You already know the importance of sales-marketing alignment — and the dangers of not having it.
We’ve covered this topic in a number of webinars, presentations, white papers, and blog posts, and we’ve shared some of the stats that explain why it’s such an important topic to discuss. But we wanted to delve a little deeper, and let you hear from the people behind these statistics — and what better way than to sit down with the people on our own team who deal with issues of sales-marketing alignment on a daily basis?
Meet Ali & Sangram
Meet our resident experts on the topic: Alison Gooch, Sales Manager and Sangram Vajre, Director of Marketing. We asked Ali and Sangram to discuss the biggest obstacles they face with sales-marketing alignment, and the ways in which marketing automation has benefitted their teams respectively and collaboratively — and then we left the cameras running. Check out these excerpts from their conversation, and share your own thoughts on sales-marketing alignment in the comments section.
What’s the biggest disconnect between sales & marketing today?
Key Takeaway: It’s an age-old battle, really: sales thinks marketing doesn’t provide a sufficient number of high-quality leads, marketing thinks that their hard-earned leads are going to waste. What it all boils down to: a lack of communication and mutual insight.
How (specifically) can marketing automation help?
Key Takeaway: Each department benefits from marketing automation in different ways —Sangram mentions how lead nurturing saves marketing leads that would otherwise go to waste, while Ali talks about how much her reps love list segmentation and lead scoring and grading. Overall, the platform allows for seamless communication between the two departments, while letting everyone to play to their greatest strengths.
What are some actionable first steps towards closing the sales-marketing gap?
Key Takeaway: The most important first step? Communication. Sit down with your sales or marketing counterpart to discuss pain points and set goals. Make sure everyone understands, first and foremost, who your ideal buyer persona is — then you can strategize on how this persona can best be reached.
