“MIND THE GAP” between Marketing and Sales
The lead process gap
Just like in the London Underground, for all leads in the funnel, there should be a warning sign and message spoken: “MIND THE GAP”
Marketing and sales are planning, executing and reporting separately which can even be in opposite directions.
Typically Marketing is into producing product marketing materials and collateral, setting up events or participating in events, building the brand.
All these efforts for the purpose of supporting the Sales, generating leads and customer retention.
Typically Sales is looking for every opportunity, keeping relationships with customers, calling customers, close deals, manage the sales process, aim for their bonus.
Typically the gap in the lead process is when Sales doesn’t have time for all the leads supplied by Marketing.
They find these leads generated by Marketing:
- Not qualified enough
- Not relevant enough
- Not near enough to a buying decision.
Thus leads generated by Marketing are handed over to Sales and then after a first scan of these leads and the contacts nothing happens.
The solution is in aligning goals and objectives which require a conversation and working as a team for generating real results.
The Sales Marketing conversation
Sales should be able to define what they expect as a lead.
Marketing should be able to make clear what they have as tools and methods to generate leads.
Sales Force Automation is not cooperation
If the handover of a lead is done by just sending an email (automated by a Sales Force Automation system) with subject: “Lead: Mr. Anthony Harding from Acme, Inc. has been assigned to you”.
The content of the email consists only of the same message and a link to the page in the CRM system.
In this case you can be sure failure is certain. No lead will be followed up.
For Salesmen this method is putting Marketing in the driving seat and giving them orders to execute.
One thing Marketing cannot do: is giving orders to Salesmen.
Sales people want to be in the leading position and don’t like receiving orders.
Sales people will prove the orders and leads of Marketing will not work.
Sales and marketing as a team
Marketing and Sales should be working as a team with Marketing in the supporting role. Sales needs to make the magic happen: convincing the lead to become prospect and then closing the sales.
The lead generated by Marketing should be handed over carefully to the Salesman with the required back ground information. This gives the Salesman the chance to give immediate feedback on every lead to Marketing.
Are you one team: Marketing and Sales?
Or is Marketing and Sales 2 departments running at a different pace with different goals?
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