Many companies struggle to provide an integrated customer experience because the systems, data, processes and organisational structures are becoming more complex. However, research shows that companies that align sales and marketing teams can reach 32% more revenue and retain 36% more customers.
Why and how companies should align sales and marketing teams with a help of Salesforce.
The why: The B2B buying process is changing
- More complex: The typical buying group for a complex B2B solution involves 6 to 10 decision-makers
- Social Media influence decisions: 84% of C-level/vice president executives use social media to support purchase decisions
- Remote first - 57% of Buyer's journey is completed before the customer have first contact with the company
Watch our latest video on how it looks like when Sales and Marketing teams are aligned.
8 Ways Salesforce can help aligning your Sales and Marketing teams
Misalignment between Sales and Marketing teams is a common challenge in many organizations. This misalignment can lead to inefficiencies, communication gaps, and ultimately hinder the overall performance of the company. Salesforce, as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between Sales and Marketing.
Here are some ways Salesforce can help:
- Unified Platform for Data: Salesforce provides a centralized platform where both Sales and Marketing teams can access and update customer data. This ensures that both teams are working with the same information, reducing the chances of miscommunication and data discrepancies.
- Lead Management and Tracking: Salesforce allows for effective lead management, helping Marketing teams track leads from the initial stage to conversion. This transparency ensures that Sales teams are aware of the marketing-generated leads, and both teams can collaborate on nurturing and converting these leads into customers.
- Automated Workflows and Processes: Salesforce allows you to set up automated workflows and processes. By automating routine tasks and processes, both teams can save time and reduce the chances of manual errors. For example, marketing can automate lead scoring and qualification, ensuring that only qualified leads are passed on to the Sales team.
- Closed-Loop Reporting: Salesforce provides robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Both Sales and Marketing teams can use these tools to gain insights into the effectiveness of their efforts. Closed-loop reporting helps in attributing revenue to specific marketing campaigns and activities, enabling better collaboration and alignment between the two teams.
- Collaboration and Communication Tools: Salesforce offers collaboration tools that allow Sales and Marketing teams to communicate effectively. Features like Chatter provide a social networking platform within Salesforce, facilitating real-time communication, document sharing, and collaboration between teams.
- Campaign Management: Salesforce's marketing automation capabilities enable Marketing teams to plan, execute, and track marketing campaigns seamlessly. The integration of marketing and sales processes within the platform ensures that both teams are aligned in their goals and activities.
- Lead Scoring and Qualification: Salesforce allows you to implement lead scoring models, ensuring that Marketing and Sales have a shared understanding of what constitutes a qualified lead. This helps in prioritizing leads and focusing efforts on those with a higher likelihood of conversion.
- Customer Journey Mapping: Salesforce enables organizations to map out the customer journey, from initial contact to post-sale engagement. This visibility helps both teams understand the customer's interactions with the company, facilitating a more cohesive and aligned approach.
In summary, Salesforce can be a powerful tool for aligning Sales and Marketing teams by providing a unified platform, automating processes, facilitating communication, and offering robust analytics. Implementing Salesforce effectively requires collaboration between the two teams to establish shared goals, processes, and metrics.