Sales & Marketing Alignment

In pursuit of growth, organisations recognise the need to shift their focus from internal business to an external customer focus.  Such a fundamental shift requires systems, processes and organisation structures to be re-assessed.  Equally, connecting technologies are enabling prospects and customers to enter into direct dialogue with vendors, so the need to ensure customer-facing functions such as sales, marketing and customer service are fully aligned is paramount for any company to deliver true customer value.

Definition: Customer Value

The difference between the benefits that a customer is receiving from the obtained products and services and the effort and cost that the customer has to invest to acquire the product.

In some respects, the power base has shifted from the enterprise to the customer.  Whilst the ‘customer is king’ mantra has been proclaimed at many a sales kick off meeting, there are very few companies who truly think, act, and behave consistently with the needs of their customers first.

An important facet of a customer-centric business model is the alignment between marketing and sales.  Defining and applying common processes, language, systems and tools, coupled with a mutually agreed understanding of each function’s role in serving the needs of customers is a common challenge that many of our clients strive to overcome.

Focus on the Customer

Rather than focusing on what a company has to offer, we start by focusing on what customers want, why they want it, how they want it, when they want it, and how much of their time and money they’re prepared to invest in finding it, comparing it to alternative products or services, and buying it.  We then take a look at how well a company is equipped to service these needs – at every stage of the buying cycle.  The goal is to make it as easy, and enjoyable, as possible for a customer to do business with you.

Before making our recommendations and working with our clients to implement plans for improvement, we take a look at the following areas:

  • Knowledge, availability and common understanding of customer intelligence, market research and target markets
  • Customer segmentation models & definitions
  • Marketing management & campaign development process
  • Sales strategy & process; relationship management, opportunity management, business management
  • Breadth of demand generation programmes; awareness, interest, consideration, purchase, retention, advocacy
  • Use & adoption of systems & tools; marketing automation, e-mail marketing, lead management, marketing analytics, CRM
  • Use of common language, metrics, scoring
  • Customer satisfaction; metrics, reporting, analysis
  • Operating costs & revenues realised at each stage of the marketing/sales process; acquisition, development, retention, servicing

We bring best practices to bear and provide an objective, fact-based approach as we work with our clients to enhance the performance of marketing and sales.