UNIFYING MARKETING, SALES, AND SERVICE TO SUCCEED WITH ABE Orchestrating the marketing, sales, performance reviews are critical to and service functions is challenging, ensure that the account teams are on but it’s critical if ABE is to succeed. As track to achieve their goals and, if they the former global marketing head for aren’t, can respond in an agile fashion. an information services provider “As joint account planning became pointed out: “Marketing cannot be foundational, we implemented weekly beneficial unless it is aligned with account pit stops with sales for quick sales and service. The three parts feedback and discussion on what was, must be working together, speaking and wasn’t, working,” said the former the same language to accounts.” senior marketing head of a business services company. Marketing, sales, and service execu- tives must first agree on the ABE Novel approaches may be required. program’s goals. They must decide, The vice president of global brand for instance, if the primary goal is and digital marketing for a technology account acquisition, expansion of services company implementing a existing accounts, or improving strategic ABE program described the retention. They must also align on the approach: “We moved to having one account segments to target—for marketing person acting as a mini- instance, top strategic accounts, large CMO, across six account teams, to accounts, or midsize accounts—and, help drive brand awareness, develop therefore, whether they should use customized content, and drive strategic or scaled ABE or both. analytics.” The approach enabled Finally, there must be agreement marketing to better understand the about which accounts to target, account sales strategy and to execute supported by plans that will achieve a marketing plan that directly account-specific business objectives. connected to sales. Institutionalizing the alignment process Marketing, sales, and service must through joint planning efforts in which also align on the key decision makers all three functions participate is a best and influencers to target, and the practice. As the former director of right approach and channels to use in enterprise marketing for a global order to optimize engagement across software company commented: “Gain- the customer buying journey. This ing alignment requires discipline around requires research on the customer joint ac count planning that many buying process to understand better companies don’t have. We used two-day which buyer roles are involved at bootcamps to align with customers and which stages in the process. A develop proof-of-concepts that would marketing director with a global work best with executives as part of our software company commented: “We account planning process.” found that a typical sale required 15 to 17 touches to close, including Once account goals and plans are digital, event, and sales interactions established, communication and across the buying team.” Boston Consulting Group 9