{"id":28108,"date":"2021-04-13T10:49:57","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T14:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exob2b.com\/le-volet-humain-de-lalignement-ventes-marketing\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T13:42:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T17:42:04","slug":"the-human-side-of-sales-marketing-alignment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exob2b.com\/en\/the-human-side-of-sales-marketing-alignment\/","title":{"rendered":"The human side of sales-marketing alignment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For most companies, the pandemic has increased the “pressure” on sales and marketing. Their routines have been called into question.<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both functions have been “forced” to work together more than ever. With the lack of face-to-face contact, the human aspect of alignment is even more important than before.<\/strong> And this, beyond the technical aspect of aligning sales and marketing..
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The reality of sellers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deprived of trade shows, opportunities to tour suppliers and customers and, private customers of the traditional 5-7 \u2018happy hour\u2019, sellers have lost their bearings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the “aces” of business development over the phone (BDR\/SDR) were able to continue to schedule appointments, <\/strong>it was more difficult. The effectiveness of their actions have decreased in view of over-solicitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the way to “close” through platforms such as Zoom or Whereby has changed a lot. As a result, many sellers have lost confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The combination of these two realities has had a major impact on the revenues of several companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than ever, sellers have turned to marketing to fill the void in their sales pipeline.<\/strong> Marketing people ended up with measuring results that go beyond vanity metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 So, what to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality of marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The routine of trade shows has been replaced by a digital emergency. This put a lot of pressure on marketing. Suddenly, the direct link between marketing and the company’s revenues are exposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effectiveness of the usual tactics has been called into question. The speed of change requires a change in speed…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"speed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Companies where the two functions get along well and collaborate have quickly adjusted. However, for many companies where marketing is culturally<\/strong> in the service of sales or is only image and communication, the rest will prove more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pressure to “correct” the situation is particularly intense on these two functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest in alignment or even the integration of sales and marketing functions has been catalyzed by the pandemic. In addition to having to manage this situation, marketers and sellers have had the pressure to “save” their business!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The angle of communication and collaboration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Between distraught salespeople and a marketing team under pressure, communication and collaboration must be supervised and structured in order to allow everyone to be effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a host of issues on which the two functions must agree. But before they get to that point, they must learn or, relearn, how to communicate. If this communication is not to the point, open and respectful on both sides, there is a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions need to be asked about the company’s culture.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, many manufacturing and industrial companies are based on a very sales-centric culture. A culture inherited from the way we have sold during the last 40 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of them have never adapted to digital technology and therefore, have also hired a workforce that is not adapted to the reality of the 21st century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Over the past few years, we have repeatedly seen the frustrations of people in marketing at the impossibility for their employer to get out of the trade show mentality. Companies stuck in this type of culture<\/strong> will find it very difficult to adapt! To ensure digital transition, it\u2019s in a company\u2019s best interest to follow a simple process that we described in a previous post.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A younger, brighter direction can lead to changes, but sometimes the company’s habits are well-entrenched. If everyone stays in their position, the company will always be vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with the right culture, alignment and integration, having the right people<\/strong> in the right places is also required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along these lines, several companies have set out to help sales and marketing work together on personas, review and adjust their value proposition, and rethink content strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Content Management Institute’s statistics<\/a> dated December 2020, speak for themselves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n