Just like Harry and Sally, marketing and sales might start off stepping on each other’s toes. But get them in sync, and it's like the scene in the diner—everyone's going to want what they're having 🤔
Marketing keeps sending us crappy leads, and Sales can't be bothered to pick up the phone and call them.
Sound familiar?
In the world of B2B, the dance between marketing and sales can feel like a rom-com filled with misunderstandings, awkward encounters, and the occasional spark of magic.
Just like the classic tale of Harry and Sally, these two teams often find themselves on a road trip filled with unexpected detours, lively debates, and the realization that their destinies are more intertwined than they ever imagined.
Picture a typical day in the life of a startup: a flurry of team meetings and Slack chats buzzing with ideas and strategies.
But amidst all the hustle, confusion often rears its head as the main protagonist, threatening to derail the plot.
Every startup seems to have its own unique approach to the art of lead generation and a different preference for the tech tools that promise to save the day.
Not to mention, the very definitions of marketing and sales can vary from one company to the next, leading to a classic case of miscommunication.
By syncing up and becoming a united force, marketing and sales hold the power to propel the company forward, turning the narrative from a comedy of errors into a tale of triumph.
First, What is B2B?
B2B means "business-to-business." It's a type of business where companies sell stuff to other companies, not regular folks like you and me.
What is the Difference Between B2B Marketing and Sales?
Imagine marketing as a Broadway showstopper—bright lights, big appeal, casting its net far and wide.
Sales, on the other hand, is like the VIP after-party. It's where closer, more personal interactions pave the way for the final agreements.
From what I've seen, B2B operations tend to ride the sales wave, focusing on that personal connection, while B2C companies ride the marketing tide, making a big splash to capture as broad an audience as possible.
The reason? In B2B, where your audience might be more niche—a select group in a conference room rather than a crowded stadium—it's the direct, personal engagement of sales that truly makes an impact when advertising budgets are tight.
For startups, a Super Bowl ad is a daydream, not a strategy. With tight budgets, the smart money's on direct, personal outreach over big-budget ads
Who Should You Hire First?
The golden rule for startups → Get your sales squad in place first, then bring in the marketing muscle once you’ve got something customers actually want to buy.
Initially, zero in on sales talents—those who can not just sell but sell convincingly about what you offer.
Wait on the marketing front until you've nailed your product-market fit. Your first marketing hire should be a Swiss Army knife—a generalist seasoned in the trenches of early-stage startups, ready to tackle whatever comes their way.
A trap some fall into is bringing in high-flying execs from tech giants like Google or META too early, before their product has truly found its footing.
This can lead to a mismatch of expectations and outcomes. Instead, seek out the scrappy, resourceful types—those street fighters who thrive on making the most out of every opportunity.
In short, look for scrappy street fighters 🥋
Here Is How Sales and Marketing Operate in Most Startups
It's always marketing first, making the initial digital splash, and then sales come in with the personal touch.
Everyone is constantly trying to make this whole process smoother—like making sure the handover from online to real-life selling is slick, cutting out any awkwardness, and lining up their goals and data so everything runs like clockwork.
These days, when businesses are looking to buy something from other businesses, they lean a lot on online research to guide them through the whole process of making their purchase.
That’s why having killer content and product marketing is more than just icing on the cake for any B2B outfit.
Even with strategies like "account-based marketing," this step-by-step approach doesn't really change.
How to Organise B2B Marketing
The mission, should B2B marketing choose to accept it, is to conjure leads out of thin air – not just any leads, but the creme de la creme. Then, like passing the baton in a relay race, hand them over to sales to cross the finish line and grab the glory. No pressure, right?
Here’s the lowdown:
1. Identify Your Dream Customers and Get Inside Their Heads.
You are not your customer. Repeat. You are not your customer.
This is the mistake I see most people making in startups.
Marketers need to spend a significant amount of time researching and identifying their target audience.
Then build an Ideal Cusomter Profile (ICP) by analysing market trends, customer demographics, CRM data and sales insights to understand who their ideal customers are and how to reach them effectively.
Remember, build it and they will come? Well this is wrong.
Content creation and distribution is key. Businesses with strong distribution win.
Marketers need to create valuable and informative content such as blog posts, white-papers, case studies, and videos to educate and engage their target audience.
This content then need to be distributed through various channels like social media, email marketing, and industry publications.
Building an audience is more than just an increment in numbers; it's a strategic asset that compounds in value over time. HubSpot built inbound marketing and high-quality content to build a vast audience, establishing itself as an industry thought leader.
This strategy turned their audience into leads, customers, and brand advocates, significantly boosting marketing efforts, reducing acquisition costs, highlighting the transformative power of audience engagement.
3. Lead Generation: Quality Over Quantity
B2B marketing primarily aims to generate and nurture leads through strategies like landing pages, gated content, and email campaigns.
The focus extends to qualifying these leads as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) using predictive analytics and tools like 6sense to gauge purchase likelihood and buyer intent.
This integration of technology ensures not just lead quantity but also quality and readiness, enhancing sales efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Don’t Just Sell; Build a Brand
In B2B the importance of branding is often forgotten.
Think of it as creating a vibe that resonates with your audience. It’s about creating a story, a look, and a conversation style that’s all you. This isn’t just fluff—it’s strategy.
A strong brand hooks your ideal leads, the ones who get what you’re about and are ready to jump on board. Plus, when people love your brand, they're more likely to stick around, slashing those customer acquisition costs.
"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." - Simon Sinek
So yeah, crafting that brand? It’s a big deal. It sets the stage for attracting the right crowd—leads that convert, customers who advocate, and a business that thrives.
5. Marketing Goes Beyond the First Hello
Marketing's role doesn't stop with generating leads. It's also about keeping the conversation going with both potential and current customers.
The Marketing Lead Management Report by Gleanster found that companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at a 33% lower cost.
Through targeted emails, useful content, and personalised interactions, marketing keeps people engaged and interested. This effort not only supports sales but also helps in building long-term relationships with customers.
How to Organise B2B Sales
Imagine B2B sales as the master chefs of the startup world. Marketing hands them the raw ingredients (leads), and they whip up Michelin-star-worthy deals. It’s a high-stakes kitchen where only the best dishes (contracts) make it to the table.
Here is the lowdown:
1. Sales Lead Qualification
Sometimes, it feels like sales teams forget to dial those numbers...
What they’re actually doing is sifting through the leads marketing tosses their way, eyeing which ones are ripe for the picking.
By evaluating each lead's budget, authority, need, and timeline (known as BANT), sales pros get a clear picture of who’s ready to talk shop and who might need a bit more time.
This isn’t just busywork; it’s about zeroing in on potential customers who are not just interested but prepared to make moves. This focused approach means more meaningful conversations with leads who are most likely to sign on the dotted line.
2. Relationship Building
In B2B sales, building strong relationships with prospects, starting from the moment they are identified as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), is vital. Sales representatives initiate personalised interactions, including conversations, demonstrations, and presentations, to deeply understand the prospect's challenges and propose customised solutions.
Seth Godin nailed it when he said, “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.”
This mindset shifts sales reps from being seen as just vendors to trusted advisors. They're there every step of the way, offering insights and support, making sure the product perfectly aligns with the prospect's needs. It's this consultancy approach that can turn prospects into not just customers but advocates.
3. Negotiation and Closing
When a prospect bites, it's showtime for sales reps.
They jump into the art of negotiation, fine-tuning pricing, terms, and conditions. It’s about more than just numbers; it’s addressing every hesitation and concern head-on, often with a trusty cheat sheet in hand for smooth objection handling.
Their approach? A blend of persuasive chatter and a knack for building a sense of give-and-take, all while shining a spotlight on what’s in it for the prospect.
The real magic happens during those contract talks—creating proposals that feel like they're made just for them and ironing out the final details. It’s all about skillfully navigating through any pushback to secure that handshake (or digital signature, more likely).
4. Customer Relationship Management
Sealing the deal is just the beginning. After the celebration dies down, the sales team—or often the customer success team—gets down to the real work with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, as their sidekicks.
These tools are more than just digital Rolodexes; they’re the backbone of post-sale support, ensuring every customer feels listened to and valued.
Whether it's ironing out any kinks, finding ways to enhance their experience, or spotting the perfect moment for an upsell or cross-sell, CRMs make it all manageable.
But let’s not forget, at the heart of these interactions is the aim to keep the satisfaction meter high.
Because happy customers don’t just come back; they bring friends. This continuous engagement, powered by smart automation, lays the groundwork for continued growth, turning one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
When Worlds Collide
Throw marketing and sales into a room, and watch the sparks fly. These teams need to sync up and share their superpowers, in-order to build customer journey’s smoother than a slick sales pitch and revenue numbers that make bean counters dance (or at least try).
According to the "State of Inbound" report by HubSpot, businesses with strong sales and marketing alignment achieve 20% annual growth rate, compared to a 4% decline in revenue for companies with poor alignment.
Creating Union
Turn the chat! Regular get togethers between marketing and sales ensure everyone’s on the same page, plotting world domination—or at least market domination.
Get geeky with lead scoring. By agreeing on who’s hot and who’s not, marketing can pass the baton without dropping it.
Different perspectives win. Imagine marketing’s creativity meets sales’ street smarts. Together, they can craft campaigns that are too good to ignore.
Swap insights and intel. Marketing’s got the lowdown on what makes customers tick, and sales knows what makes them sign on the dotted line. Sharing is caring, plus it is profitable.
Keep the collaboration conveyor belt rolling. It’s all about tweaking and tuning the journey, from initial awareness to final purchase.
Tech Brings Teams Together (sometimes 🤞)
Think of technology as the superglue binding marketing and sales. CRM and marketing automation platforms are more than just tools; they’re the open channels that keep conversations flowing seamlessly between teams.
The transition from marketing to sales becomes not just smooth but second nature, optimising efficiency and driving better results.
Tracking Success with Numbers 📈
Gauging a team impact means zeroing in on the numbers that tell the real story.
For marketing, it’s all about tracking the flow and fidelity of leads and how many ripen into genuine opportunities.
Sales, on the flip side, needs to watch the transformation of opportunities into actual deals, scrutinising deal size and the speed of the sales journey.
By putting heads together to pore over these metrics regularly, both teams can fine-tune their tactics and ensure they’re marching to the same beat, aimed squarely at shared goals.
Conclusion
Picture this 👀 the B2B world as a rom-com where marketing and sales are the leading duo we’re all cheering for. Sure, their romance has its ups and downs, but once they sync up, they’re a force to be reckoned with, charging towards those quarterly goals like a sunset scene.
Yet, the plot thickens. Sales and marketing is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging that blend sales, marketing, and customer success into a single, unified team. Stay tuned for more on this shift in future posts.
So, here’s to marketing and sales finding their sync, because let’s face it, in the end, we all want our business stories to have that 'I’ll have what she’s having' moment of success.
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