This presentation provides framework that a BtoB Tech Marketer can follow to build a stronger relationship with sales through the development of marketing programs that are loved by sales.

1. CommunicationPROCESS Getting Sales to
Love Marketing
MarketingtoSales
Developed By: Andre Armstrong

2. What is it
A list of steps that the marketing organisation can follow to build a more
personalized relationship with sales for a marketing program. It results
in sales willingly having a more active involvement in the program,
leading to a more positive outcome for that program.
MtoS © 2009

3. Actions at each stage of a program
Actions before the Actions while the Actions after the
program is launched program is running program has finished
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
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4. The process
Actions before the program is launched Actions while the program is running Actions after the program has finished
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
• Document the initial plan • Advise sales of the • Advise sales that the
• Obtain leadership support program launch program has ended
• Check the proposition • Remind sales of their • Gather and finalize sales
internally and externally actions and marketing feedback
• Share the program idea • Continue to remind sales of • Communicate results to the
with sales the program sales team
• Build the marketing • Communicate results to the
program plan leaders
• Share the marketing
program plan with sales
• Keep sales up to date on
program deliverables
MtoS © 2009

5. Stage 1
Actions before the program is
launched
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6. Document the initial plan
Action: Create a single page document of the initial plan.
 Who are the targets (industry sector, contact types and levels).
 What is their need.
 Why do they need this.
 What product/solutions or services can you offer.
 What are the marketing elements of the program (email, DM, telemarketing).
Why: Provides initial guidance and can support further stages of the process.
MtoS © 2009

7. Obtain leadership support
Action: Obtain buy in support from key stakeholder leaders to the high level
plan.
 Obtain both marketing and sales leadership support.
 If briefing verbally, follow up with an email to confirm the high level points.
 Single page document of the plan can be provided if required.
Why: To ensure access to budget funding and resources as the plan
develops.
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8. Check the proposition internally
Action: Identify a number of sales reps and sales engineers to check the
program and proposition.
 Look to check with multiple people in each sales team.
 Firstly check with the sales directors to see whether any of their teams
have wins/opportunities already and if so check with those sales reps and
their sales engineers.
 If more bodies are needed focus on sales reps and engineers who
already have accounts in that sector.
Why: They can provide a level of validity and additional information for the
program and in doing this will feel more strongly aligned to the program.
MtoS © 2009

9. OPTIONAL
Check the proposition externally
Action: Check with an analyst.
 Depending on the level of service you have with an analyst firm you
could check the proposition by setting up a call and asking them questions.
 Even if the program is only part successful, let them know it was a
success and thank them for their help.
Why: Provides a third party view of your program from a industry expert.
Partly briefs the analyst and the follow up reminds them of your
companies capabilities and strokes their ego.
Action: Check with a partner.
 If there is a partner that specialises in this area you could check the
proposition with them.
Why: Provides a third party view of your program from an expert.
MtoS © 2009

10. Share the program idea
Action: Share the program idea with the sales reps.
 Share with the sales reps on a call in a group environment, ensure that
you have at least a sales director on the call. Before the call, run through
with the director the structure and how you might need their support.
 Call out sales reps, sales engineers, analysts and partners who have
already commented on the proposition (explain why you went to them first).
 Look to get the sales reps to agree that the program is a good idea, to
allow you to progress with the building of the plan.
 Overcome objections using sales reps or engineers you have checked
the proposition with, plus the sales directors.
 Advise you will share the marketing plan with them.
Why: Shows that sales are being consulted throughout and implies to reps
that there is already support from their peers. Will result in some
additional reps supporting the program, with the rest remaining passive
but open minded.
MtoS © 2009

11. Build the marketing plan
Action: Build and document the marketing plan.
 Keep the document short and easy to understand.
 You don’t need to consult outside of marketing unless you need to use
other teams in the plan (sales reps, telemarketers etc).
 Once the plan is built consider areas where sales might see problems
and formulate a response.
Why: Provides guidance to marketing and others what the marketing plan
is, its deliverables and milestones.
MtoS © 2009

12. Share the marketing plan
Action: Share the marketing plan with sales leaders and sales reps.
 Share with the sales leaders first to get there buy-in, make amends as
required.
 Share with the reps on a call in a group environment, ensure that you
have at least a sales director on the call. Before the call, run through with
the sales director the structure and how you might need their support.
 In preparation for the call send a brief email to the reps with an overview
of the marketing plan that you intend to go over.
 Overcome petty objections using the sales directors, with anything
significant agree to amend the plan.
 Get the sales director to wrap up by stating the plan looks good, get
them to ask the reps if there are any objections to moving forward and
implementing the plan.
Why: It advises the sales team what the plan of action is and gives a
controlled forum to provide feedback with an agreement to progress.
MtoS © 2009

13. Update on program deliverables
Action: Update the sales reps on how you are progressing with the
program deliverable.
 Provide a short and simple document to the sales team on the key
milestones to the launch of the program.
 Provide a quick update every couple of weeks on how the program is
progressing against the milestones. Ideally this should be done on an
existing sales directors call, but could be in an email. If it is via email
ensure that each sales rep gets their own email.
Why: It ensures the program remains in the minds of the reps, provides
them how it is progressing, allowing them to calculate when it will start
providing results.
MtoS © 2009

14. Marketing support costs
Action: Document the initial plan.
 Document: 30 minutes content development.
Action: Obtain leadership support.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 15 minutes phone call leader.
 Email: 20 minutes email content development.
Action: Check the proposition internally.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 20 minutes phone call per person.
Action: Check the proposition externally.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and up to 30 minutes phone call per person.
Action: Share the program idea.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 15 minutes phone call per sales team.
MtoS © 2009

15. Marketing support costs
Action: Build the marketing plan.
 Document: 3-4 hours content development and approval.
Action: Share the marketing plan.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 15-20 minutes phone call per sales team.
Action: Update on the program deliverables.
 Document: 1-2 hours content development and approval.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 10 minutes phone call per sales team.
 Email: 20 minutes email content development.
MtoS © 2009

16. Marketing support tools
 Resource allocation matrix document.
Action: Document the initial plan.
 Sample document of an initial plan.
Action: Share the marketing plan with sales leaders and sales reps.
 Sample email content to share the marketing plan with the sales reps before the
call that goes through the marketing plan.
Action: Update the sales reps on how you are progressing with the program
deliverable.
 Sample document for that sales team that shows the key marketing milestones
 Sample email content on how the program is progressing
MtoS © 2009

17. Stage 2
Actions while the program is
running
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18. Advise of the program launch
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has started and what
the next steps are.
 Communicate via a personalized email or on a sales call.
 Provide them with a short FAQ document that highlights the issues and the
solutions.
Why: Alerts the sales person that the program has started and reminds them
of their actions.
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19. Remind sales of their actions
Action: Remind the sales team if you know when then have an action.
 If you know an action and rough date a salesperson has to perform an action
remind them the day before ideally by leaving them a voice message.
- be quick and to the point by writing down what you will say.
Why: Pushes the action item higher up a sales persons ‘to do’ list and ensures
that they know what to do and when to do it.
MtoS © 2009

20. Ongoing program reminders
Action: Remind the sales team about the program.
 If the program runs over a number of weeks remind the sales team every 3
weeks about the program. Communicate either by speaking to them or via
personalized email.
- advise / discuss any results in their areas.
- remind them of their actions, gain their commitment to that again.
- solicit their feedback, take actions if required.
Why: Ensures the sales person knows that the program is still running and the
actions expected of them while allowing marketing to gain feedback to
determine if the program needs to be amended.
MtoS © 2009

21. Marketing support costs
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has started and what
the next steps are.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 5 minute phone call per sales team.
 Email: 30 minutes email content development and time to send per rep.
Action: Remind the sales team if you know when then have an action.
 Phone: 10 minutes preparation and 1-5 minute phone call per rep.
 Email: 30 minutes email content development and time to send per rep.
Action: Remind the sales team about the program.
 Phone: 20 minutes preparation and 10 minute phone call per rep.
 Email: 1 hour email content development and time to send per rep.
MtoS © 2009

22. Marketing support tools
 Resource allocation matrix document.
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has started and what
the next steps are.
 Sample email content.
Action: Remind the sales team if you know when then have an action.
 Sample email content based on the sales team doing a follow up call.
Action: Remind the sales team about the program.
 Sample email content.
MtoS © 2009

23. Stage 3
Actions after the program has
finished
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24. Advise that the program has ended
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has ended and what
the next steps are.
 Communicate via personalised email.
Thank them for their help and advise that:
 you will shortly gather feedback from them individually and provide a
response to their feedback.
 having taken into account the feedback you’ll share initial results with
them.
 that the results will then be shared with the management.
Why: So that the sales person knows the program is finished and that their
feedback is appreciated and acted upon.
MtoS © 2009

25. Gather feedback
Action: Obtain feedback from sales individuals.
 Schedule a 10 minutes call with the sales person to provide feedback.
 cross check marketing’s view of results with their view.
 capture both the positive and negative.
 determine if there are any differences or concerns, capture these.
 Gather all the differences and concerns. Identify key and common concerns
then formulate responses.
 Schedule individual follow up calls to communicate the responses.
 for anything minor acknowledge that you looked at them and they will be
taken into account in future programs.
Why: Shows their feedback is valued and acted upon, which makes them more
supportive as they believe it will produce more results for them.
Ensures that marketing can overcome any differences around results before
they are communicated to leadership.
MtoS © 2009

26. Communicate results to sales
Action: Communicate the initial results of the program to the sales team.
 10 minute briefing within 4 weeks of the program ending.
 Provide a quick overview of the program.
 Thank them for responding when you reached out to them for feedback. Give
an overview of that feedback, callout the some of the sales peoples feedback.
 Give an overview of the results to date – call out one or two of the sales team
to give an update on their particular successes.
 Welcome them to contact you directly if they have any further questions.
Why: Sales want to compare how they did to others, to see if the could get
better results, to judge if it was beneficial to them and to determine the level of
support to give to future programs.
MtoS © 2009

27. Communicate results to leaders
Action: Communicate the results of the program to sales and BU leadership
teams.
 Communicate in a very short email that appears personalized to them.
 Thank sales leaders for their teams help, advise of the positive contribution
the team made in developing the program and providing feedback.
 Provide brief statistics and comments on results.
Why: Allows the leadership to form a judgemental opinion on how well
marketing is doing in its lead generation and its relationship with sales and
their needs.
MtoS © 2009

28. Marketing support costs
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has ended and what the
next steps are.
 Email: 30 minutes email content development and time to send per rep.
Action: Obtain feedback from sales individuals.
 Phone: 15 minutes preparation per rep and 10 minutes call per rep.
 + follow up.
Action: Communicate the initial results of the program to the sales team.
 Phone: 20 minutes preparation and 10 minute phone call per sales team.
Action: Communicate the results of the program to sales and BU leadership
teams.
 Email: 1 hour email content development and time to send per person.
MtoS © 2009

29. Marketing support tools
 Resource allocation matrix document.
Action: Communicate to the sales team that the program has ended and what the
next steps are.
 Sample email content.
Action: Communicate the results of the program to sales and BU leadership
teams.
 Sample email content.
MtoS © 2009

30. Thoughts
Let Me Know andrearmstrong@gmail.com
MtoS © 2009