An airplane is significantly more complex to operate than a semi-truck. Yet, in 2022, there were only 5 major accidents in airplanes compared to 5,370 for large trucks. How are pilots so much safer than truck drivers? One reason is that the airline industry puts data before people. Analyzing, understanding and operationalizing everything ensures pilots have the best technology, processes and training to remain safer. Revenue teams need to do the same thing. The biggest gap to realizing revenue alignment is not a lack of sales and marketing people working together, it’s the lack of data available to analyze, visualize and recommend the next step and each step in the prospecting and buying cycle. Data capture solves this data gap and enables revenue teams to optimize each buyer interaction by:
- Analyzing all interactions and signals: Aggregating data in one place allows for a better understanding of what is happening in the current deal and allows for the determination of the best action for a seller or marketer to take. Aggregated data also includes the insights derived from what has worked in previous deals to better inform future decisions. Complex deals generate more signals than a person can keep track of, so analyzing everything happening in a deal requires a focused data strategy.
- Visualizing the buying process: When working together on a complex project, sellers and marketers need to see what each is doing to determine the best way for them to engage together. They don’t need to communicate constantly, just when needed. Visualize sales and marketing activities that have happened so far, along with any deviation from what typically happens in a successful buying cycle. With full visibility and analysis of the steps that have been taken, the owner of each step can engage in the way they were trained and deliver the best outcome.
- Recommending the best approach: Focusing on data capture allows revenue teams to make the most informed decisions during each step in a deal. In the past, interactions and signals data were not consistently captured and associated with the opportunity. Full analysis of what is happening in a deal creates the ability to estimate the most likely outcome and future steps. This data will show the recommended steps that are most likely to lead to a successful result, narrowing the options and allowing the seller or marketer to make the best possible decision at each point in the deal.
Data visibility has been a missing link preventing sales and marketing teams from aligning. Putting it as the first step does not mean people aren’t important. It means they need help to process the wide variety of signals generated during a B2B buying cycle and translating them into the insights each person on the revenue team needs to improve their chances of winning. Just like in flying, perfecting the execution of a complex buying process requires data to enable sellers and marketers to deliver the best outcome.
