media update’s Taylor Goodman unpacks exactly what smarketing is and how it can benefit your business. 

Many think that ‘smarketing’ is just a buzzword or a term created for something businesses are already doing, but this is not true: it is a whole new way of thinking

To put it simply, smarketing is the alignment of sales and marketing. These departments are often managed as separate silos, which should not be the case.

Why? Well let’s first look at each department's role in a business. 

It is the marketer’s job to cast their net out with promotional materials (think social media campaigns, blogs, e-newsletters) to spread brand awareness and communicate with consumers on a large scale. 

Sales teams work together to generate revenue by convincing consumers to buy their brand’s products / services. 

There is often conflict between these departments because marketers grumble about how sales teams don’t follow up on the leads they provide and sales teams blame marketers for creating insufficiently qualified leads

However, if these teams are able to work together, hence ‘smarketing’, they will better achieve the organisation's overall goal — generating revenue

How can sales and marketing alignment be achieved?

Achieving complete alignment between your marketing and sales teams does not happen overnight. It is a process that will take a great deal of time and effort from both parties. 

With that being said, alignment between these departments can be achieved by:
  • drawing up a sales and marketing service-level agreement
  • constant communication and feedback between teams 
  • agreed terminology on KPIs, and 
  • regular meetings between teams.

How can a smarketing team benefit your business?

An aligned sales and marketing team should be a fundamental part of any business. Not only can it create a more cohesive work environment, but it can also increase profits. 

According to Hubspot, companies with smarketing teams achieve a 36% higher sales close rate and a 38% higher customer retention.

This is because, when the teams work together, they highlight each other’s strengths and downplay their weaknesses.

Smarketing can also result in improved customer service. As these teams both deal with consumers in their own way, by working together, they are able to share their respective knowledge and form a better understanding of the consumer. 

Lastly, an aligned smarketing team makes sure that everyone is on the same page and working to achieve the same objectives. Together, these teams also form a better understanding of each other and, with time, build mutual respect. This will ensure that things within the business run like a well-oiled machine.

Do you think a smarketing team would be beneficial to your business? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Are you interested in strengthening your marketing muscles? Then be sure to check out 10 media analysis terms every brand should know about.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy