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sales

A 5-Step Action Plan for Sales and Marketing Alignment

March 19, 2019 —

A 5-Step Action Plan for Sales and Marketing Alignment

B2B Sales and Marketing Alignment 2.0 A former colleague of mine just started a job where she was required to stand up and deliver a sales presentation to the sales leadership team. That wouldn’t be unusual for a new salesperson – but she’s a marketer. And the experience of walking in the sales team’s shoes made her a better one. B2B companies talk a lot about sales and marketing alignment, but talk will only get you so far. Companies need to take action to get their sales and marketing teams empathizing with each other, strategizing together, and working from the same playbook. It’s a...
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Sales: The Critical Element of a Growth Company’s Brand

October 25, 2018 —

Sales: The Critical Element of a Growth Company’s Brand

Sales and Brand: A Connection Worthy of Discussion Sales teams exist to grow revenue and keep customers happy. They’re also brand builders and the face of the brand to many customers. They hear what customers want and keep a pulse on the market. When it’s easy for sales to share their observations with product development and marketing, their feedback spurs product improvements, brand definition, and growth. The first step in this process, though, is for sales to provide a clear explanation of the problem their product solves. Recently we caught up with Pier Barattolo, a sales leader with...
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Branding Is the Heart of Demand Generation

August 17, 2017 —

Branding Is the Heart of Demand Generation

Demand Generation for B2B Marketers In the dark old days of 2012, the process of tracking a lead through a sales cycle was a slow, manual process. With the rise of automation platforms and integrated CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, our pipelines are now routinely filled with promising leads. The only problem? Everyone else has access to the same toolkit. What might have been considered a competitive advantage is now table stakes. Demand generation might fill the barrel with fish, but it’s the strength of a brand that hooks the lead.  Refresh Your Brand According to Forrester Research, 68...
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Finally Create Marketing Materials Sales Actually Uses

August 7, 2018 —

Finally Create Marketing Materials Sales Actually Uses

Marketing Materials: Is Sales Using Them? If you’re in marketing, you’ve probably created some awesome campaign assets only to find out that the sales team never used them. Or maybe you planned a customer event with a meaty agenda, but no one in Sales sent invites. You spend tons of time creating marketing materials and executing events and campaigns only to find Sales finds no value in them – and doesn’t share them. So how do you create marketing materials Sales actually uses? You work with Sales as much as possible. Know the Sales Strategy First, you’ve got to bring Sales into the...
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Marketing Strategy That Fuels Growth

April 10, 2018 —

Marketing Strategy That Fuels Growth

More than ever, CMOs are being looked to as the primary growth drivers of their companies. But what if you seem to be doing everything right and growth is still falling short? You have a strong brand strategy in place, a good sales team, and your marketing strategy is being executed on time and on budget. What then? Chances are good that, if you’re experiencing a disconnect like this, the problem lies in the connection between your brand and your target audience. You may be reaching them. But how successfully are you really connecting with them? How can you identify the problem? And what can...
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