Getting Sales and Marketing teams on the same page is a problem in practically every corporate setting. For the majority of colocation hosting providers, marketing is responsible for sourcing leads, while sales convert leads into clients.
Unfortunately, the two teams rarely work in tandem, and according to HubSpot, 87% of the words sales and marketing personnel use to describe one another are less than flattering.
Sales believes:
Marketing accuses Sales of:
This discord can hinder growth, proven by the fact that companies with sales and marketing teams closely aligned can achieve annual revenue growth of 20%. The good news is there are ways hosting providers can fix this situation.
Smarketing is a term created by HubSpot to describe the process of aligning a company’s sales and marketing teams via direct and frequent communication. The process typically begins by establishing goals the two teams work toward together.
For example, if the company's aim is to increase revenue by a certain amount, Marketing could be tasked with generating a certain amount of leads every month, while Sales follow up on them in a way that aligns with the company message and brand.
SMART is an acronym aimed at making goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. When these attributes are present, goals have a much greater chance of being accomplished.
An example of a SMART goal would be Marketing bringing in 15% more leads each quarter while Sales have a quota of $25,000 for the same time frame. Setting concrete goals holds each side accountable to the other and helps establish a smoother-flowing Smarketing team.
For Sales / Marketing cooperation to work, it is important for both sides to share resources, be aware of each other’s processes, and honor the same set of best practices. Marketing department members should attend weekly sales meetings and use this opportunity not only to see how Sales is performing but also to share upcoming promotions.
This way, the sales reps will know what offers their leads are getting, keeping everyone on the same page. Sales, in turn, can use this opportunity to provide ideas for future promotions and marketing content.
Regular collaboration and communication minimize the chance of misunderstandings, resulting in fewer missed opportunities and a higher success rate for shared goals.
When the members of two different departments get to know each other as people, it builds trust, and a sense of teamwork, and makes each side more willing to support the other. The result is a stronger commitment to the shared goals and a more solid sense of direction.
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Do the Sales and Marketing teams at your colocation hosting provider have shared goals? Or do each side focus on their objectives? Sound off in the comments below.
Learn more about Colocation Data Center Providers and Go-to-Market Strategy (GTM) for Growth.