Browse our blog and you will find that we are consistently discussing Sales and Marketing Alignment: the process of having a common set of definitions that describe prospects and customers at each stage of the sales funnel, and how these stages start from the marketing team as prospects, and move on to the final stages of the sales process to closed business. Yes, alignment is key, but it more so refers to the linear arrangement and positioning of the two departments together.
So we’ve got alignment down. Where does “”synergy” come in?
“Synergy” comes from the Greek synergia, meaning a situation in which individuals, at the same time, are working together in order to create an outcome that’s more valuable than their individual input. It’s a process of joint work and cooperative action. Inevitably, the result should be greater than the sum of the parts. Not only will individuals work together to complete a task, but they will produce results that are greater than they could achieve separately.
Improving synergy between sales reps ultimately works to close more deals. But how do we make this happen? Below are the three elements that keep sales reps focused on achieving greater results.
- Education
There is nothing more essential than individual sales reps understanding the sales operations and processes of the organization. This includes CRM and sales cycle expectations. In SMBs, individual onboarding is an imperative process, and in enterprise-level organizations, training takes an even larger component. Education has to be a constant process. Group training sessions work to keep everyone on the same page and towards an understanding of expectations and goals.
- Communication
Open lines of communication between team members and their relationship with the sales exec is also an important part of developing synergy. Reinforcing transparency, ensuring that all team members have the same goals and visions, and enabling them to be open enough to ask questions is a cornerstone of sales effectiveness. Making sure that sales reps have an outlet for asking questions without fear is important in creating synergy, because not only will they get answers, but they will feel as though they are on the same level of understanding as the rest of the team members.
- Shared goals
Education and effective communication will lead to meeting goals. Is there, however, a point when these goals aren’t shared by the entire team? In addition to the monthly or quarterly quotas of each sales rep, there should be team goals imposed that motivate members to work together. Zoning in on goals that all members of the team are invested in is a key part of developing synergy.
Taking the necessary steps to educate, communicate and create collaborative goals is a good place to start in order to propel a team to success. How are you working on improving the synergy of your sales reps?
