In today’s B2B landscape, the synergy between sales and marketing is more critical than ever. While these two departments have historically operated in silos, modern B2B marketing demands a cohesive strategy that aligns their goals and efforts.
Tiffany Otten, a seasoned B2B marketing strategist at Power Digital Marketing, offers invaluable insights into how these teams can collaborate effectively to drive revenue and growth.
The Journey from Sales to Marketing
Tiffany Otten’s career began in sales, giving her a unique perspective that she believes the marketing world is more ready to embrace today.
Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “Starting in sales does give us a different perspective that the world is more ready for now. When I began, selling advertising got me into this field. We did something called new market development, figuring out what people needed even if they didn’t know it. The mindset of leads with search intent versus those we were interrupting was completely different. Hand-raisers versus cold leads.”
This background allows Tiffany to understand the intricacies of lead generation and nurturing from both sales and marketing viewpoints.
It’s a perspective that highlights the need for these teams to work hand in hand, particularly in understanding the customer journey and driving leads through the funnel.
The Evolution of Tools and Practices
The tools and practices in B2B marketing have evolved significantly. Tiffany reminisces about the early days, saying, “Back then, nurturing leads meant using BCC emails, and tools like Silverpop and Marketo were in their infancy. Now, we talk about DevOps and having a smarter eye on the final goal. There was always a fight between sales and marketing over lead quality and closing rates. It’s great that we’ve evolved, but we’re still stuck with some issues today.”
Despite the advancements, some fundamental challenges remain. The friction between sales and marketing often stems from a misalignment in goals and metrics. This misalignment can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
Focusing on Performance and Revenue
One of the critical areas Tiffany emphasizes is the focus on actual performance and revenue.
She states, “We need to focus on actual performance, looking first at revenue. But with B2B, you don’t get that immediately, so we rely on proxy metrics, which are less valuable the further away they are from revenue.”
In many organizations, the pressure to hit MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) targets can lead to a superficial focus on quantity over quality.
Tiffany points out the pitfalls of this approach: “A common issue is the pressure to hit MQL targets, which can lead to loosening lead-scoring models to meet quotas without considering lead quality. What’s more important is looking at SALs (Sales Accepted Leads), SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads), and ultimately, revenue. CEOs and CFOs need short-term data to make decisions, but focusing solely on MQLs can be misleading.”
Collaboration and Respect
Effective collaboration between sales and marketing hinges on mutual respect and open communication.
Tiffany underscores the importance of respecting salespeople’s time and gathering their insights. “We need to respect salespeople’s time and gather their insights on barriers to closing deals, objections they face, and competitive insights. It’s important to ask for their opinion and identify trends. We also need to ensure marketing messaging earns the right to have conversations with potential customers.”
By engaging sales teams in the content creation process and understanding the challenges they face, marketing can produce more relevant and impactful materials.
This collaborative approach helps ensure that the messaging resonates with prospects and supports the sales process effectively.
Aligning Goals and Communication
Bringing sales and marketing together requires more than just alignment on metrics; it demands a shift in mindset and communication.
Tiffany explains, “Bringing these teams together requires open communication and mutual respect. If a white paper isn’t resonating, we need to know why. The friction often comes from not listening to each other and aligning on common goals.”
She advocates for starting at the end and working backward, focusing on monthly recurring revenue, understanding deal velocity, and ensuring marketing actions align with revenue goals. “If we’re looking at monthly recurring revenue, understanding deal velocity, and ensuring marketing actions align with revenue goals, we can bridge the gap. It’s about seeing the value in each step of the customer journey and ensuring sales isn’t doing the branding. That should be marketing’s job.”
Recent Innovations and Future Directions
Tiffany is also excited about recent innovations at Power Digital Marketing, particularly a project called Creative Affinity.
“We recently launched something called Creative Affinity at Power Digital Marketing, with cool implications even in the B2B space. We’re also coming out with a revised POV on marketing, focusing on fundamentals despite the changing landscape.”
These innovations reflect a broader trend in B2B marketing: the need to stay agile and responsive to changes while maintaining a strong focus on foundational principles.
The key to successful B2B marketing lies in the harmonious collaboration between sales and marketing.
By aligning their goals, respecting each other’s expertise, and focusing on revenue-driven metrics, these teams can drive significant growth and create lasting customer relationships.
Tiffany’s insights provide a valuable roadmap for achieving this alignment and navigating the complex landscape of B2B marketing.
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