Getting Sales and Marketing on the same page can be challenging. This presentation walks through step by step how to drive alignment.

1. Conducting an Effective
AND Aligned Marketing
and Sales Planning
Session
Ellen Campbell-Kaminski
VP of Marketing, Datalliance
Cincinnati AMA Sales and Marketing SIG
October 21, 2014

2. My Background
• 25 years B2B Marketing experience
• Product Marketing, Segment Marketing, Market
Planning and Marketing Strategy and Operations
• With and Without Sales Processes and
Methodologies
• With and Without CRM and Marketing Automation
• Market leader and #2 Player

3. Audience Check Point
• What Roles are Represented?
• HowWouldYou Rate or Characterize the Alignment
Between Sales and Marketing?

5. What is the Role of Marketing?
• Demand Generation
Target audience is aware of our offering
Target audience recognizes they have a need
• To Sales: a lot of well qualified (BANT) leads
• To Marketing: brand strategy, awareness campaigns,
webinars, product marketing, messaging, website, SEO,
social media, field marketing, white papers, tradeshows,
banner ads, press releases, email blasts

6. Direct lines of
communication
Speaking the same
language
Marching in the
same direction

7. Critical Success Factors
• Assume Positive Intent
• Be Open andTransparent
• Shared Goals and KPOs
• Pilot,Test, Iterate andTweak
• Find and Cultivate an Evangelist(s)
• Joint Planning Session

8. Suggested Approach for Joint
Planning Session
• Step 1: Agree to joint planning session at high level
• Step 2: Review historical performance
• Step 3: Discuss business goals and objectives
• Step 4: Agree on what marketing is responsible for
• Step 5: Determine marketing strategies
• Step 6: Develop marketing programs / campaigns
• Step 7: Detailed marketing planning: tactics, budget, calendar
• Step 8: Plan on a Page and Scorecard
• Step 9: Ongoing reviews and course correction

9. Step 1: Agree to Joint Planning
Session at High Level
• Joint Planning Session – representatives
from Sales and Marketing – and maybe
Product, Finance, Ops
• Goal: Aligned Marketing Plan
• 6 – 8 attendees maximum
• 2 – 3 day commitment – active participation
• Senior people: select attendees, kick-off the
meeting, set expectations, actively
demonstrate support, check-in daily, agree
to fully support outcome
• Mid-level (regional sales manager)
• “Logical” business unit: LBU, Product Line,
Sales Region, Product Launch

10. Step 2: Review Historical
Performance
• All attendees to review prior to meeting
• Setting the stage/directional, do not get bogged down
quibbling about the details
• Don’t provide too much detail – what is most relevant
• Information about prior period(s) results, SWOT,
Situation Assessment from Marketing Plan:
• Revenue Growth
• # of New Customers
• Marketing Contribution
• Key Marketing Programs
• Marketing Metrics: traffic, CTR, conversions
• Leads and Disposition
• Distribute ~ 1 week before session
• Bring to planning session, address questions, draw
conclusions but do not present

11. Step 3: Business Goals and
Objectives
• Business Owner (CEO,GM, SVP,
shares next period Business
Objectives – Quantifiable Outcomes
• Revenue $ and % or # o f
Customers
• Expressed in Logical “Buckets”
• Existing Customers; e.g. Retain
90% of Customers
• Cross-Sell/Up-Sell; e.g. 40% of
customers add 1 product
• Net New Customers; e.g. add 30
new accounts
• New Products; e.g. sold to 10% of
current customer base

12. Step 4: Agree on Marketing
Responsibilities and Objectives
• For Each BusinessObjective
• Does Marketing Have a Role?
• If so, to what degree?
• Solely
• Shared
• None
• Use Prior History to GaugeWhat is
Reasonable
• QuantifyWhat MarketingWill Deliver; e.g.
• Secure 30 New First Appointments
• Add 100TargetedContacts to the Database

13. Step 5: Determine Marketing
Strategies
• Likely most difficult part of the
session
• Critical glue between Objectives and
Programs and helps to explain why
we choose certain Programs; e.g.
• Create more opportunities for
personal interactions
• Reinforce value after sale
• Increase market awareness of our
offering
• That’s all for the 1st Joint Session

14. Step 6: Marketing
Programs/Campaigns
• MarketingWorks on
Programs/Campaigns
• Programs or Campaigns – How
you will execute the strategy; e.g.
• Relationship marketing with
trade associations
• Onboarding program
• Share and Socialize (one on one or
reconvene the team)
• Tactical planning follows

15. Step 7: Tactical Planning
• Tactics, Budget,Timing,
Objectives

16. Step 8: Plan on a Page
• One page representation of
Marketing Plan that ties directly
and quantitatively to business
outcomes
• Agreement and alignment on the
strategy
• Tactics and activities in support of
business outcomes
• Prioritization decisions can now be
made based upon business impact
BusinessObjectives
MarketingObjective
MarketingStrategy
MarketingPrograms

17. Step 9: Ongoing Review and
Course Correction
• Publish monthly progress
report/scorecard
• Quarterly reviews and tweaks

18. Benefits
Process
• Marketing activities aligned to
business outcomes
• Agreement on Marketing
contributions and Strategy
• Putting targets on paper drives
accountability
Plan
• Everyone sees what Marketing is
doing
• Clear communication device
• Easier management and
measurement

19. Resources
• Vision Edge Marketing www.visionedgemarketing.com
• Sirius Decisions www.siriusdecisions.com

20. Q&A