By: Kathy Kent Toney, CEO & Founder of Kent Solutions Have you ever heard the term “smarketing” before? I recently discovered this word when I was redoing my website. I wagered a guess, and I was pretty close. Here’s a definition: Smarketing is a blend of the two words “sales” and “marketing.” It represents a holistic approach where these traditionally distinct departments align their goals, strategies, and activities for a unified purpose. It's more than just collaboration; it's a strategic alliance that encourages seamless communication, shared objectives, and mutual support between sales and marketing teams. Here are six aspects of smarketing: 1. Unified Goals and Objectives In a smarketing-driven environment, sales and marketing teams work together towards common objectives. Rather than operating in silos, they share a unified vision, ensuring that every effort contributes to the overall business goals. This alignment removes the traditional divide, promoting a sense of shared responsibility for achieving success. 2. Transparent Communication Channels Smarketing thrives on open lines of communication. Regular, transparent communication between sales and marketing teams ensures that both sides are well-informed about ongoing strategies, challenges, and successes. This transparency enables quicker adjustments to campaigns, allowing teams to respond promptly to market changes and evolving customer needs. 3. Shared Metrics for Success One of the cornerstones of smarketing is the establishment of shared Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) between sales and marketing teams. Instead of focusing solely on individual metrics, both departments collaborate to define and track metrics that matter most to the entire revenue-generating process. This shared accountability encourages a results-driven culture where success is a collective achievement. 4. Collaborative Content Creation Content is a powerful tool that bridges the gap between sales and marketing. With a smarketing focus, both teams collaborate on creating content that resonates with the target audience throughout the buyer's journey. This collaboration ensures that the content aligns with sales messaging, addresses customer pain points, and guides prospects seamlessly through the sales funnel. 5. Regular Joint Training Sessions Ongoing education and skill development for smarketing to succeed. Regular joint training sessions bring together sales and marketing teams to share insights, learn new strategies, and align their approaches. This helps strengthen the collective knowledge base of the entire revenue-generating ecosystem. 6. Integrated Technology Stack Smarketing relies on a seamless integration of technology tools. From Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to marketing automation platforms, having a shared tech stack ensures that both sales and marketing teams have access to real-time data. This integration eliminates data silos, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions and enabling more informed decision-making. # # # For those of you who have been in either in sales or marketing roles during your career, you know that smarketing is not an easy thing to do. That’s why we’ll be covering the challenges and techniques to overcome silos in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, I’ll give you a sneak peek of my new website (kent.solutions). I’m pivoting my business to start helping organizations fine-tune their sales and marketing engines through revenue-generating AI services and CRM solutions. My goal is to make smarketing a reality in businesses through automation strategies. I’m not announcing it to the masses yet—that’s why I’d love feedback since I’m still tweaking things. If you’re open to that, click the button below to send me a quick reply with your thoughts!
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