tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24068371717035656832024-03-17T07:35:33.462+00:00Sales and Marketing Alignment Blog from Rod SloaneHave Rod Speak to Your Group!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-18508137580888245092013-12-10T20:12:00.006+00:002013-12-10T20:13:30.272+00:00Which B2B Lead Generation Tactic works best?Here's an interesting image just released by Marketing Profs.<br />
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What works best for getting leads, it's not twitter or video or even blogging!<br />
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It's either picking up the phone or an executive from a prospect coming to one of your events!<br />
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I know, I know, this could be 1984, or 1964 or even 1934!<br />
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<strong>So, what are you doing to drive outbound prospecting in your business?</strong><br />
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If you're frustrated then take a look at the event in the column to the left of this.<br />
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Join me in London on January 24th.<br />
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<strong>Predictable Lead Generation leads to Predictable Revenue.</strong><br />
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Can you predict, not forecast your revenue for 2104?<br />
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Your best B2B Lead Generation is having a conversation with a prospect.<br />
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I can show you how!<br />
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<strong>Join me in London on January 24th.</strong><br />
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Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-478739982335151202013-12-04T12:45:00.000+00:002013-12-04T12:45:26.093+00:00What happens when Sales Reps don't make quota?As a sales rep, if you don’t do your numbers, make you quota, hit target, then you’re in trouble. <P>
Similarly, if you’re VP of Sales and you don’t produce your forecast, expect to lose credibility with and the confidence of your CEO. <P>
Nothing new then, but how common is this? <P>
At the Eloqua/Oracle Road to Revenue Tour in London yesterday, most of the delegates zigged to the Eloqua marketing track. So, I zagged and went to the Oracle sales Track. <P>
You’re probably thinking, Sloane, you’re just a road warrior. Yes I do remember the Cavalier sri ! <P>
So, I was mixing with cream of Oracle, OK, just those who can make it to the London Borough of Southwark on a cold Tuesday in December. When Neil Pridham a CX Director from Oracle states that 40% of B2B sales reps missed their quota last year. 40%, does that sound like a high figure to you? <P>
<b>What’s it like where you work, do 40% of the reps/account managers not make their numbers?</b> <P>
What is the significance of that? <P>
Is that their fault? <P>
Or Yours? <P>
Should you ship out the underperforming and hire some fresh faces? Could be an expensive decision with no guarantees of better results? <P>
Or just blame those lousy leads that marketing gives you? <P>
<b>Maybe it’s time that you took responsibility for hitting your team’s quota in 2014.</b> <P>
If these make sense then you’ll want to come along to
<b><a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-get-started-with-predictable-revenue-2014-tickets-9475670987">“How to Get Started with Predictable Revenue “</a></b>
on Thursday 24th Jan at the O2 TCR
Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-75470582521601938812013-11-18T14:05:00.001+00:002013-11-18T14:05:36.540+00:00Sneak Preview: Aaron Ross's opening comments at How to Get Started with Predictable Revenue<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4Cf3HTQYyfE" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<h2><a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-get-started-with-predictable-revenue-tickets-8470504507">Join us on Thursday November</a> 21st. </h2>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-79805436117380493092013-11-16T14:59:00.001+00:002013-11-16T14:59:03.082+00:00Aaron Ross previews How to Get Started with Predictable Revenue in London, November 2013<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/19g--8EYZ_g" width="480"></iframe><br />
Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-11346419924173438202013-11-15T10:37:00.000+00:002013-11-16T13:50:37.505+00:00How to Get Started with Predictable Revenue<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Join me in London on November 21st for How to Get Started with Predictable Revenue</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free Workshop</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-get-started-with-predictable-revenue-tickets-8470504507"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Register here</span></a> </h2>
Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-36181465312793590362011-12-23T12:24:00.002+00:002011-12-23T12:37:01.628+00:00Help Sales Understand MarketingIn the recently (December 2012) Aberdeeen Report "Sales Performance Management 2012" , author Peter Ostrow has two recommendations to improve your sales performance.<br /><br />Why bother?<br /><br />Improved Sales Performance leads to more of your reps making quota, shorter sales cycles and bigger average deals. Sounds good to me.<br /><br />Ostrow's first recommendation is to base sales compensation on team activities , the second is to<br /><br />"Cross train sellers into other customer facing roles such as Marketing"<br /><br /><strong>So what are your plans to help sales better understand Marketing?</strong><br /><br />My suggestion would be continue your work on jointly agreements on Culture, Language and People.<br /><br />How about running more joint meetings, now if you need an external speaker why not ask....Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-83208932376096052542011-12-09T11:21:00.004+00:002011-12-09T11:41:49.010+00:00Is your Marketing killing your Revenue?<div><div>You've read how the new buyers journey is impacting on their decision making process.<br /><br />Often suspects will research and validate what they need to know before approaching potential suppliers. Before approaching you!<br /><br />Marketing's response to this new paradigm is content, more content, lots of content. A never ending avalanche of content.<br /><br />And, you hold off giving that lead to sales and feed that baby more content.<br /><br />The problem is your content is probably no better and just the same as your competitors.<br /><br />Your webinars, white papers, seminars look the same.<br /><br />Too much content will deluge your prospects.<br /><br />Marketing think better content makes the difference,<br /><br />Revenue focussed sales people know that better conversations make the difference.<br /><br />Let your sales team off the leash.<br /><br />Give them information to have better conversations, not more content.</div></div>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-11702828074910919342011-07-18T13:45:00.002+01:002011-07-18T13:55:05.219+01:00Marketing Directors: Do you have access to the Sales Forecast?Can you tell me how the company revenue targets are doing YTD?<div><br /></div><div>How many of the sales guys made quota last month?</div><div><br /></div><div>How many will make their numbers this quarter?</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you know these numbers? Do you have access?</div><div><br /></div><div>In their Latest July 2011 Report on Sales Forecasting, Aberdeen Group state that 89% of Best In Class Companies share the sales forecast across the company. Less than 6 out of 10 of Laggard companies do.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what, you might say.</div><div><br /></div><div>The same report details a 17% year over year increase in Best In Class Companies team attainment of sales quota, Laggards are showing a decrease of 6.9%!</div><div><br /></div><div>Get access to the sales forecast!</div><div><br /></div><div>Demand access</div><div><br /></div><div>Help your sales guys make their numbers.</div><div><br /></div>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-47066049545902994262011-06-30T00:35:00.001+01:002011-06-30T00:37:19.630+01:00What my Blog really looks like?<div>The Wordle Cloud from the last six months entry.</div><div><br /></div><div>What am I talking about?</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3815756/Alignment" title="Wordle: Alignment"><img src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/3815756/Alignment" alt="Wordle: Alignment" style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd" /></a>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-31615720100669327352011-06-13T10:12:00.002+01:002011-06-13T10:24:31.837+01:00'Taster' Seminar, London 21st June, Sales and Marketing Alignment Seminar<div>On June 21st I will be delivering another 'taster' workshop on Sales and Marketing Alignment.</div><div> </div><div>Why should you bother spending a morning with me?</div><div> </div><div>Well, if you want to improve the customer buying experience, understand your buyer's journey and be able to understand when they are moving to their next stage, then please join me in Ealing on Tuesday June 21st.</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://alignment11.eventbrite.com/"><strong>More information here</strong></a></div><div> </div><div>This is an exclusive event for Sales and Marketing Directors only.</div><div> </div><div> </div>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-31121439357636388402011-06-03T12:14:00.002+01:002011-06-13T10:24:31.843+01:00The Movie Intro...<div></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='395' height='313' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyUAstsSjBLrVeeaGQWx-iwKa_hsvGFjyDbBsjM6zXsuy5IQIYtR6DHHdVqOuJnnh1O7qeBxVD1KaJ9L7loQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-52174011361732060792011-05-25T13:51:00.001+01:002011-05-25T13:52:44.706+01:00Who needs a Special Relationship when you can have something far more powerful: Alignment.<p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family:Helvetica">Dateline London. </span></p><p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family:Helvetica">I am writing this during President Obama's state visit to the UK. Lots of pomp and circumstance, 41 gun salutes and posh banquets. Both the Queen and the President have used that term “Special Relationship" to describe something that's supposed to exist. Of course it's tosh, something just to appeal to the vanity in the Old Country. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister and the President had referred to an essential relationship, better, but still sugar coating. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>What we have here is a failure to be realistic.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>When the USA and UK's interests are the same then it makes sense to be aligned, not essential and certainly not special.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>So it is in business when sales and marketing share the same interests and goals they will naturally be more aligned.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Try telling one of your sales reps that you think she is special.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe not.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>Alignment means no finger pointing when things go wrong. Working on your Culture, Language and People.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>Alignment means common ownership of the pipeline and forecast. Goodbye to silos, hello to openness.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>The end result meaning that you can improve the customer buying experience and generate more profitable revenue, more predictably.</p> <p class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span>Who needs a Special Relationship when you can have something far more powerful: Alignment. </p>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-80730813834113699902011-03-22T16:11:00.001+00:002011-03-22T16:14:14.719+00:00Do You Need a Budget to Qualify as Lead?<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qbspD_LzmupxoiFPExQqxwIWcLffj186QiO2aqE5yDp8al0IqvP9bZn-clXNJQ3Dk8l5vf2jgrXl1ZuzczIYUOC-3NZM4L1kBe7-bhnqZtDgmzFyp6iVP780ODc3rRDiRQ73wNtNz0Ip/s1600/chartofweek-03-22-11-lp.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 385px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586937670626107986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qbspD_LzmupxoiFPExQqxwIWcLffj186QiO2aqE5yDp8al0IqvP9bZn-clXNJQ3Dk8l5vf2jgrXl1ZuzczIYUOC-3NZM4L1kBe7-bhnqZtDgmzFyp6iVP780ODc3rRDiRQ73wNtNz0Ip/s400/chartofweek-03-22-11-lp.png" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br />Should a prospect have a real budget for your services to be considered a lead/opportunity qualified to unleash your sales attack dogs, sorry I meant 'trusted advisors', of course.<br /><br />Well, according to this Marketing Sherpa chart, 77% of marketers seem to pass leads to markerting that don't have a budget.<br /><br />No frigging budget, dude!<br /><br />Makes you wonder what qualifies for a lead in 2011?</div>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-19878593161814724702011-03-18T14:20:00.000+00:002011-03-22T16:04:56.214+00:00How to Grab Attention<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v0zdlVq-ADg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-6667206786634373882011-03-10T11:29:00.004+00:002011-03-22T16:04:56.223+00:00Join me in London on Tuesday April 12th<div><p>I am delivering a two hour morning seminar 'taster' on<br />Sales and Marketing Alignment in London on April 12th.<br /><br />This complementary seminar is for Sales and Marketing Directors only.<br /><br />We will look at the issues of:<br /><br />> Increasing marketing's contribution to the sales pipeline<br /><br />> Not delivering enough organic revenue growth<br /><br />> Doing more with less<br /><br />> Lack of respect between sales and marketing<br /><br />If you want to know how to resolve these challenges,<br /><a href="http://alignment11.eventbrite.com/"><strong>then Reserve Your Place Now!</strong></a></p></div>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-49078341637157866612011-02-15T10:42:00.002+00:002011-02-15T12:35:04.067+00:00How do you know if your Marketing People are doing a good job?Can you tell?<br /><br />It’s easy to tell if a sales person or account manager is doing a good job, you simply ask… are they making their numbers.<br /><br />It’s easy to tell if a business development manager is effective, are they building a pipeline of quality opportunities.<br /><br />So what about marketing? How do you if a marketing manager is doing a good job?<br /><br />If you ask them to organise events and brochures without any day to day contact with business development and sales, I am going to suggest that it is virtually impossible. Is that a big claim?<br /><br />Recently, I was talking to a Marketing Manager of a global software company. He had responsibilities for events, big global events. Any opportunities were then scooped up by sales and BD. If the business was won, then it was down to the brilliance of sales. If no sales were made then obviously marketing had put on a lousy event.<br /><br />There was no communication between sales and marketing.<br />No Alignment. Not so much Mind The Gap as Grow the Gap.<br /><br />Now, when I asked this Marketing Manager, who wanted to contribute to the Company’s overall success, how he was judged on whether he was doing an effective job, he said nothing. He just shrugged his shoulders. Sad, isn’t?<br /><br />Now, I am not looking to point any fingers. If companies choose not to align their sales and marketing, not only are they missing out on opportunities and revenue but they are probably misallocating their scarce marketing resources. And the most expensive resource they are wasting is the talent of their marketing staff.<br />Shame!<br /><br />Get Aligned!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-16994249977557101612010-10-28T16:36:00.002+01:002010-10-28T16:56:57.942+01:00Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem?What do your colleagues feel about the how well your Sales and Marketing teams work together?<br /><br />Want a rough defintion of Sales and Marketing Alignment?<br /><br />How about:<br /><br />“A state of agreement or cooperation among Sales and Marketing, with a common cause or viewpoint.”<br /><br />So is there coperation with a common cause, something like Revenue or not?<br /><br />Tim Reisterer and Diane Emo wrote in "Customer Message Managment" a little section on "Is there a Problem". Tim and Diane suggest that you ask the following:<br /><br />Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem?<br /><br />My Role is:<br /><br />I think that we have a Sales and Marketing Alignment problem because:<br /><br />The challenges that could prevent us from correcting this problem are:<br /><br />The company goals or projects that will suffer most if we don’t correct the problem are:<br /><br /><br />Could you answer those questions?<br /><br />More importantly, could they be answered acrosss your company?<br /><br />Would there be some agreement between Sales and Marketing on the answers?<br /><br />Hey, you don't need any consultants to do this.<br /><br />Why not give it a go?<br /><br />If you want a nice Word Document or pdf with these questions , just drop me a line <strong><a href="mailto:rod@rodsloane.co.uk">Rod Sloane</a>. </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Is there a Sales and Marketing Alignment Problem? </strong>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-21314545686145420652010-10-01T18:54:00.003+01:002010-10-01T18:58:45.517+01:00Interview with John Watton CMO of ShipServ<a href="http://www.shipserv.com/info/wp-content/uploads/ss_jw_024_fulllr.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 1000px; height: 583px;" src="http://www.shipserv.com/info/wp-content/uploads/ss_jw_024_fulllr.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <br /><br /><strong><a href="http://rods.libsyn.com">My interview with John Watton</a></strong><br /><br /><br />John has 20 years’ marketing leadership experience in the IT and telecommunications industry, spanning software, managed services and outsourcing. Before joining ShipServ, John was Director of Global Marketing for telecoms software pioneer Cramer Systems, where he was responsible for marketing communications and demand generation worldwide. In 2006 Cramer was acquired by Amdocs in one of the biggest ever deals involving a European software business.<br /><br />Previously, John held marketing management positions at Microsoft, Ariba, SAP and Oracle.<br /><br />John has received many awards in recognition of his marketing leadership and in 2009 was named Marketer of the Year by B2B Marketing Magazine. He has a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Manchester.Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-91980185312095299332010-09-29T14:09:00.001+01:002010-09-29T14:12:12.477+01:00Grey is the enemy of successful Sales and Marketing Alignment.You won’t achieve long lasting Sales and Marketing Alignment by fudging it, by compromising or by being fluffy!<br /><br />Look at the CMO’s who have achieved successful new working practises such as <a href="http://christinecrandell.com/"><strong>Christine Crandell</strong></a>. You have to take a straightforward black and white approach. Know what you want, Know what you cab achieve and just do that.<br /><br />Now, I’m not suggesting that you take outlandish risks or bet the farm on this. Your responsibility is not to change the world; it’s just to get a few sales and marketing people working closer together.<br /><br />Why not start with those who are open to your ideas of collaboration and cooperation?<br /><br />Remember don’t shoot the collaborators, instead praise them.<br /><br /><strong>Keep it simple</strong><br /><br /><strong>Keep it black and white.</strong><br /><br />Ditch the grey!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-78032119047431838662010-09-28T15:47:00.002+01:002010-09-28T15:54:57.724+01:00Are you going to the 2010 Marketing and Sales Alignment Executive Forum?<a href="http://www.tahoelifeofluxury.com/images/lake_tahoe_hyatt_regency.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.tahoelifeofluxury.com/images/lake_tahoe_hyatt_regency.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I am, it looks an excellent event that Corporate Visions have put together with some good speakers.<br />Particularly looking forward to the Case Study presentations.<br /><br />If you are going, please say hello to this Englishman.<br /><br />I've never been to Lake Tahoe or even Nevada before.<br /><br />I bet that weather at Lake Tahoe is warmer than London, in October.<br />Now that is something you can bet on!<br /><br />http://corpv.com/conference/index.htmlRod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-56783136554633922962010-09-13T17:53:00.001+01:002010-09-13T17:55:15.066+01:00CultureDoes your company have a formal statement of it's culture?<br /><br />Is it public?<br /><br />Can I read it on your website?<br /><br />If not, why not?<br /><br />This statement is often referred to as your Core Values. If you think this is somewhat namby-pamby for my No-Bull style, can I just suggest that businesses such as IBM, Accenture and Tesco all publish their Core Values.<br />That’s good enough for me.<br /><br />Do your Core Values document how staff are expected to behave to each other?<br /><br />How are staff told about this & how is it maintained?<br /><br />Does your culture effect hiring and firing?<br /><br />Would you hire a "star performer" who could help the biz but who probably doesn't fit your culture?<br /><br />Does your staff know it and believe it?<br /><br />How are staff expected to include culture into their normal work practice?<br /><br />Does this all come from top down?<br /><br />Are you driven by the personality, focus & goals of your current CEO?<br /><br />Do sales and marketing follow it?<br /><br /><strong>If you have all this, then why do you have a Sales and Marketing Alignment problem?</strong>Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-11812629390883458922010-08-24T11:17:00.001+01:002010-08-24T11:19:54.117+01:00Alignment on the SNCFI must have been a pretty horrible 16 year old.<br /><br />Arrogant, spotty and sullen.<br /><br />Correction….I was a pretty horrible 16 year old.<br /><br />How did my parents decide to deal with this Rebel-without-a-Cause?<br /><br />In the summer holidays they packed me off, on my own, to a family they knew in France. That was some selling job my father did.<br /><br />So there I am with my Scout rucksack, sitting in a packed, 8 seat, old fashioned, compartment on the SNCF from Gare du Lyon to Dijon, surrounded by Gauloises smoking, Pernod drinking, L’Equipe reading locals. I was out of my comfort zone and to make matters worse I had an incorrect ticket and le chemin de fer inspecteur had just entered our compartment.<br /><br />You know what was going through my mind? <br /><br />‘These Frenchies are just pretending that they cannot speak English. In a minute they are all going to start helping me and speaking the Queen’s English.’<br /><br />And guess what…they didn’t.<br /><br />Quelle domage.<br /><br />To the amusement of my fellow travellers, I had to muddle through with my dodgy O Level French. And I did, somehow. That inspecteur must have been a patient man.<br /><br />Fast forward three weeks, and I am travelling back to Blighty on the ferry from Calais to Dover and I accidentally bump into a middle aged man. He apologised to me in English and I apologised to him in French. In French! I had even begun to think in French.<br /><br />Had I achieved this by studying the systems, process and technology in France?<br /><br />Non!<br /><br />What I had begun to do was understand, appreciate and like the culture, language and people of France.<br /><br />Culture, Language and People.<br /><br />So, if you want your sales and marketing teams to start respecting, trusting and working together, rather than the current mistrust, then you need to get them understanding, apreciaiting and even liking their respective culture language and people.<br /><br />The good news is that you don’t have to be stuck in a railway compartment to start your journey.<br /><br />Allez!<br /><br />A bientot!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-6973479285766784972010-08-13T09:42:00.000+01:002010-08-13T09:45:58.559+01:00Melting the Cold War between Sales and Marketing.I’m a child of the Cold War. Remember all that stuff? Spying, B52 Bombers and David Hasselhoff singing on top of the Berlin Wall, (sorry about that last image!) The only good thing to come out of that conflict was “Dr. Strangelove”.<br /> <br />But is it really over? Over in your business?<br /><br />Are sale and marketing good buddies inside your business. Or are they just comrades?<br /><br />What was the real cost or the real Cold War? Lots of budget spent on expensive hardware and systems that were never used. Thank God. Sound familiar?<br /><br />So what resolved the real Cold War?<br /><br />Was it computers and technology? No<br /><br />Was it systems and processes? Uh?<br /><br />Was it from breakthroughs thanks to consultants and trainers? You cannot be serious! Are you?<br /><br />It was good old fashion economics, the allocation of scarce resources that caused one side to change. Thankfully they did.<br /><br />And it’s only going to be economic and market forces that will cause the Cold War in your organisation to melt. You aren’t going to fix this with a blow torch or an ice axe.<br /><br />That drive for change has started in most businesses and markets. Just remember technology cannot help you much, talking and dialogue can go a lot further.<br /><br />When did you last have a Sales and Marketing Alignment workshop in your company? <br /><br />I better the answer is never.<br /><br />OK. Don’t worry I just made that term up. But what is stopping you?<br /><br />Yes, I know your CRM will not allow you to schedule it, and it might ensure that you don’t hit your KPIs or it might negatively impact your value proposition. <br /><br />Or maybe, just maybe it’s just time to get started on the real work, real détente, real discussion.<br /><br />Please don’t stick your head into the ice, it maybe a cool way to prospect, but don’t expect to succeed for long.<br /><br />Get Aligned Comrade!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-74525139381591720042010-07-16T14:03:00.003+01:002010-07-16T14:09:09.317+01:00What is the real benefit of working on Sales and Marketing Alignment in your business?Let’s be straight about this, Sales and Marketing Alignment isn’t easy. <br /><br />If it was every business would have achieved it, wouldn’t they? <br /><br />When you work on Sales and Marketing Alignment in your business you will <br />come across all types of responses from indifference to outright hostility.<br /><br />So why bother?<br /><br />Working on your Sales and Marketing Alignment is only worth the effort if you want to:<br /><br />•Retain existing customers<br /><br />•Acquire new customers<br /><br />•Improve forecast accuracy<br /><br />•Have more salespeople hitting quota<br /><br />•Get more qualified opportunities/leads<br /><br />If they are important to you, then get started, today..<br /><br />You could do worse than pick up a copy of my latest book <a href="http://amzn.to/dpBouY"><strong><br />“Alignment – The Secret to Getting your Sales and Marketing Teams Working Together!”<br /></strong></a><br />What ever you do…<br /><br />Get Started …<br /><br />…today!Rod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2406837171703565683.post-34702990092681321232010-07-12T12:26:00.000+01:002010-07-12T12:27:42.844+01:00All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chanceEverybody’s talking about Sales2.0, Web 2.0 and Social Media<br />All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance<br /><br />Everybody’s talking about B2B, B2C, NBC and BBC<br />All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance<br /><br />Everybody’s talking systems, processes and technology<br />All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance<br /><br />Everybody’s talking about world-class effective customer conversations, differentiated marketing messages and buying process-aligned tools.<br />All I am saying is give Sales and Marketing Alignment a chance<br /><br />Repeat for as long as you want<br /><br />Apologies to Dr Winston O BoogieRod Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09021493336151401835noreply@blogger.com2