How to Align your Sales and Marketing Department for your Company’s Overall Success
As the CEO of a marketing agency that has been in business for over 20 years, I have encountered many businesses that have both a sales and marketing department. It is rare to find those two departments working together synergistically, and it’s easy for employees to not even notice this. After all, these two departments need to just focus on their own goals, right? Wrong.
Any company with both a marketing department and a sales department needs to have the right infrastructure in place in order to achieve the overall goals and objectives of the company. Marketing and sales must work cohesively, not separately.
How can a leader get their two teams working towards the same goals while utilizing their unique skills?
Infuse Team Spirit
Great companies know that human capital is one of the most valuable assets to overall success. Good leaders prioritize the quality of life for their employees through respectful communication and clear job descriptions.
At my company, Cazarin Interactive, we prioritize clear communication, which fuels team spirit. It has taken years to truly learn how to implement it effectively and sustain it daily.
My advice to leaders is to listen to their employees’ needs and desires and prioritize their quality of life. Team spirit comes from team members finding joy in working together. When interviewing for new members, search for a person who looks forward to becoming part of a team. This will help to align teams that have different responsibilities.
Apply a Solution-Based Approach
We all make mistakes. Oftentimes, when a team member makes a mistake, it will affect all members. Instead of throwing blame and pointing fingers, it is important to have a solution-based approach. This approach will help to reduce or eliminate future problems and preserve team spirit.
The 5 keys to a Solution-Based Approach
- Identifying the Issue(s)
Understand the problem or problems without pointing to specific people or departments. The issue itself is the bigger picture that needs to be addressed, before any who’s, what’s, why’s, or where’s get discussed.
- Empathy and Communication Skills
Understand that there are different points of view to every situation. Use humility, gratefulness, and empathy in your communication with other members of the team.
- Ask for Options to achieve Resolution
How can the issue(s) be resolved? – Solicit feedback from the people involved in an environment where nobody feels they are being blamed.
- Agree on the best option to resolve the issue(s)
Understand that not everyone will always agree on the same resolution. But make sure to weigh everyone’s suggestions for resolutions equally.
- Celebrate Gains
There is so much to learn. Open your mind to other possibilities, other perspectives, and find the best ways for you to learn. Use mistakes as a learning opportunity.
Have a Crystal Clear Goal
At Cazarin Interactive, both the sales and marketing departments, all employees, and contractors know exactly what our sales goals are. Our desired numbers are communicated company-wide. The members of the sales and marketing team each know exactly what they are helping to work towards. Because of this, everyone is aligned and there is no confusion about the goals. If clarity and alignment are not in place, it will take a lot longer for your company vision to become a reality.
Final Takeaways
When someone chooses my company, Cazarin Interactive, as their marketing partner, our team becomes a part of their company as an extension of both the marketing and sales department. We understand team spirit. We help to develop brand identity, messaging, and implement an ongoing marketing strategy that will help businesses grow in a healthy manner. If it weren’t for our solution-based approach, our team alignment, and clear communication, we would not have the team spirit and success that we have today.
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