Directly connecting marketing efforts to revenue has long been an elusive goal, but with modern data-driven marketing campaigns, it doesn’t have to be. The one precursor for success is consistent communication between sales and marketing.
It seems obvious, but many companies struggle to implement a process where these two departments operate in lockstep. As an agency, our role has evolved beyond developing and implementing marketing strategies to include creating synergy between marketing and sales.
Target Audience, Positioning and Goals
Developing a successful partnership between sales and marketing begins with getting buy-in from both departments on target audience, positioning, and goals.
Together, marketing and sales leaders must identify a target audience that presents significant sales growth opportunities and can be reached effectively through marketing tactics. This step is critical in aligning marketing strategy with growth goals and the efficient use of marketing dollars.
With the target audience identified, positioning should be discussed to ensure consistent messaging across marketing and sales efforts. Ask, “what resonates with this audience?” and “what audience pain points does your product or service offering address?”
Lastly, discuss how campaign performance will be measured. While increased revenue is important it often isn’t the only performance metric that should be tracked. Sales cycles vary from one industry to another and can be drawn out for months or even years. Identify other performance metrics such as leads, website sessions, and audience touchpoints that aid in increased revenue and can be measured in weekly, monthly or quarterly time periods.
Review Implementation and Responsibility Roles
Prior to implementation, the strategic marketing plan should be reviewed by both marketing and sales to deploy a collaborative approach to outreach efforts.
Discuss how marketing activities will interact with customers or prospects and how sales efforts can complement those activities. If marketing is driving prospects to your website and encouraging them to complete a form, who is notified when a contact form is submitted? Who is responsible for contacting the prospect? Are automations in place to maintain consistent contact with that prospect over an extended period of time?
While this may seem simple, this is often where miscommunication or even total lack of communication takes place. Setting clear roles and responsibilities prior to implementation establishes accountability from the beginning.
Measure, Optimize, Repeat
Once you’ve set short and long term goals for the campaign, consistently measure your progress towards these goals and look for opportunities to improve.
By leveraging the ability to track digital efforts, you can look for ways to optimize the campaign. Determine which mediums or audience segmentations are performing best and look to shift resources from efforts that are underperforming.
Identify messaging, imagery and calls to action that are driving the strongest engagement, and consider your findings in the creative development process.
Lastly, share your performance metrics with both the marketing and sales departments. Through engagement, your audience is further defining itself, telling you what they are interested in learning more about and how they want to be engaged.
Campaign insights should be leveraged by both sales and marketing teams to improve prospect interaction and customer service, and ultimately, help guide leads down the sales funnel.
The result? A consistent and meaningful connection to the consumer that builds your brand, fosters relationships and creates high-value leads your team can convert into customers — directly boosting your bottom-line.
Contact SWBR to see how we can help your business thrive.
