Remember what it was like in the ’90s? Before internet advertising noise was a primary marketing tool? It seemed like there was less competition, and a business could simply put an ad on the local print circuit to build the customer list they needed to thrive.
But nowadays, people see thousands of ads a week, and getting responses from the ads means you need to be a little more crafty. Standing out from the crowd by letting your personality shine and engaging with each and every lead is best done when your sales and marketing team are in collaborative sync.
And with the right system in place – keeping your sales and marketing teams in sync can be relatively automated and focused on compiling feedback that helps you refine the strategic system over time.
To be successful in any business, your product or service has to be tailored to a specific demographic.
It doesn’t have to be the best on the market – but it does have to leave an impression and deliver on the promises your brand makes. If your customers love what you do, they’re more likely to tell their friends, and you’ll soon have a whole new set of growth problems on your hands.
But before this can happen, you need to attract the right customers. The easiest way to do this is by looking at your comprehensive plan. An ideal plan grows from the center of a venn-diagram where you have smart marketing on the left and an engaging sales process on the right. The sweet spot where those two initiatives overlay is what we call the butter chicken of your marketing plan! It’s where the best ideas come from, and the strongest client relationships grow.
For the best results, these components never work in isolation but hand in hand to fuel the company fires.
These components shouldn’t be separate, but instead, they must work together for the best results. Your marketing team can find and engage leads, which are then taken over by your sales department. At all stages, communication remains open, and the two departments give each other feedback. That way, your strategy can be improved over time, and you’ll increase your sales and your reputation in the community.
What Can Marketing Do?
A good marketing team is worth its weight in gold. Many business owners can produce a fabulous product or perform excellent service, but they don’t know how to get the word out to their community. Fortunately, there are experts out there who can provide your business with a steady stream of leads.
Once your marketing professionals have found new potential customers, they will engage them, so the leads will recognize your name and think of you the next time they need a product or service you offer. A good marketing team will focus their efforts on those people who are most likely to buy from you.
Provide Leads
The most important job of a marketing department is to provide leads. Marketing experts use a wide variety of strategies to achieve this, both online and offline. For example, here at Lovely Pixels, we run an “In Your Neighborhood” campaign for businesses that offer in-person services in certain areas. We will deliver your marketing materials directly to your customers’ doors, allowing you to reach only those people who live in your desired area.
Additionally, we will use digital marketing techniques like building an SEO-optimized website and social media marketing. Nowadays, having an attractive website that is easy to navigate and allows customers to find what they’re looking for is key. Similarly, businesses that want to attract the younger generation have to set up several social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, and post relevant fun content.
Warm Up Leads
Once your marketing team has found consumers who are interested in your business, these leads have to be nurtured. On average, people have to see your message seven times until they’re ready to buy. That’s why many businesses advertise in multiple ways and update their online profiles regularly.
Your marketing experts will spend time every week posting interesting content to your online accounts. That way, your followers are constantly reminded of what you have to offer, and they will eventually internalize your message. The next time these people are looking for a product or service you offer, your name will be the first to come to mind, and they’re likely to buy from you instead of your competitor.
Target Campaigns to the Right People
No matter how many followers you have on social media, you won’t be able to make any sales unless you’ve attracted the right kinds of people. Many businesses operate locally, so they need to target customers in a certain radius. Other companies sell their product all over the world, but it might only apply to customers of a certain age group, gender, or background.
A good marketing team will discuss your business’s aims with your salespeople and then focus their efforts on those people who will be most likely to buy your product or service. If you’re a regional company, the marketing experts might post news of local interest to your social media feed, or they might connect with other businesses in your area. That way, your efforts aren’t wasted, and you’ll only receive those leads who are interested in buying from you.
What Does the Sales Process Involve?
After your marketing team has generated leads and nurtured them, sales can take over and “seal the deal.” The job of a good salesperson involves interacting directly with your customer. Because they know the product well, they can answer any remaining questions and make the customer a good offer. For marketing and sales to collaborate effectively, successes and failures have to be discussed and evaluated.
Interacting Directly with the Customer
After potential customers have been engaged by your marketing experts, they can be handed over to sales. Your salespeople know everything about your product or service, so they will be able to answer any remaining questions and show the customer how they will benefit from their purchase. The sales experts will go through the last few steps with your customers, which might include sending them a quote or creating a customized offer.
When the marketing and the sales teams work together, this process is much easier because the customers will already have a good idea of what your company does, and they will have a positive impression of you. Instead of having to convince your customers to purchase from you, the salespeople simply have to answer specific questions and complete the sale.
Giving Feedback to Marketing
Continuous feedback is crucial because it allows you to improve your strategy over time. Every time you sell a product, your sales team can contact the marketing experts and let them know about the new customer. Together, the two teams can analyze where the customer came from, how they were engaged, and whether this process can be repeated with other leads.
Communication works best when it is planned ahead of time. When you first ask your two teams to work together, determine the best communication channels. Will the two teams hold a regular meeting once a month, during which they discuss what worked and what didn’t? Or will constant communication through a messaging app be encouraged? Either way could work well, but the expectations have to be set up ahead of time.
Successful companies need their marketing and sales teams to work together to provide excellent customer service. The marketing department can find and warm up leads, while the sales team will answer customer questions, sell the product or service, and give feedback to the marketing experts.
Feel like you’re ready to improve your strategy by hiring professionals? Call us at LovelyPixels or submit a quick project brief to find out how we generate high-quality leads for small businesses using the latest trends in digital marketing tactics.
