Sales and Marketing need to be tightly integrated toward a common goal of revenue growth. Too many times marketing is siloed and not aligned with sales.

How does one go about aligning sales and marketing? Communications is the key. Go talk to the salespeople. What are they hearing? What do they need? Make regular communications a regular event — every week at first and every two weeks later on.

I also recommend you begin working on audience personas. I have seen many websites where companies offer a product pulldown. Excuse me? I am the CFO of a large bank looking for funds transfer capabilities. Let me select my vertical, my title and my area of interest and then — tell me what I need to know.  But very few websites offer that capability.

Please note the most websites today are all about the company and product.  I’m a prospective customer.  What is there for me?

Before I go, let me share one thought about Interactive Voice Response systems and the “mom test.”

I called Verizon to order a new set-top box for my son.  The Interactive Voice Response system started fine and I thought I was about to complete my order, but then I ran into a roadblock and got lost.  I tried the website and had a similar problem.  So I called.  The technician who answered said that he hears that all the time — people try to do it on the phone or on the web, but are unable to complete it.

I suggested he use the “Mom test.”  This test is based on the theory that, if your Mother can do it, anyone can.  The technician said that was a terrific idea.

For companies looking for best practices in b2b lead generation who wish to improve the way they acquire new customers, Find New Customers is the place to go.  CSO Insights says companies need to improve the way they generate leads and implement processes for business to business lead generation.

Jeff Ogden, the Fearless Competitor, is a demand generation expert and sales leader, as well as the President of Find New Customers, a lead generation company, who helps businesses create lead generation campaigns and continually publishes the best lead generation ideas, so his readers can determine the best lead generation strategy to find new customers.  He can be reached at (516) 284-4930 or mailto:[email protected].