How digital disruption is shaping sales and marketing alignment

Just as digital innovation is changing how brands and their customers interact, so it’s transforming the relationship between sales and marketing. With the majority of the buying process and customer onboarding now possible online – a process only accelerated by the events of 2020 – businesses are faced with a world of virtual touchpoints, mountains of customer data and rising consumer expectations. A non-linear, more fluid customer journey means the traditional sales and marketing roles are becoming less defined. Yet at the same time, delivering a seamless brand experience has never been more important.

With digital innovation driving so much change, it’s only natural that many sales and marketing teams are also turning to technology to solve their alignment challenges internally. In fact, a recent survey with Forrester Consulting commissioned by LinkedIn found that 61% of companies are considering marketing tools and technologies to improve alignment, while 58% are looking to sales tools. From CRM, marketing automation and sales enablement platforms, to a host of new collaboration and productivity tools, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. But is more tech really the answer?

In our recent crossover episode of Live with Sales Leaders and Live with Marketers, we brought together Jeff Davis, Keynote Speaker and Author of Create Togetherness, Alison Orsi, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at IBM, and Hans Dekkers, Chief Digital Officer & Vice President Digital Sales Europe, Middle East & Africa at IBM, to discuss this and other questions around sales and marketing alignment. Watch the full discussion here, or read on for our analysis.

Technology alone can’t solve alignment challenges

First and foremost, panelists were keen to point out that technology isn’t a catch-all solution to the alignment challenges that sales and marketing face. While it might seem like a quick fix, Jeff Davis, Keynote Speaker and Author of Create Togetherness, says that putting the foundations in place first is vital:

“We have so often overlooked this rift between sales and marketing, and just tried to throw technology at it; AKA the CRM. So, if you put it in the CRM, that means we're aligned and that's just not the truth. Technology can only accelerate what you have. So, if you have a bad process, bad culture and bad strategy, technology is only going to accelerate that - and it's still going to be bad.”

Before investing in digital tools, the first step is therefore to look at the underlying people and culture and process issues that are hindering effective alignment. Does each team understand what the other is trying to achieve and what they need to do their job effectively? Is there a process defining how the two teams will work together to deliver a cohesive customer experience? Only once those are in place, can the technology be layered on top.

Driving intimacy through data

Yet, while it’s clear that technology shouldn’t precede relationships and process, when deployed well, the right tools can be a game changer, due to the customer data they deliver. Alison Orsi, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at IBM, argues that this data is invaluable for reaching a new level of customer experience and engagement, particularly in fast moving markets.

“If what we're trying to do is continually improve the customer experience and smooth engagement… actually what speaks best is real data,” she says. “What are customers doing? How do we automate and infuse data into every step of the process? It’s one of the quickest ways to spot changing trends or preferences.”

Done right, technology can help brands to build greater intimacy and trust with the customer, enabling personalisation and customisation at every stage of the buying experience. By providing greater visibility of the customer, it can show where marketing and sales can each add value, helping to make the collaboration more seamless and measurement of campaigns more effective.

Hans Dekkers, Chief Digital Officer & Vice President Digital Sales Europe, Middle East & Africa at IBM, believes the right sales and marketing systems can ensure organisations are focusing on what’s really important. He explains:

“What is the cost of acquiring a client, what is its lifetime value and how do we improve that significantly? All the data that fuels those two metrics will be captured in the new type of systems in the future.”

Less is more when aligning purchasing decisions

So, what’s the secret to getting it right? Ultimately, it comes back to the core issue, which is better alignment between sales and marketing. To benefit from the value that tech can bring, the two teams have to stop operating in digital silos and agree on the systems that will best drive growth. The Forrester research suggests this frequently isn’t happening with nearly half (41%) of respondents admitting that their systems aren’t well integrated.

“Start having better conversations when you're buying new technology if it's going to affect your colleague on the other side of the fence,” advises Orsi. “Make sure that you're buying the best solution for the revenue engine and not just sales and marketing, because ultimately as you stack more of these things on top of each other… they cannot do what they're really meant to do, which is make a connection with buyers. We've got to stop buying technology in silos”

At the root of the challenge then is communication, empathy and trust, while always linking back to the four pillars of strategy, process, content and culture. Implementing the right technology and getting the most out of it demands honest conversations and a common goal. Get back to fundamentals and really start talking to each other - your customers will thank you for it. 

For more on sales and marketing alignment and the results of the research by Forrester Consulting commissioned by LinkedIn, download our full Moments of Trust guide here.