openlounge '14 session: 4 top ways marketing fails sales and how to fix them

#openlounge

4 Fixes that Enable Sales

Peter MollinsVP of Marketing, KnowledgeTree

@petermollins

Brian GrothSales Enablement Manager, Xactly

@briangroth

“Why waste our life in friction when the same effort can be turned into momentum?”

~ Adapted from Frances Willard

#openlounge@petermollins

The Changed Funnel: A Complex Conversation

Marketing

Sales

Marketing andSales


95%

5%

Buyer PreferencePurchased From Vendor Who Provided

Content

Vendor Provided Ample Content

Inadequate ContentProvided

1. Support Consensus

Source: DemandGen Report

20People Have to Give

Consensus in the Average B2B Sale

Consensus depends on effective messages

Source: Four Quadrant


2. Build Trust in Every Conversation

61%

Of sales people add no value to the sales

processSource: Forrester

According to Enterprise Buyers…

Are sales teams sharing ‘popular’

or ‘proven’ messages?


3. Make Every Second Count

Sales

Content Waste% Used By Sales Team

70%

25%

Of B2B Marketing Budgets Goes to

Content

Never UsedBy Sales Team

Source: ITSMA & SiriusDecisions

but

Time Wasted% of Sales Person’s Day

30%

Of Sales Team’s Day Spent Looking for or Building Messages for Prospects

Source: CEB

70%waste


4. Repeat Your Best Practice

82%

39%

Quota Attainment% of Sales Team

2xDoubled Quota Attainment for

Teams that Encourage Best Practice

How do your best sales people message to prospects?

Source: Aberdeen


How the New Funnel Affects Go To Market

1. Support Consensus Buying

2. Build Trust in Every Conversation

3. Make Every Second Count

4. Repeat Best Practice

Peter Mollins

[email protected]

4 TOP WAYS MARKETING FAILS SALESAND HOW TO FIX THEM

B R I A N G R O T H

S A L E S E N A B L E M E N T M A N A G E R

X A C T L Y , C O R P O R A T I O N

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4

1. Content Creation

Marketing

• Messaging Framework• Datasheet / Factsheet• Case Studies / Customer

Stories• Sales Pitch (maybe)

Sales

• Cold call scripts• E-mail templates• Competitive

comparisons/objections • Sales Pitch (on their own)

Fix: Define ownership & input for creating customer-facing content

Content t

hat

positions

Content t

hat

advances the

sale

2. Content Management

Marketing

• Product info– For web & social sharing– For e-mail newsletters

• Product info– By industry– By persona– By content type

Sales

• Available immediately• Easy to share• E-mail template when needed• NDA, Order Form, etc. when

needed• Product info when needed

Fix: Think of sales as another channel needing quick responses

Managing

content t

ypes &

channels

Right c

ontent a

t the

right t

ime

3. Motivation

Marketing

• Pageviews• Downloads• Social shares• Buzz• New leads

Sales

• Quota• SPIFF• Gamification• President’s Club

Fix: Educate marketing on the variables in the sales commission plan

Reach & u

sage

of the conte

nt

Rewards &

recogniti

on for

closin

g deals

4. Sales Process

Marketing

• Generate Brand Awareness• Generate Leads• Sales Accepted Leads (SAL)

Sales

• Sales Qualified Leads (SQL)• Needs Analysis• Value Proposition• Proposal• Negotiation• Close

Fix: Have shared metrics, such as SAL and SQL

Pre-s

ales

Closin

g

4 Top Ways Marketing Fails Sales And how to fix them

1. Content Creation: Define ownership & input for creating customer-facing content

2. Content Management: Think of sales as another channel needing quick responses

3. Motivation: Educate marketing on the variables in the sales commission plan

4. Sales Process: Have shared metrics, such as SAL and SQL

Brian Groth

Sales Enablement Manager @ Xactly

[email protected]