In the B2B world, too often there’s finger-pointing and conflict between Sales and Marketing teams. They just don’t seem to communicate all that well.
More than once I’ve heard Sales people complain that Marketing doesn’t understand what they need and gives them junk for leads and support. On the flip side, Marketing will say that Sales is lazy and doesn’t use what they give them.
As a Marketer, I may be thrown out of the club for saying this, but I agree with Sales on this one.
I think Marketers can do a better job of reaching out to Sales and becoming smarter BEFORE they do any marketing stuff.
So, Marketers take note — 3 examples of “do this, not that” to better support your Sales team.
Scenario #1
Marketing Sits in the Office ALL the Time
One of the most valuable questions Marketers can ask Sales is “Can I ride with you on some sales calls?”
I cannot stress enough the importance of Marketers getting into the field with their Sales Reps. And especially in the B2B world, not enough are doing it. Too many marketing people think they can do their jobs without leaving their desks. By doing so, they miss out on a tremendous research and learning opportunity.
Sales calls are firsthand exposure to what prospects (and clients) are worrying about in their worklives and what they think about new products, industry trends, and your competitors. And between calls, you get to spend time with reps just talking and thinking out loud about your business.
Take maximum advantage of that time “just sitting” with your Rep. Ask the Rep who he thinks will call on that prospect tomorrow. Ask what that competitor’s pitch line might be. Check out what he/she thinks would be the best thing the “home office” could do to help them close more business. Such brainstorming and rapport-building are essential for successful Marketing and Sales communications.
Now, repeat this process with reps from every region your company serves. By getting out in all the territories with all your Sales team, you gain tremendous market insight and you build awesome rapport with your reps. And with your new insight and knowledge, you’ll be able to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for new products, new messages, and new ways to better serve your audience. It’s an incredibly useful investment of your time and energy.
Scenario #2
Marketing Delivers Names, NOT Leads
A collection of names, whether it’s from an online promotion or a trade show, is not ready for Sales calling. When Marketing tries to say they are, the disconnect erupts. (And yes, this still happens in 2015.)
Sales knows it’s a waste of time and Marketing thinks Sales isn’t trying. Sales is right. Names need context and qualification before they become leads. And this goes for names gathered from “contact us” forms on your website as well.
So to help Marketing help Sales, Marketers should first ask Sales: “What would you like to know BEFORE you make a call on a prospect?”
And Marketers, as you collect the Sales Team’s replies, ask more questions about their answers. Find out why they ask for the information they do. Why do they need it? Understand the power behind it. That’ll 
help you buy into the process. And it may even give you new ideas for gathering additional helpful data that no one has thought of yet.
Once you’ve assembled all this insight, develop a proper lead-nurturing program. Get that name better qualified and validate their interest more fully before you turn it over to Sales for follow-up. When you deliver “qualified prospects,” your Sales team will love you and your results soar.
And you really can do the same thing with your “contact us” form respondents. At a minimum, have a junior member of your team make the initial contact with that lead and run the qualification questions over the phone BEFORE you pass the name on to the Rep. Protect your Sales Rep’s time and give them good leads. They’ll return the favor with better results and more goodwill to you and the Marketing team.
Scenario #3
Marketing Creates Sales Material WITHOUT Sales Input
Let’s say that Marketing’s been thinking real hard and has developed a new brochure to use. At first, this seems like a good idea. After all, they’re being proactive and made something happen. So they write, design, and produce it. Then they send it to reps in the field saying, “Here’s your new brochure! Go close some more deals.”
Uh-uh. Not a good idea. I appreciate that Marketing did some research and was inspired. But they didn’t talk to their Sales Reps before acting. They have no idea if this piece will be of any value to them. After all, the reps are the people in the field daily speaking with the target audience. Who better to ask whether they’ll be able to use a new brochure or not?
Who knows? Sales may tell you, “great idea, go do it.” Or they may say, “actually I have that point pretty well covered. Please don’t bother.” Or, they might suggest, “you know, it’d really be helpful if I had . . .” and you can just tweak your idea a bit and deliver something really helpful.
By asking Sales for input first, not only can you create a more useful sales tool, you build rapport with the team, and you gain fresh insights into your marketplace.
Do you have any suggestions that can improve the conversation between Marketing and Sales teams? Please share your ideas below! Thanks!