It is a competition

INDUSTRY NEWS

It is a competition

Not everything needs to be a competition. Is it really worthwhile to determine who has the best mullet? Or how you can tune your growth engine to outperform rivals? The answers are, of course, “yes” and “yes.” Sales leaders face stiff competition as they look to grow revenue year after year. And it’s not just wiley competitors you have to deal with. Mercurial market shifts, broadening buyer behaviors, pained processes, and many other factors can keep you from hitting your growth goals. John Arnold, Principal Analyst at Forrester, offers up key insights for creating a durable growth engine that can outperform when competition is fierce. The next time you find yourself wondering if something is a competition, remember that you’re in sales.

Overstuffed

Overstuffing is a big problem. It would be nice if it was limited to grandma’s sofa, Thanksgiving dinner, and the Star Wars franchise, but it’s also a major issue in channel sales. It can be way too easy for sales leaders to boost sales by selling too aggressively into the channel. However, that’s a dangerous gambit that can impact future revenue while also damaging relationships with partners who get stuck with bloated inventories. It may be an incredibly complicated situation to overcome, but it can be done. Maria Boulden, a VP and Executive Partner, Sales, at Gartner, offers up a detailed plan for right-sizing channel inventories while minimizing impact. Warning: you may feel a bit stuffed after consuming this meaty article.

Before you AI

Everywhere you turn, you hear about companies using AI to solve critical business. It’s clear that AI will have a huge impact on humanity, but we need to be careful in how we leverage it. Remember The Terminator, The Matrix, Transcendence, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning… You get the point. So how do you explore the use of AI without risking the extinction of humanity? In its latest report, “Generative AI: The Path to Impact,” analyst firm IDC lays out the key activities, core technologies, and emerging use cases that businesses should consider when developing their AI strategy. With sound strategy and execution, you can do your part to avoid the robot apocalypse.

IN THE GROOVE

A match made in heaven

A perfectly curated tech stack can help your team work smarter, not harder. But, with the overwhelming amount of information in this space, it can often feel complicated and confusing to know what tech to buy for your team. If you’re trying to decide between a sales engagement platform like Groove, and a marketing automation platform like Pardot or Marketo Engage, you need to take a step back to understand how these two platforms actually complement each other. Check out our blog to learn why most B2B revenue teams could benefit from both a sales engagement platform and a marketing automation platform. They could just be a match made in heaven – read to find out.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Sales Barbies

Hi Barbie! Hi Ken! If you have yet to see the hit sensation Barbie, it’s time to throw on everything pink you own, grab your dearest Barbie or Ken, and head to the theater, because it’s hot (pink) right now! If you loved your Barbie as a youth, you are sure to love this live-action and radical spin on the world’s favorite doll – and a $330M opening weekend is sure to prove it. While a big takeaway from the movie is that a big marketing budget can get you anywhere, thought leader Jack McKissen also sees three lessons that sales organizations can learn from Barbie. Say less, Jack! Sounds like this sales Barbie has a show to catch!

In alignment

Everybody wants it, hardly anyone has it, and everyone is talking about it. What is this elusive thing we are talking about? And no, it’s not Margo Robbie or Ryan Gosling in Barbie. It’s sales and marketing alignment! If you have heard enough of your sales team complaining that “It’s the bad marketing leads, not me!”, then it’s time to stop talking about aligning and just – align. But how? What even is sales and marketing alignment? The Sandler blog breaks down the seven traits of an aligned, accountable organization and how to achieve true sales and marketing alignment for success. Remember the tip from Barbie – good marketing brings in the big bucks.

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