Guest post by Noelle Mahoney, Marketing and Events Manager at ZoomInfo
Breaking down the barriers between sales and marketing has always been a challenge. But given that B2B organizations with tightly aligned sales and marketing operations can achieve 24% faster growth over a three year period, it’s one that must be met head-on (source: SiriusDecisions).
So, how do you achieve sales and marketing alignment as a field marketer? It starts with understanding how various marketing strategies can impact the sales process. And of course, events are still one of the most common sources of a company’s ROI. With this in mind, your best bet is to avoid the finger-pointing games, and work together toward the same goals.
Check out the 3 tips below to improve sales and marketing alignment through events:
1. Get everyone on the same page:
The first step is to stop the fight between sales and marketing. Really. This means you should meet with sales to discuss upcoming events and set reasonable expectations for both teams. Essentially, just let their voices be heard. You’ll then leave with a much better picture of what they need from you, and vice versa.
It’s also important to establish set guidelines for the difference between a sales qualified lead (SQL) and a marketing qualified lead (MQL). After doing so, you’ll begin to notice certain commonalities and clear signs of where leads are in the customer journey. You can then help sales become more efficient and increase revenue by focusing on prospects that meet the right criteria.
2. Build a foundation of trust:
If you hope to achieve sales and marketing alignment, both teams need to understand what works, as well as what doesn’t. More importantly, though, you both need to be held accountable for your initiatives, whether they succeed or fail.
Think about it this way: a large part of your job as a marketer is to ensure that their pipeline continues to grow. For that reason, they should feel comfortable coming to you for assistance. And in return, when you do help them out, you should feel confident that they’ll be an advocate for your team.
3. Realign your goals:
At the end of the day, sales and marketing need to have the same goals. Both teams want to generate revenue, after all, and collaborating on a lead generation strategy can help get you there.
Remember, as a field marketer, you’re also a member of the sales team. So own the communication with them! Believe us, it will go a long way toward improved relationships.
Want to increase sales and marketing alignment? Register for ZoomInfo’s Growth Acceleration Summit in Boston to network, learn and listen together with other B2B sales and marketing pros. Use Heinz Marketing’s special code to get $100 off your ticket price now!
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