Hey Joe,
I’m really frustrated with Sales right now! They just aren’t understanding what we do and how MOPs can really help them.
How do I express my frustration without getting emotional?
I want to share my thoughts but I need to do it in a constructive manner. How do I go about that?
Thanks,
Frustrated Frank
Frank, this is a great question.
The fact that you’re looking for a constructive solution to this challenge speaks volumes.
So often, we see Sales and MOPs teams at odds with each other, even though they’re meant to be working towards the same goal: bringing in more qualified leads and new customers.
Taking the time to ensure your teams are on the same page and understand the value each of you bring to the table is a great first step.
Overcome the obstacle
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had conversations with Sales team members who don’t have any insight into what we do and how we do it.
Just trying to get them to input data in a consistent way so that our marketing automation tools can work properly can feel like pulling teeth. This is particularly frustrating when you feel it’s your role to connect the dots between Sales and Marketing, and it doesn’t feel like you’re being heard.
There are a couple of ways you can share these thoughts with Sales in a constructive way.
1. Understand Sales’ challenges
1. Remember that your Sales team is likely dealing with their own frustrations and challenges. It’s worth knowing what these are before having a conversation with them.
They may be facing pressure from their director or have KPIs that run against your team’s, although that shouldn’t be the case.
All Sales and Marketing metrics should ladder up to a joint revenue goal, and if you feel that’s not happening or that your KPIs are at odds, then that’s an important conversation you should be having with your leadership.
2. Align your processes
2. Talk to Sales about your processes and how they align with theirs, but be careful how you address this.
One thing I’ve learned in my years working with different teams is that any time you question a process, people are bound to get a little defensive.
So, instead of asking ‘why aren’t we doing XYZ?’, you can reframe the question to ‘are we able to do XYZ?’.
This will open the door to a much more constructive and collaborative conversation—and it’ll inspire your Sales team to ask your team questions in the same way.
3. Show your value
Remember that sometimes actions speak louder than words. You know that MOPs can be a valuable partner to your Sales team, so show them:
- Consider building out scoring models where Sales can identify prioritized personas and automatically receive the leads that are the most likely to convert.
- Establish an automated system for passing on the right content at the right time to leads that are already engaged.
- Develop processes that help MOPs and Marketing bridge the gap for MQLs during the nurture stage, without overwhelming them with information.
- Showcase the different tools (e.g. social, targeted ads, event invites) that MOPs can deploy for engaged leads.
These are all things that will help build the partnership across the customer journey. If you need help implementing any of these tactics, let’s chat.
At the end of the day, it’s all about teamwork.
You’ve got this,
Joe Pulse.
