The relationship between sales and marketing can be fostered to be big and beautiful. However, like any relationship, it necessitates work. It begins with sharing a common language and ends off with a unified vision. Sales language and marketing language need to be aligned. The lexicon has to include shared definitions of things such as “campaigns” and “qualified leads”.
It also helps if the sales team believes in the concept of “brand” as much as the marketing teams do. More often than not, they do, however they are cynical about its value. Salespeople believe in relationships as the crux of the process, while marketers believe in stories that fuel relationships.
Neither are wrong, but neither are 100% accurate by themselves. Stories and messaging get a salesperson in the door. Relationships close deals.
Ultimately, team alignment can be a lot like a friendship is. Close good team alignment is like a best friendship; you have each other’s back and you work together in order to achieve your objectives. However getting to “BFF” status can take some work. Building a bridge between marketing and sales does require you start with a few small tasks.
How To Foster The Relationship
Start by making sure your marketing and sales teams are on the same page. In much the same way as having your weekly chat with a best friend so that you can catch up, teams need to regularly communicate with each other. When both parties are aware of what the end goal is, it’s much easier to organise as well a work together in order to achieve it.
When you don’t really understand your best friend’s strengths, it can be difficult to have a good relationship. Likewise, marketing and sales teams should be getting to know – as well as understand – each other’s past work as well as successes.
Most teams and friendships face challenges when they begin to question each other. Being suspicious of your best friend’s intentions may be as detrimental to a friendship as being wary of your marketing or sales team’s skills and commitment.
