To optimize your revenue, you need to align your marketing and sales teams. But this is not done with a wave of a magic wand. To achieve this, you need to define and implement an effective strategy.
You've probably heard of Smarketing. It's about getting your sales and marketing departments to work together . This technique is on the rise since it has already allowed several companies to reach a new level. It will offer you harmonization between your salespeople and your marketers. This will streamline your customers ' buying journey , which, obviously, will boost your turnover. In any case, bet on an approach according to your BtoB objectives, but also to your targets. Focus on the points to consider when defining your own strategy.
Step 1: Define your buyer persona
To ensure that the actions of your salespeople and marketers are in agreement, make sure they agree on the ideal customer: the buyer persona.
Concretely, it is the profile for whom your offer is made, the one who will say that what you propose is made especially for him . In inbound marketing, you need to target a certain category of prospects in particular. It will be up to you to identify it so that your efforts do not scatter.
Delimiting your buyer persona will allow you to orient your entire strategy around him . If you don't follow this step, your two departments may have conflicting visions of the ideal buyer, which will reduce your conversion rate. Indeed, if you do not specify your target, each service will have different criteria to define it. It will then be up to you to value the perfect customer.
For this, the best alternative is to organize a common training . The goal is to identify important data to take into account for your two poles. They will thus have notions and especially visions that agree. Once this is assimilated by both your salespeople and marketers, you can then move on to the next point.
Step 2: Set Smart Goals
Smarketing is not just the fusion of sales and marketing. It also refers to another word: Smart . To reap the benefits of this strategy, you must set goals that follow the SMART method, ie:
Specific: Let them not fall into the trap of generality. Your goals should be specific.
Measurable: Figures will be needed to measure, in particular, the effectiveness of action plans
Achievable: Overly ambitious goals will lower the motivation of your employees.
Realistic: don't ask your services for the impossible.
Temporary: Set a deadline for all your goals in order to have an overview a posteriori.
Once that's done, you can start implementing your action plans. The performance indicators are now almost identical for both teams. This will result in mutual understanding between the two departments .
Step 3: Develop a contract of trust
You now have a specific ideal client and clear goals. To achieve them, communication between your sales teams and your marketing team. The two will have to work hand in hand and agree on a contract of trust . Also called SLA or Service Level Agreement, this agreement will explain everyone's roles and expectations.
In addition to the SLA, adopting a relevant lead scoring policy helps you define your own Smarketing strategy. Concretely, the two departments will set the number of prospects to give to sellers. The latter will also have an obligation of result and convert a certain amount of leads.
The information concerning the responsibilities of each division will then be contained in the contract of trust. This way, your teams will no longer blame each other . The fact is that each of them will be aware of what the other needs to do to achieve their goals.
Step 4: Rely on marketing automation tools
Smarketing is not just a story of two complementary departments joining forces. It is also an opportunity to simplify your working methods . For this, you must bet on the appropriate software. Your CRM should contain up-to-date information that everyone understands. You can also use marketing automation tools to plan in advance and streamline repetitive tasks. Magileads' SaaS, for example, allows your marketing team to target, score leads, send marketing emails, and evaluate your campaigns through relevant KPIs. Because your pipeline is balanced in a balanced way, your sales reps will only receive qualified, mature leads . They will then be able to focus on making appointments and conversion. In addition, you can prospect via email or LinkedIn through your database or among the 20 million qualified B2B prospects that the company offers you.
Indeed, it is a good thing that the two poles get along and communicate with each other, but it is better to have tools to facilitate decision-making .
By automating your processes, you will see benefits that go beyond the sales-marketing duo in the sense of lead conversion. Departments like after-sales and back office could very well take advantage of the KPIs you're going to drive. Ultimately, this will help the entire company to grow and boost its turnover.
Step 5: Know how to use feedback
Finally, an effective strategy is perfected thanks to feedback, so do not deprive yourself. allows the whole company to come out a winner since it helps to analyze the results . You should then set up periodic meetings between your marketing department and the sales department. These provide visibility of the objectives that have been achieved and areas for improvement.
For example, you can arrange interviews at the beginning of the month to confirm the expectations of each party. Two weeks later, you will already have an idea of the missing KPIs and what each service will be able to perform. Finally, at the end of the month, the two departments will be able to talk about all the data through a monthly review . This is just one example, but it's up to you to understand the pace you need for your own strategy. Weekly meetings of a few minutes or periodic briefings, it's up to you. The bottom line is that information flows well within your teams .
Two mistakes to avoid
For an effective marketing strategy , pay attention to points that impact the motivation of your employees.
Not taking into account everyone's personalities
Your periodic meeting should be an opportunity to take stock of what is effective and areas for improvement, even on a relational level . They must be a means of establishing benevolent and closed-loop communication. This means that each pole must have the analytical capacity to learn from their mistakes and those of others. Everyone should therefore be able to accept criticism from their colleagues.
Avoid any form of one-way communication that could escalate the situation. The fact is that the two services are two sides of the same coin, they have a relatively identical weight. Remember that a company is many individuals with their own stories and personalities. To thrive, you need to take all these settings into account and sync them.
Pay attention to remuneration
Since Smarketing aims to establish a transparent strategy, the question of compensation may arise. Generally, the sales team is better paid than the marketing team . This is also one of the points of friction between the two departments. This may decrease the motivation of the marketing team who may feel neglected.
You have several solutions such as aligning their salaries or setting more attractive bonuses. The key is to show everyone that their role is important , regardless of their services.
Tips for perfecting your strategy
You now know the best practices to define your strategy. These tips will help you fine-tune it.
Enhance your offers
To streamline your customers' buying journey, learn how to value your offers. Take advantage of the information you will get throughout the process to identify potential markets . If your CRM and tools give you clues about your leads' buying habits, you can use them to upsell, upgrade, and improve their experiences even more.
Make teambuildings
Focus on harmony between your sales and marketing departments. To do this, dare to think outside the box and endless meetings. Why not opt for teambuilding sessions where games, meetings and relaxation reign? By spending time together away from the spectrum of work , your employees will find themselves rejuvenated and more inspired. This will be beneficial both for them and for the company.
