Get Smarketing working for you

In our last blog, what is sales and marketing alignment, we shared with you the tools for starting on your journey with Smarketing. In this blog, I would like to share some best practices that will keep up the momentum and get Smarketing working for you.

Meet regularly – Get it in the diary, you should have a weekly Smarketing meeting to discuss how the sales team is performing and what marketing activities will take place that week.

In addition, it is worth considering having a marketing representative in every sales meeting so that they understand the challenges faced everyday by the sales teams, where they are in relation to their targets, and to see where marketing can support their efforts. This also works equally well in reverse, have a sales person in the marketing meeting so that the sales representative can help provide real-time information to the marketing team about on industry changes and trends.

Hold an 'on boarding' Smarketing meeting with all new sales people present to ensure they understand the synergy between your departments.

Information exchange process – Ensure you have a process in place (at least once a month) whereby the sales team and marketing team exchange industry trends, changes and challenges. This process should also include the sharing of forthcoming marketing campaigns, so that, a) your sales team is aware of what you are promoting at that time, and b) so the sales team can add value to those campaigns. Also ensure that every member of both departments has a copy of any campaign or marketing activity you are running.

Feedback – Ensure you have a two way feedback process that is utilised. This is really important, if sales or marketing isn’t aware that something isn’t working neither will be able to address it.
Get sales involve – Get your sales teams to do a guest blog article, or interview them as part of your research for a marketing campaign. Also, get the sales team using social media and sharing your content.

Listen in – Get your marketing team to listen in on a sales call, starting with a MQL all the way through to a close. This will give you invaluable insight into the sales process, and more importantly you will get to hear things from the potential buyer’s perspective.

Training – Have a shared sales and marketing employee training program.

Getting to know you – Organise joint Smarketing fun time, whether it be a lunch at the local or a team building event. These help build trust and go a long way toward a harmonious Smarketing culture.