Aligning Sales and Marketing at MAFSI Conference 2016

Upon my return from MAFSI Conference 2016, I was knee deep in a book titled The Marketing Performance Blueprint by Paul Roetzer, and was re-assured that the foodservice equipment industry clearly has 'the performance gap'. It's a very interesting time for MAFSI members. Those that continue to ride the traditional 'what used to work' wave are going to eventually be run out of business by competition that adapts to the new marketing and sales cookbook.

This hesitancy is strange. It's a bit ironic when most of the sales leaders carry the title VP of Sales and Marketing. Three fourths of the Rep firms have Marketing in their business name. 

The Performance Gap

Today's marketer needs to excel in skills such as analytics, automation, content marketing, email, mobile, and social networks. Today's marketers understand they have the capabilities to create and execute strategies that drive sales qualified leads (results). The problem is there are only a select number of colleges offering these types of degrees. Thus, marketing professionals today learn 'on the job.'   

Where does the gap come in? Well, it starts with sales and executive leadership's aggressive growth goals, but yet conservative marketing budgets. Combine this with marketing tactics stuck in 1995 and marketers with very weak digital skills, and you'll probably miss those lofty business expectations and goals. 

Adapt & Align

In our Friday breakout session, we focused our discussion on the importance of aligning Sales and Marketing. There is unnecessary tension between the two organizations when in fact both have the same goals - drive the company forward. 

To align sales and marketing, it's important to start with agreeing on a defined Sales Process. What is a Sales Ready Lead? Who are the company's ideal customers? Shouldn't marketing put together strategies to achieve lead goals? Include them in the discussion. Marketing is just as important as sales people in the trenches.  

Share the knowledge between sales and marketing. Share definitions of a lead vs a marketing qualified lead vs a sales qualified lead. Start with small 'wins' and share them to get buy-in from others in the organization. One way to help sales and marketing work together is to create a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to establish goals and promote consistent communication across both organizations. 

Conversely, sales should be part of the content strategy, right? I mean, sales people are in the trenches listening to customer needs every day. They have GREAT stories to tell. They know the customers' pain. Share it. When marketing and sales align, sales' job only get's easier.

Embrace Technology

The amount of technology and software out there today in this industry is overwhelming. We get it. But get used to it folks. ORGO, AutoQuotes, KCL, HubSpot, Social Platforms, Email, CRMs, SpecPath... Look, technology is going to help advance Reps and Manufacturers. It's going to help bridge analytical gaps. Embrace it. Learn it. Dedicate your business to it. Those that do will beat their competitors in the long run. 

Work Smarter

Today's sales person must be empowered to work efficiently. When sales and marketing align using The Pretzel Effect, when companies adapt and embrace technology, it only helps push a company forward. How else are you going to achieve those lofty sales goals and stay ahead of the competition?

Find out how in the Inbound Marketing Cookbook.