Alex Hobbs’ Post

High quality & high level (ATL) thinking here - commenting for reach this deserves

I read this stat today: Companies with highly aligned sales and marketing grow revenue 58% faster, are 72% more profitable, and satisfy customers 3.2-to-1. But here’s the bad news: McKinsey found that misaligned companies generate 18% less EBITDA, and IDC reported that weak sales and marketing alignment causes companies to lose at least 10% of their potential revenue growth. Here are the big reasons for misalignment: 1) Your leadership team isn't aligned with strategy, direction, and priorities. 2) The organization doesn't understand its role in helping customers succeed. (If I had a nickel for every time I talked to a rep who didn't know why the customer needed something they were buying, I'd be looking at waves on a beach right now). If sales reps don't understand what makes a customer successful, what are the chances that the rest of the organization does? 3) The organization does not understand the type of sales talent they need to drive growth and so is not attracting, developing, engaging, and retaining great sales talent. Alignment must be harder than it looks because so many companies struggle with it. But looking at those three things, there is a clear path forward. Here's a start: 1) Can all of your leadership team articulate the strategy, direction, and priorities for the company and their department? 2) Does you sales and marketing team understand the problems you solve for customers? Does your marketing reflect that understanding? Do your employees understand how what they do helps customers succeed? 3) Have you defined the skills your sales team needs to sell successfully in today's world? Have you assessed where your team is today and how you can improve their skills? Are you actively trying to find sales talent with the abilities you think you need? #printingindustry #payrollsolutions #SMBs

GTM Leaders - Given the pressure you are likely feeling on revenue performance, including deal creation, win rates, and time to close, do you want to tap into one of the best and proven sources of a boost? Yes or No? Unless you are one of the businesses that have this truly nailed down (be honest), the perennial divide between sales and marketing is likely costing you revenue and momentum. The Costs? 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 10% 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. The Opportunity for Gains? 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 38% 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 24% 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡. Last week, I was working with a health tech sales team. Their top salesperson was frustrated with a sales pitch deck from marketing—too 'packaged', too wordy, and not focused on engaging conversations with prospects. This frustration highlights a two-way failure in communication, leadership, and goal setting. So ... If you are in marketing, get curious and talk to sales. The reverse is also true if you are in sales. The root cause of the divide can be multifaceted, but it starts with a common goal between sales and marketing and some openness and curiosity. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐙𝐢𝐧𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬. Please add to the comments below—either the challenges and root causes of this perennial issue or some simple solutions you have generated to create new value through sales and marketing working more closely together. #SalesLeadershipTips #TeamPerformanceBoost #InspiredSalesTeams #ActionableAdvice

🔑 Unlocking the Power of Sales Leadership in #B2BMarketing! 🔑 In the fast-paced world of B2B marketing, strong #salesleadership is a game-changer. Here’s why: 🚀 Alignment: Sales leaders synchronize sales and marketing goals, crafting cohesive strategies and impactful messaging. 💡 Customer Insights: They bring invaluable customer insights, driving targeted and effective #marketingcampaigns. 🤝 Collaboration: Open communication between sales and marketing teams fosters innovation and a seamless #customerjourney. 📊 Data-Driven Decisions: By championing analytics, sales leaders enable informed and precise #marketingstrategies. ⚡ #Adaptability: Agile leadership helps teams swiftly navigate market changes and seize new opportunities. Sales leadership does more than boost revenue—it amplifies marketing impact. Let’s harness this synergy to build a winning sales team! Dive deep with us into the tactics of sales leadership and strong team building with Emily Parker, a renowned sales development expert, and drive go-to-market success. 🌟 Read the interview here: https://lnkd.in/dWEa7Q7C #SalesLeadership #B2BMarketing #BusinessGrowth #TeamBuilding #CustomerSuccess #CorporateInterview

➡ Many CEOs lack confidence in their company's ability to define clear sales metrics, with 80% identifying this as a weakness, while only 57% of sales leaders see the same issue. This disconnect can hinder strategic decision-making, as CEOs need real-time insights to plan effectively. By partnering with a sales consultant businesses can bridge this gap, ensuring that goals are realistic, measurable, and aligned with executive expectations. #sales #salesstrategy #salesgoals

🚀 Insights on aligning sales strategies with organizational growth goals! 🚀 Sales and Marketing Managers play a pivotal role in driving revenue success, but when revenue goals fall short, repercussions can be personal and professional. That's why understanding the intricate relationship between growth strategy and the sales Go-to-Market (GTM) plan is crucial. Here's a breakdown of how Sales and Marketing teams can ensure alignment and drive sustainable revenue growth: 1️⃣ Understanding Growth Strategy: CSOs must identify whether growth is led by sales, product, marketing, or customer-centric strategies. This knowledge forms the foundation for a unified GTM plan. 2️⃣ Unique Characteristics of Growth Strategies: Each growth strategy (sales-led, marketing-led, product-led, customer-led) has distinct characteristics impacting the GTM plan. CSOs need to grasp these nuances to align strategies effectively. 3️⃣ Key Components of GTM Strategy: From target market identification to sales compensation planning, CSOs must prioritize and align GTM components according to the dominant growth strategy. 4️⃣ Role Clarity and Leverage Points: CSOs must understand their role in each growth strategy and leverage points within the GTM plan. Collaboration with other functional leaders is key to ensuring alignment with broader organizational objectives. 5️⃣ Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation: Growth strategies evolve, requiring regular assessment and adaptation of GTM plans. CSOs should revisit plans periodically and adjust them based on market dynamics and performance indicators. In today's dynamic business landscape, a structured, informed approach is paramount for sustained revenue success. Let's prioritize collaboration across functions and align sales strategies with organizational goals for impactful growth! 💼📈 #SalesStrategy #GrowthAlignment #RevenueSuccess #LeadershipInsights

When driving, the view through the windscreen is undoubtedly more important than what you see in the rearview mirrors; however, both perspectives are essential for navigating successfully. In my field, Sales, I have observed too many “brilliant” financial minds obstructing or even undermining the potential for future success in companies. Their approaches often rely on models and thinking that fail to support the performance needed for long-term sustainability success. They tend to treat sales purely as a numbers game, focusing on short-term metrics that do not foster sustainable growth and success. A financial year is frequently too short a timeframe to gauge the effectiveness of sales, especially since sales cycles can be much longer. You must invest in performance over time, recognizing that the returns may not be realized within a single fiscal year; instead, you may primarily see the associated costs. Another significant error is measuring sales solely in terms of revenue. Revenue is merely the end result of a successful conversion of orders into actual income. This conversion process can vary widely, with delays ranging from mere hours to several years, depending on the complexity and nature of the products or services being sold. To drive better outcomes, more effective key performance indicators (KPIs) should be assigned to the functions responsible for this conversion. These teams are often better equipped to handle the intricacies of the process than salespeople, who may find themselves overwhelmed and distracted by tasks outside their core responsibilities and competence. By focusing and primarily measured on bringing in more orders, sales teams can ensure a steady stream of orders to generate revenue from, rather than getting bogged down in issues that prevent them from doing what they do best and others do better. In football (soccer) ⚽️ you don’t measure a goalkeeper on scoring goals or a top forward on conceded goals. Ultimately, to achieve long-term success, it is crucial to adopt a holistic approach that considers both current performance metrics and future potential, allowing for a more strategic and sustainable growth plan. #SalesStrategies #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #salesperformance #SalesTransformation #SalesMentoring #Mentoring #SalesManagement #AIinsales #salestech

🚀 Simplify to Amplify: The Power of Sales Leadership 🚀 In the world of sales leadership, it's easy to get caught up in complexity, but the real magic happens when we keep it simple. Leading a sales team isn't just about strategy and tactics—it's about empowering our teams to achieve big things through clarity and focus. Here's the secret: simplicity breeds effectiveness. When we streamline our sales processes, remove unnecessary hurdles, and focus on what truly matters, we unleash our team's full potential. By stripping away distractions and complications, we create a clear path to success that allows our salespeople to excel. Whether it's refining our pitch, simplifying our sales messaging, or streamlining our CRM workflows, simplicity is the key to driving results. When we keep things straightforward and easy to understand, we make it easier for our team to connect with prospects, build relationships, and close deals. So, as sales leaders, let's embrace simplicity as our guiding principle. Let's strip away the clutter, simplify the process, and empower our teams to accomplish big things. Because when we keep it simple, we set the stage for success. #SalesLeadership #Simplicity #BigResults

Unlocking Success in Sales Management: The Power of Strategy and Execution Effective sales management isn't just about hitting targets; it's about orchestrating a symphony of strategy and execution. Here are a few key insights that have shaped my approach: Strategic Alignment: Aligning sales objectives with broader company goals is crucial. It ensures that every effort contributes meaningfully to the organization's growth trajectory. Empowering Teams: Sales success hinges on empowered teams. Investing in their development, providing tools for success, and fostering a culture of collaboration are pivotal. Data-Driven Decisions: Leveraging data insights transforms good managers into great ones. It helps anticipate market trends, refine strategies, and optimize performance. Adaptability and Innovation: The sales landscape evolves rapidly. Embracing innovation and staying adaptable are non-negotiables for sustained success. Customer-Centricity: Putting the customer at the center of every strategy builds trust and loyalty. It's about delivering value and forging lasting partnerships. Continuous Improvement: Strive for continuous improvement. Regularly evaluate strategies, learn from successes and setbacks, and iterate for ongoing success. Navigating the complexities of sales management requires a blend of art and science. It's about leading with vision, empowering with purpose, and driving results that transcend numbers. Here's to embracing the journey of growth and excellence in sales management! #SalesManagement #Leadership #StrategyExecution #BusinessSuccess #Empowerment #DataDrivenInsights

How do you know if your leadership team is focused on the following KPI's: 1. Building a sales-driven culture? 2. Aware of every move the market is doing? Here are some questions for your review: 1. Can they tell you how many leads are in the pipeline right away? 2. Do they have any idea on how many phone calls are coming in daily? 3. Do they have any idea how the phones are being answered? 4. Do they know how sales teams are nurturing leads? 5. Is the KPI on leads to closed business tracked vigilantly? 6. Is the sales team clear on what their goals are for the week/month? 7. Is every closed deal celebrated or does it go unnoticed? 8. Is there a tug of war between sales and marketing causing delays in actionable items? 9. Is your CEO focused on operations and blindsided by what the market is doing? 10. Is your CEO on the pulse with everything the competition does? In recent case reviews for 2025 strategic plans, there is a real disconnect in some business models. It has to start with leadership, it has to be fiercely adopted with KPI's that are practical and real. With the types of data ready at our fingertips today: 1. Remove barriers with antiquated sales implementation plans, including hyper-vigilant dinosaurs on having meetings after meetings with no real action. 2. Consult - Consider - Decide fast with data and react to stay competitive - this does not mean rushing on decisions but, gone are the days for sales teams to be going around in circles. It is an adapt-or-die situation and there are MODERN techniques to connect: 1. Marketing and Sales 2. Motivate Sales Teams 3. Conclude on sound decisions without the cost of dysfunctional meetings For modern leadership structures, SOP's, and growing a sales portfolio for B2B companies, we can help hands down! The real question is are you ready to adapt and change? iffelinternational.com #vpsalesandmarketing #fractionalsales #fractionalcmo #cmo #ceo #cfo #salesteams #salesstrategy #moderntechniques #b2bmarketing #educationalmarketing #competitiveadvantage #salestraining #headofsales #salesfunnel #salespipeline #salesculture #changemanagement #provisors #unbossing #salestraining