before we explore how marketing orchestration can bolster your business, let’s first know what it is.
What Is Marketing Orchestration?
Marketing orchestration is the process of getting the sales and marketing departments working together.
The goal of marketing orchestration This can be done in a number of ways, but the goal is always the same: to make sure that the sales and marketing departments are working together to close more deals and drive more revenue.
To do this, you need to have a clear understanding of your sales process, your marketing process, and how they work together. You also need to have a clear understanding of your customer journey.
Benefits Of Marketing Orchestration
There are a number of benefits that come from implementing marketing orchestration in your business. These benefits include:
- Increased Revenue
- Improved Efficiency
- Increased Customer Satisfaction
- Improved Communication
Increased Revenue
When sales and marketing are working together, they are able to close more deals and drive more revenue. This is because they are able to share information and resources that help them close deals faster.
Improved Efficiency
When sales and marketing are working together, they are able to work more efficiently. This is because they are able to share information and resources that help them work more efficiently.
Increased Customer Satisfaction
When sales and marketing work together, they are able to provide a better experience for the customer. This is because they are able to share information and resources that help them provide a better experience for the customer.
Improved Communication
When sales and marketing are working together, they are able to communicate better. This is because they are able to share information and resources that help them communicate better.
Implementing Marketing Orchestration To Close The Sales and Marketing Gap
If you want to close the sales and marketing gap, you need to implement marketing orchestration. This can be done in a number of ways, but the goal is always the same: to make sure that the sales and marketing departments are working together to close more deals and drive more revenue. Try to implement this Marketing Orchestration:
- Start By Segmenting
- Annotate Everything
- Examine Cross-Platform Insights
- Recognize Multi-Channel Cues
Start By Segmenting:
The first step in implementing marketing orchestration is to segment your sales and marketing department. This means that you need to have a clear understanding of your sales process, your marketing process, and how they work together. You also need to have a clear understanding of your customer journey.
Annotate Everything:
The second step in implementing marketing orchestration is to annotate everything. This means that you need to keep track of all the interactions that your sales and marketing departments have with each other. This will help you understand what is working and what is not working.
Examine Cross-Platform Insights:
The third step in implementing marketing orchestration is to examine cross-platform insights. This means that you need to look at the data that your sales and marketing departments are generating. This will help you understand what is working and what is not working.
Recognize Multi-Channel Cues:
The fourth step in implementing marketing orchestration is to recognize multi-channel cues. This means that you need to look for signs that your sales and marketing departments are not working together. This will help you understand what is not working and how to fix it.
Why Do You Need A Marketing Plan?
If you’re like most small business owners, you don’t have a formal marketing plan. In fact, according to a survey by the Small Business Administration, only 44% of small businesses have a written marketing plan. This is a problem because a marketing plan is essential to the success of your business. A marketing plan will help you to:
- Define your target market
- Developing your marketing strategy
- Set your marketing goals
- Create your marketing budget
- Measure your results
Define your target market
The first step in creating a marketing plan is to define your target market. This is the group of people that you are targeting with your marketing efforts.
You need to have a clear understanding of who your target market is and what their needs are. You also need to know what type of messaging will resonate with them.
Developing your marketing strategy
Once you have defined your target market, you can begin to develop your marketing strategy.
Without a marketing plan, it’s very difficult to make informed decisions about your marketing efforts. A marketing plan will help you to make sure that you are spending your time and money on the right things.
Set your marketing goals
Another important part of a marketing plan is setting your marketing goals. These are the objectives that you want to achieve with your marketing efforts.
Some common marketing goals include:
- Generating leads
- Increasing brand awareness
- Increasing website traffic
- Converting leads into customers
- Creating a loyal customer base
Creating a marketing plan will help you to focus on your goals and create a path to achieving them.
Create your marketing budget
Once you have set your marketing goals, you need to create your marketing budget. This is the amount of money that you are willing to spend on your marketing efforts.
Your marketing budget should be based on your marketing goals. For example, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, you will need to spend more money on marketing than if your goal is to generate leads.
Measure your results
The final step in creating a marketing plan is to measure your results. This is important because it will help you to see what is working and what is not.
You should measure your results on a regular basis. This will help you to make adjustments to your marketing plan as needed.
Extra Tips for Closing the Marketing and Sales Gap
If you’re still not convinced that marketing and sales need to work together, here are a few extra tips:
- Hire a good salesperson
The most important thing you can do to close the marketing and sales gap is to hire a good salesperson. A good salesperson will be able to sell your product or service to anyone.
- Train your sales team
Another important tip is to train your sales team. They need to be able to understand your product or service and be able to sell it to your target market.
- Make sure your marketing and sales teams are aligned
It’s also important to make sure that your marketing and sales teams are aligned. They need to be working towards the same goals.
- Invest in marketing
Finally, you need to invest in marketing. If you’re not willing to spend money on marketing, you’re not going to be able to close the gap.
A marketing plan is essential to the success of your business. It will help you to focus on your goals and create a path to achieving them.
Conclusion
The marketing and sales gap is a real problem for businesses. If you want to close the gap, you need to make a bridge between marketing and sales. A marketing plan is essential to the success of your business. It will help you to focus on your goals and create a path to achieving them.
