In this episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the recently published Media Sales Report by looking at what sellers and managers say about their company’s marketing strategy.
Here to help Matt investigate why so many are dissatisfied with their organization’s current marketing plan is Dani Buckley, VP/General Manager at LeadG2.
Dani, as always, offers some amazing points to think about, like:
- Why, when sellers aren’t happy with their company’s marketing efforts, often its a lack of sales and marketing alignment that is really the issue at hand.
- How conducting a content audit is imperative when considering a sales enablement overhaul.
- And, finally, how if media companies don’t have a website that’s both educational and easy to navigate, many prospects will simply find their solutions elsewhere.
Why Just 6% of Media Sales Managers and Salespeople Think Their Company’s Marketing Plan “Rocks”
The conversation kicks off by dissecting the recently published 5th Annual Media Sales Report, highlighting a prevalent sentiment among sales managers and salespeople: a staggering majority express dissatisfaction with their company's marketing strategies.
A mere 6% of sales managers and salespeople believe their current marketing plans "rock," leaving a glaring 94% disillusioned.
“What contributes to this sentiment?” Matt asks. “And what do you most often see when salespeople aren’t satisfied with their company’s marketing strategy?”
“First, I’ll just mention that what causes that sentiment might be because the marketing strategy really isn’t very good,” Dani says. “It might simply be an accurate assessment and, especially in media, it’s very possible that a marketing plan doesn’t exist.
“And then for those that do have a marketing plan, there often isn’t good sales and marketing alignment. There isn’t open communication happening, so salespeople may not know what is going on. They may not know what’s in the works; they may not know things that are actually attributing to sales.
“There may be leads coming in, but maybe they’re not going directly to salespeople or things aren’t being shared or reported on. They may not know what’s in the works.
“And then, sometimes, where a lead generation plan is in place, salespeople may not be seeing the best leads, or the actual process of getting the leads to salespeople might be broken in a couple of different ways.”
What Should Sales Managers Who Are Frustrated with Their Company’s Marketing Plan Do?
“What would you tell a sales manager who’s frustrated with their current marketing plan or their lack of one?” Matt asks.
“So, there’s two different things we’re talking about,” Dani says. “One: a marketing plan doesn’t exist. There’s no one doing B2B marketing.
“In that scenario, I would tell them that they need to be the ones getting a marketing plan created. Often, we see that its sales leadership driving that initiative to get it started within an organization.
“And two, if they’re just frustrated with the current marketing plan, then I think there needs to be more consistent communication with those overseeing the strategy.
“It goes both ways. Those in sales need to make sure that they’re curious enough to really understand what marketing’s doing and also that there’s a space for them and their salespeople to give feedback to make sure that marketing actually understands the sales process.
“Has marketing listened in on calls? Do they really understand prospects?
“That’s often why it feels like marketing isn’t serving sales, because there’s just a lack of understanding.”
What To Do About Sales Enablement That’s Lacking Quality
“46% of salespeople report being not sure or dissatisfied with the current quality of their sales collateral, their sales enablement resources,” Matt says. “How can organizations ensure that they’re providing the best sales enablement possible for their sellers?”
“This is something that I feel passionate about,” Dani says. “The first thing I always recommend is to do an actual content audit. Make sure you know what exists.
“Often I hear, ‘We don’t have the resources, we don’t have the content,’ and then someone’s like, ‘Wait, we have these 50 things that nobody uses.’ So, make sure you actually know what’s out there, and I like to say organize:
- Good Sales Enablement: “This is stuff that’s currently usable. You can use it today.
- Sales Enablement that Needs an Update: “It’s good but needs a refresh.
- Bad Sales Enablement: “This stuff that you just need to throw out
“So, start with a content audit, and then talk to salespeople
“This includes both group brainstorms but also one-on-one conversations because people share differently in those environments.
“Find out what they need, what they find valuable, what they’re learning in the sales process, etc.
“And then use technology. Track how sales enablement and content resources are being used. There is technology that allows you to see which types of documents or videos are being viewed or shared, or that actually get a prospect to open.
“Use data to figure out what is or isn’t working so that you’re just building things that aren’t going to be effective.”
A Customer-Centric Website Needs to be a Top Priority
Matt says, “Over half of managers (56%) say their company’s website doesn’t make it easy for a prospect to understand who they are as an organization or what problems they solve.
“Why do organizations need to have a helpful website as a top priority?”
“Why should it be a top priority?” Dani says. “Because your website is your storefront. It’s often the first thing a prospect or lead is going to see and learn about you. And the reason this matters is because the paradigm of sales has changed over the years.
“We know that it’s been a while now that the power is in the buyer’s hands. Buyers do so much research. They gather what they need before they talk to a salesperson.
“Back when I sold radio, which is now getting close to 15 years ago, I had all the power that wasn’t available to buyers. They had to talk to me early in their journey to get anything related to station numbers, rates, events, etc.
“These days, you need a website that is educational and helpful. If it isn’t, they’re going to find it somewhere else.”
