“Align and Conquer:” - Or How marketing and sales need to get their shit together.

After a 2 week break from work (not really) and Linkedin (thank god), we are back with another edition of "Founder's Sales Circus" and this is a juicy one!

Let's dive into the concept of misalignment and why it poses a significant challenge for startups.

So, what exactly is misalignment? Well, it's like when things aren't quite lining up the way they should. Imagine a puzzle where the pieces aren't fitting together properly—that's misalignment in action.

Now, in the corporate world, misalignment means that teams are playing a game of telephone where everyone's whispering different strategies. It's like a chaotic game of chess where nobody knows whose move it is.

Here's a real knee-slapper: I stumbled upon a survey that showed just how rampant this issue is. When executives were asked to name their company's top three priorities, it was like a game of "who's on first" with only a measly 2 percent all saying the same thing. And get this, a whopping 64 percent thought their priorities were as aligned as synchronized swimmers at the Olympics.

But seriously, how does a startup end up in this hot mess of disorganization and conflicting goals? Let's peel back the layers on that one.

Let's explore the shift from perfect alignment to the risk of misalignment.

At the startup's outset, there's a close-knit team leading the way. They're a group of dedicated explorers, navigating new challenges with determination. Despite operating on limited resources, their small size allows for effective coordination and maintaining alignment.

However, as the startup grows, the team expands, and departments like marketing, sales, and customer success form. Each group becomes focused on their own objectives, striving to excel in their area. This intense focus can lead to a loss of the overall company perspective, as team members start to operate in silos, losing sight of how their actions fit into the broader company goals.

It's like having a group of chefs each cooking a different dish in the same kitchen without knowing what the full menu is supposed to be; they might make great individual dishes, but it doesn't necessarily come together as a coherent meal, leading to delays, missed deadlines and all kinds of other crap.

This is when misalignment can subtly begin to take hold, often going unnoticed until it becomes problematic. The survey we referred to serves as a revealing moment, highlighting the overlooked signs of misalignment.

We'll next look into how to detect these signs early and guide your startup back on the right track.

Let's get real about misalignment.

First up, spotting the blame game and vanity metrics—two classic misalignment red flags.

When 💩 hit the fan: The Blame Game.

Marketing's pointing fingers at Sales, Sales is pointing right back—it's like a dysfunctional game of hot potato with blame. Sales complains about lead quality, while Marketing's high fiving over traffic numbers. But here's the kicker: they're not even playing the same game! Marketing's all about quantity, while Sales wants quality. No wonder they can't see eye to eye.

Now, onto Vanity Metrics. Ever heard someone boast about skyrocketing traffic or smashing booking quotas? Sounds impressive, right? Until you start asking the real questions. Marketing's cheering over traffic numbers, but do they even know how many sign-ups they got? Hint: probably not. And Sales is celebrating hitting targets, but how much of that revenue's sticking around? Their answer? Just a shrug.

Everyone's hitting their own targets, but missing the big picture. It's like playing darts blindfolded - you might hit the board, but you're not scoring bullseyes.

So, how do we untangle this mess? It starts with getting everyone on the same page about what really matters. Let's dive in.

1. Main Goals, but Make Them Epic: Your startup is like the ultimate game level where you've got two big quests: 1) make your customers so happy with your stuff they can't imagine life without it, and 2) get more of those die-hard fans. It's not just about having customers who think you're cool and throw likes your way. You need the ones who would fight to keep your product because it's that awesome for them. Like, if they had to choose between your product and another, yours is the no-brainer choice because it's like the superpower they need in their game of life.

2. Super Team Time, Leveled Up: Here’s where you form the ultimate team, "Team Successful Customers." Picture this as assembling your all-star players in a fantasy game where each one has unique powers but together, they're unbeatable. They need to sync like a well-oiled machine, sharing insights, strategies, and victories. Regular meet-ups are key, kind of like strategy huddles where they plot the next big play, ensuring everyone's in the game and not off on solo missions.

3. Choose Your Team Style – Old School or Mixed Reality?: The assembly line is like classic arcade gaming – straightforward, each player hitting their mark. Everyone's a specialist, nailing their part of the game, which makes things run super fast. But the risk? They might miss what’s happening in the rest of the game world. The pod model, though, is like a role playing game where each squad handles a bit of everything, from the first level to the boss fight. It keeps everyone tuned into the whole story, but they might need to level up in different skills, which can slow down the action.

4. Role-Swap Reality Check: This is like swapping controllers mid-game to feel what your teammate deals with. Engineers doing sales calls? That’s like putting a healer in the front line in a battle game. It's tough, but it opens eyes to how intense and important each role is. Marketers fixing bugs? That’s like making a sniper scout the field up close. It’s a whole new world, but understanding it makes the team stronger and more in sync.

5. Scoring System Overhaul: You gotta think about the long-term game here, not just the immediate score. Setting KPIs is like choosing what skills to level up in a game for the best long-term success. Don’t just celebrate the quick points; make sure the game strategy brings in fans who stay for the sequel. It’s about finding that sweet balance in your scoreboard – rewarding both the fresh wins and the ongoing loyalty of your customer base.

In essence, think of your startup as the ultimate gaming experience where your mission is clear, your team is in sync, roles are understood and respected, and the success metrics are set for both immediate and lasting victories. It’s about getting everyone on the same page, playing the same game, and aiming for that epic win together.

Shifting your company culture to focus on everyone taking responsibility and working together as one unified team creates a powerful formula for growth.