Aligned to Achieve

Chapter 3Build Alignment into Every Process

Before we begin, let's repeat our alignment mantra: Sales can't do it alone and marketing exists to make sales easier. Now let's consider process and how it affects alignment.

We look at process as a way to define what should be done in most cases, and also as a yardstick to measure the impact of—and determine the reaction to—exceptions. If you don't have a process that everyone in your organization understands and follows, it isn't possible to make exceptions when warranted. As a result, everything becomes an exception and your company runs like the Wild West.

Here's our next bold statement: The old linear sales funnel is dead. Your sales funnel can no longer be depicted as a simple linear path from lead to closed deal. It's now continuous, circular, overlapping. Research by McKinsey & Company found that B2B customers use an average of six different “interaction channels” throughout their decision-making process, and nearly two-thirds of them say they are frustrated by inconsistent experiences.

Since the relationship with the customer is ongoing, customers can engage, pull away, and re-engage when it's convenient for them. All of this adds up to confusion for sales and marketing unless they can adapt to match the buyer. That means more handoffs and touching of leads, which requires better coordination and communication. It also means sales and marketing have to work together to create a strategic plan for engaging with buyers as each ...