Marketing Needs Sales, and Sales Needs Marketing.

Devoid of an end goal, marketing will fail.

Let me rephrase that.

“Devoid of a way to achieve its’ end goal, marketing will fail.”

I think both of those statements are true, but I want to focus on the second.

What am I talking about? Sales, of course.

The relationship between marketing and sales is incongruously tenuous at times, even though one would not exist in any substantial way without the other. Salespeople rely on marketing to generate leads and provide useful information that results in a sale, while marketers rely on salespeople to give feedback on leads and help hone in future marketing efforts.

It is, for better or worse, a symbiotic relationship. The upshot being that you need optimized paths between marketing and sales to get the outcomes you want.

So all of this leads to the big question: What are some ways you can help bridge the gap between sales and marketing? Let’s explore that.

Sales Enablement Starts Here:

All Business to Business (B2B) marketing is, at its core, content-based. Whether that’s a blog, a webinar, Social Media, or any of the other dozen ways to engage with your audience, businesses speak to businesses with content.

To make sure the content your business creates is doing its job, remember three essential elements:

1. Prioritize the Pain Points

Speak to what your future (and current) clients’ needs. Don’t simply talk about what you want. You’ll get what you want when you start to address issues!

2. Keep it personal.

There’s a misconception that “high level” and “professional” content has to read like a Congressional Bill. If it takes a lawyer to interpret your content, you’re doing it wrong!

3. Create content for every phase of your funnel.

Even between businesses, there’s a journey that takes place from prospect to client. Creating relevant content for each step will help you increase conversion rates and boost your sales numbers.

If all you get from this article is that you need authentic, actionable content in your sales funnel, then you’ll be better off for it. Don’t stop here though! This is just the beginning.

Phase 2: Turn Your Business – and People – Into Thought Leaders

“Thought Leadership” isn’t something we’ve touched on much, but it’s an exercise in social capital that all business should invest in. When someone receives the title of Thought Leader, it’s because people view them as a reliable source of information. A trusted source, if you will.

Wouldn’t it do wonders for your business if your sales team also happened to be the go-to guru when a question comes up?

Though so. Here’s how you can make your sales team shine on your blog:

1. Focus on How-To’s First

Addressing the question of “how?” is one of the simplest tactics you can use to elevate your sales team. Take common pain points and use them as topics to address.

2. K.I.S.S.

Just in case you slept through your Freshman Public Speaking class, K.I.S.S. stands for “Keep it Simple, Stupid.” (Please don’t try to kiss your leads or sales team!)

Don’t start your sales team with a complicated blog structure. Start off simply, then work up as their experience and expertise grows.

3. Teach Promotion

Creating content does nothing until you share it. Sharing takes practice and training, so take the time to provide proper guidance. When a salesperson shares their helpful content, it will only boost their credibility.

In the end, remember to focus on providing value and building relationships. If you accomplish nothing else, do this.

Remember your ABC’s: Always Be Curating

A lead’s progression through your sales funnel relies on numerous elements working together.

Studies have shown that a prospect isn’t typically ready to talk buying until they’ve consumed five pieces of content. That content should address their needs and push them closer to a sale.

When done correctly, that content can boost the rate at which you close. As a bonus, those leads also tend to generate more revenue over their lifetime.

For this to work, you have to have content that spans the length of your funnel. That’s why we say Always Be Curating. Create content for every question, and then some. It takes time, a solid strategy, and diligent work, but it’s worth it.

If you’ve found this helpful, you’ll love our Ultimate Marketing Checklist. Click the link below to download it and get your step-by-step guide to improving your marketing flow.