“United we stand, divided we fall” – Call this phrase a cliché, but it is true, especially for sales and marketing that cannot get along and work together. Even though the two are different operations, the end goal is the same – generate sales. So, why is there a need for an iron curtain between the two teams?
Sales and marketing are two important and interdependent operations in a business. Companies with well-aligned marketing and sales departments close around 67% more deals than their competitors. However, bringing the two teams together has forever been a challenge. Most leaders struggle to bridge gaps between marketing and sales, and their profits take a plunge.
If your sales and marketing teams also operate in isolation, here are some things you can do the bridge the gap between the two teams.
1. Establish Common Ground
If your sales and marketing efforts do not have the same understanding of operations and goals, they can never work together. Begin by defining terminology and definitions, so both teams are on the same page regarding the basics of your operations.
Second, set overlapping goals to measure the success of your operations. Shared goals help you measure both departments’ individual and team performance as and when needed. It also encourages teams to work closely with one another, generating more leads and closing more deals.
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Additional Read: How To Make Sales And Marketing Work Together |
2. Democratize Access to Information
The next step to bridging gaps between the sales and marketing divisions is to give them access to all necessary information. Equal access to resources reduces discrepancies increasing the efficiency of your sales and marketing efforts.
The best way to ensure that both teams have access to all resources is to use a centralized cloud storage system. When in place, team members can easily access any information they need. It also makes it easy for team members to share information with each other, fostering a collaborative work culture.
3. Rely On CRM Solution For both Sales and Marketing
For most people, CRM solutions are synonymous with a sales operation, but in reality, they are potentially a great tool for marketing as well. Give marketers access to your CRM solution or integrate it with your marketing tools. So, marketers can play a bigger role in moving further down the funnel.
Using CRM in marketing also creates a communication loop between sales and marketing departments. Both teams can monitor a campaign, provide feedback to one another, and prevent leads from falling off the funnel.
4. Account-Based Marketing
Account-based marketing has its own advantages for sales and marketing teams and it also effective way for you to bridge the gap between your marketing and sales teams. ABM requires the marketing team to work closely with the sales team to create buyer personas, identify and prioritize accounts, and craft marketing messages.
Understanding customers from a sales perspective helps marketing create effective and guided campaigns. So, when marketing qualifies leads, sales is well-equipped to close those deals.
5. Conduct Regular Meetings and Brainstorming Sessions
Call regular meetings to review individual and team performance of sales and marketing departments. It is important to have both teams at the same table so everyone is clear about the progress of your campaign and what did well, and what they need to change.
Gatherings are also great for team-building as it allows teams to engage with one another for things other than work.
Meetings can also be utilized for brainstorming. Marketing knows your audience, and sales know your clients. They are in the field of action and have better insights into the needs and wants of different consumer groups. Brainstorming together can help you tweak your product and message to attract more prospects to your brand.
Final Words
Divided sales and marketing are bad for business, and it not only creates miscommunication but also wastes resources and affects profitability. So, get both teams on the same page and convey their responsibilities. Give them shared access to information and solutions so they can collaborate with ease.
The task may seem difficult at first, but sales and marketing have a lasting impact on the efficiency of your operations and profitability. So, implement these tips, and get to bridging gaps without any delay.
