5 Indicators That Sales & Marketing Are Not Aligned
For organizations that strive to achieve revenue targets, ensure a seamless buyer experience, and continuously work to optimize the sales cycle, Sales and Marketing need to work together as a unified team. Marketing has identified the target market and ideal customer profile. It is generating leads and building demand. It is articulating the product’s unique value proposition and brand promise.
So how can Sales and Marketing become siloed? Here are 5 signs that illustrate misalignment:
Marketing achieved its quarterly or annual goals, and yet Sales did not hit its revenue target.
Marketing managers do not attend Sales meetings.
A large percentage of leads passed from Marketing to Sales do not convert. Worse yet, some leads may not be contacted at all.
Sales closes business that does not fit into Marketing’s declared target market or ideal customer profile.
Sales’ messaging and communications to prospects do not include Marketing-defined positioning statement, unique value proposition, or messaging standards. This can be because Marketing has not created messaging standards, or because Sales doesn’t believe the messaging is compelling to buyers.
Can this be fixed? Yes. How? The problem is one of Sales and Marketing leadership. The leaders need to create a culture where Sales and Marketing are on the same team. Their goals need to be aligned. When there is a problem, like the items listed, they work together as a team to resolve their disagreements. Marketing must learn what Sales is experiencing on the “front lines”. Sometimes this is not easy, but it is essential that there is unified agreement on the market segment and target customers, and the value that your organization provides for customers.
