Learn 14 Ways to Align Marketing to the Sales Kickoff

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – As companies ready their goals for 2019, the American Marketing Association Northeast Ohio Chapter is helping marketing teams better align their sales and marketing strategies for success.

At the Special Interest Group: 14 Ways to Align Digital Marketing to Your Annual Sales Kickoff session, attendees will learn how to align their quotas to marketing activities, refine value propositions, fill gaps in the sales process, perfectly align marketing and business strategies, and establish an effective reporting process.

Jeff Herrmann, chief revenue officer for The Business Journal, headlines the event on Jan. 8 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at TalentLaunch, 6161 OakTree Blvd., suite 300 in Independence.

During the session, Herrmann will teach attendees how to identify and establish a governing strategy and theme with metrics-driven goals, then set up a process to execute that strategy. This will help maintain the predictability of sales and marketing operations, which is important, he said during an interview with Chris Karel, vice president of programming and events for AMA Northeast Ohio.

“We all know that things blow up. Customers get mad,” Herrmann said. “But that’s no excuse for not having an operating process and rhythm. We should not let exceptions drive our plan.”

Herrmann advises aligning everything from top to bottom, with the business strategy, goals and key performance indicators all being supported by the marketing strategy. That strategy should be aligned with and supported by marketing programs, which are aligned with and supported by channels and activities, he said.

Messaging should be consistent throughout the marketing theme, he said. Herrmann recommends developing three key message points and coaching team members to memorize them.

“If you have a tagline, anecdotes or a story that explains who you are and what you do and how you help customers, then drill it into everyone’s head,” he said.

This type of strategy must carry over to the website of a company, which Herrmann calls its “ultimate sales tool.”

Rather than using a website strictly for product features and benefits, he recommends marketing teams develop content that engages and informs potential clients. Sharing that content on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, allows companies to develop relationships with ideal prospects by addressing their needs, wants, desires and problems, he said.

“By staging the content to lead the ideal client down a path, marketing can help fill a gap in the sales process,” he said.

The event is free to AMA members, $10 for nonmembers and $5 for students. Click here for event information and to purchase tickets.

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