Marketing and sales: the most important tips for successful inbound sales
MARKETING AND SALES: THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL INBOUND SALES
Data silos, an elbow mentality and all your own little soup? That sounds like a prime example of how organizations should no longer function these days. Instead, it is much more important to support each other in order to get the most out of everyone's expertise. This also applies to inbound sales in particular. This form of sales can only be implemented in a meaningful way if marketing and sales work closely together.
Marketing and sales - strong together?!
However, the reality is often different. Instead of being aware of the profitable opportunities for collaboration, sales and marketing departments often fight against each other. Of course, at first glance, the respective teams are driven by different goals and have different needs. However, if you take a closer look, you quickly realize that ultimately everyone wants the same thing: Leads that everyone is happy with and that turn into profitable accounts.
It is clear that the alignment of marketing and sales is not something that can be implemented overnight. Instead, it requires a long-term rethink and an adapted mindset in both departments. Various small and large tips and tricks can be used to bridge the gap between marketing and sales.
Introduction of daily reconciliations
Especially when new processes are introduced, it is advisable for the teams involved to coordinate on a daily basis. This is the right framework for regularly exchanging and coordinating feedback on the quality of generated leads. Based on the current situation, agreements are also made on the optimization of automation or criteria for lead qualification.
Create transparency
If marketing and sales always receive the same information about leads at the same time, there are no lost leads. Everyone involved has all the necessary details available at all times and can qualify your leads in the best possible way. Don't let leads fall by the wayside due to a lack of transparency!
Mutual enablement
The marketing and sales teams have a common goal in mind and provide input for each other: marketing is responsible for creating content, which in turn arouses the desire of potentially interested people and collects them as leads. This content must therefore be as relevant as possible for the prospects. The sales team, on the other hand, is responsible for identifying the best customer use cases in order to provide marketing with the necessary input for content. After all, the sales team is closer to the wishes and needs of the target group than anyone else. And it is precisely this information that needs to find its way back to marketing in order to be translated into interesting content with added value.
Team Building
Feedback or short-term coordination: Those who know their counterparts will find it much easier. There are numerous ways in which you can help your teams get to know each other better on a personal level. Starting with classics such as team events or workshops, the possibilities range from a joint happy hour, brainstorming sessions or even temporary job rotation. Mutual understanding is key when marketing and sales work together.
Internal infrastructure
In the marketing team, it is useful to have a so-called "marketing engineer". This person owns the processes and is responsible for the setup between marketing and sales. In the sales team, on the other hand, an "inbound sales specialist" is helpful. This person should be specially trained to manage leads from inbound measures.
Use of suitable tools
Improved coordination between marketing and sales in inbound sales also requires system support. Software solutions ensure that processes are adhered to and form the basis for automation. Seamless documentation of all relevant details with software-supported call management, for example, also helps to maximize the efficiency of the exchange between marketing and sales.
Marketing and sales - a dream team par excellence
Seamless interaction between the two departments is a basic prerequisite for effective inbound sales. With a few tricks of the trade, it is possible to pave the way for the dream team of marketing and sales.
