Ending the WAR between Sales and Marketing can happen! It doesn't have to be as complicated as the search for life in outer space. We can take easier steps to change the culture of the business so that these two functions can be better aligned, which has been proven to be critical to the success of the business.
As a professional that has worked in both Sales and Marketing, I have seen the strengths and weaknesses of both groups. And for this reason, I am passionate about finding solutions to help all Sales and Marketing teams work together better.
Companies with strong sales and marketing alignment achieve 20% annual growth rate. Companies with poor sales and marketing alignment have a 4% revenue decline. --Aberdeen Group
Why is Sales and Marketing Alignment so important? Because it affects the bottom line. Companies that do it well achieve significant growth, while those that don't...see a significant revenue decline.
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Last year I conducted an online survey asking sales/marketing/biz dev professionals from very diverse industries their thoughts on why this "disconnect" exists. I wanted to get some insights into what can be done to change this counter-productive culture and start an honest conversation. Most respondents were in B2B or a combination of both B2B and B2C.
And the survey says>>>
Main Reasons for the "Disconnect"
- Misalignment of goals between Sales and Marketing
- Marketing and Sales don't really have an idea of what the other does on a daily basis
- Management taking a functional approach instead of a system approach to achieve business goals
- No established feedback loop to allow Sales and Marketing to iterate strategies based on customer feedback
- Marketing not understanding the need for Sales to establish and maintain long-term relationships with customers
- Superiority complex of the Marketing team and pride of the Sales team
I think the first steps to finding solutions are determining and recognizing what's broken in the system and then talking about realistic solutions that can be implemented.
So what do YOU think? I encourage anyone that has a perspective on this topic to share your thoughts. Also check outwww.SMAsummit.comfor the latest on the upcoming event series solely dedicated to making Sales and Marketing Alignment work!
Let's end this WAR together!!!
[Press Release]: The Sales + Marketing Alignment Summit has officially launched