Align Marketing and Sales functions with Inbound

Within companies, the Marketing and Sales functions often find themselves in a conflicting relationship which, in the long run, can lead to negative repercussions on the achievement of business objectives. In this scenario, the Inbound Marketing methodological approach not only helps to improve the performance of the marketing and communication function, but also supports the alignment of the whole organization on a single strategic objective that stimulates virtuous synergies between teams in favor of business growth. The problems between Marketing and Sales Marketing and Sales are two strategic functions that should work together towards a single goal, but which often clash, jeopardizing the acquisition of new customers. This misalignment tends to come from a lack of communication between the two areas , in which both functions head on towards their specific objective: attracting potential customers to generate new leads for marketing and acquire new customers for sales. An unprofitable attitude, which does not consider the focus that both functions should have, i.e. the customer , as a priority . To improve communication and Marketing and Sales performance, collaboration and synchrony are needed , two elements that structurally characterize the Inbound approach. From lead to customer through an inbound path When we talk about Inbound Marketing we don’t mean simply a methodology, but a real philosophy that puts people at its centre : in fact, starting from the user’s needs, requirements and language, Inbound Marketing develops the brand’s ability to attract potential customers and to lead them to purchase through a conversion path. Through the sharing of relevant and useful content and information , the user is accompanied in a step-by-step process along which he develops his awareness of his needs and the solutions available on the market, arriving at understanding whether a brand’s proposal is the solution he was looking for. In this way, marketing is able to generate qualified leads – therefore contacts interested in a topic who provide information, for example by filling out a form, in exchange for content, such as a white paper – which can be converted into customers by sales . Bridging the gap between Marketing, Sales and Customer Service by focusing on the customer Building quality conversations is the key to cultivating long-term relationships of trust with your customers and with your audience in general: this involves not only the marketing dimension, but the whole company in its various functions. On the other hand, we know that an organization works (or should work) as a synergistic and integrated ecosystem between its multiple elements, avoiding operating in watertight compartments and keeping the connection active between administration, sales, marketing, human resources and all other corporate functions. If we think of Inbound Marketing as a broader theoretical framework, we understand that the centrality of the customer and his needs cannot be limited to the work of the marketing function, but must above all be integrated into the corporate culture : this approach is in fact conceived to align the entire organization with the aim of providing a solution to the real needs of the customer . It is a change of perspective that might seem obvious, but which on the contrary is anything but obvious. But how to make the alignment of corporate functions possible? The involvement of the whole organization in the Inbound framework takes place thanks to a fundamental step, namely the alignment of the strategy between the Marketing, Sales and Customer service functions . Inbound marketing thus gives impetus to a virtuous circle: The Marketing activity guides the maturation of contacts in the conversion path and generates qualified leads for sales ; Sales converts leads into customers, who generate turnover and are followed up by the after-sales customer service ; The Customer service manages the after-sales experience, taking care of customer satisfaction which will feed word of mouth and new marketing contacts. Source: HubSpot.com In the Inbound logic, these three areas are therefore interconnected and interdependent in a circular way, breaking down barriers and instead opening the doors wide to cross-team collaborations . The system thus triggered is supported by the back-office functions , which in turn align themselves from a customer-centric perspective and according to the methods specific to their sphere of competence. In addition to qualified leads, all the benefits of Inbound Marketing The involvement of the whole organization promoted by the Inbound philosophy represents a great growth opportunity for companies. In fact, there are several benefits that can be obtained from this approach, such as: provide improved customer service; encourage greater collaboration between corporate functions ; build a corporate culture that unites all collaborators; create synergy between business teams that fuels the growth of the organization.