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It is a common problem that there is a divorce between the Sales and Marketing areas. Usually, it is because only one team sets the objectives, creates the processes and determines the lead generation system. Then, this information does not reach the other team clearly. We can see this evidenced in the State of Smarketing in Peru, the first report made by Impulse on the alignment of Marketing and Sales in Peru.
The Smartketing methodology helps shareholder database package define common objectives and strategies , establishing a Service Level Agreement (SLA). It is a powerful tool to align Marketing goals with the Sales team's follow-up activities.
Implementing an effective SLA requires defining specific and measurable goals. To do so, the following indicators must be taken into account.
1. Income goals
When working with a Smarketing methodology, the specific number of expected revenues must govern the entire operation. The key is to have a clear direction so that both teams work with a focus on the company's revenues . Based on this number, the roles of each of the areas are defined in order to then set specific objectives for Marketing and Sales.
Top 5 indicators for creating an SLA between Sales and Marketing (4)
2. Number of leads generated by Marketing
While Sales is not always satisfied with the quality of the leads captured by Marketing, Marketing always feels that Sales does not get the most out of the leads captured.
The number of potential customers attracted by a marketing strategy should be a common goal. When defining content, Sales should provide useful insights about effective ways to sell a particular product or service.
In addition, both areas must reach an agreement on what a qualified lead represents. We know that not all the leads that arrive are potential prospects. That is why together, and based on all the knowledge acquired by the Sales area on prospects that reach the closing, both areas are responsible for defining the profile of a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) . Once we have this MQL, the sales area decides whether to accept it or not, and from that, work on it as a sales prospect.
In this way, both areas share the responsibility of generating and treating quality leads and we will avoid hearing phrases like “the leads that marketing generates are not quality” or “sales does not know how to close the leads we pass them.”
Top 5 indicators for creating an SLA between Sales and Marketing (6)
3. Lead-customer conversion rate
It is essential to examine this variable as it determines the percentage of qualified leads that are being captured in the first instance. Sales feedback in this part of the chain will improve the effectiveness of the strategies and channels of acquisition devised by the marketing team.
For the Sales team, the most important thing is time and depth in the follow-up. Time: to react quickly between the moment the lead is received and when the first contact is made. Depth: to make the relationship with the lead more efficient and closer in order to close the sale.
Top 5 indicators for creating an SLA between Sales and Marketing (5)
4. Average value of a customer
Knowing the average value of a customer will help calculate the number of customers that need to be closed to reach the company's revenue goal. Closing ten customers of average value is not the same as closing one customer that is worth ten customers in monetary terms.
It is important to pursue a real and achievable number according to variables such as: team size, established protocols, production capacity, time available and the identification of opportunities in the market, among others.