The ability to reach all of your business goals is a crucial part of keeping up with today’s global marketplace. The integration of your Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) and your Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) is a necessary step in achieving all of your goals. It’s possible to achieve some with just one or the other, but integrating the two is the most surefire way to achieve them all. Here’s how:
Alignment of Sales and Marketing Teams
When organizations align their sales and marketing operations, they benefit from a customer retention rate that’s 36 percent higher. When the technology, sales and marketing teams are aligned, there are improvements in sales wins rates in nearly every instance. MarketingProfs tells us that “Now, more than ever, your sales and marketing teams need to be collaborating to achieve common goals and using the sophisticated technology available to them.”
Connecting CRM and MAP
Even if you have a tool that connects your CRM and MAP, it’s likely that you’re not gaining the highest degree of value from each program. It can cost you time and money if the tools you’re using aren’t operating efficiently. According to Marketing Automation Software, “Integration between your marketing automation system and CRM system should be bidirectional. In other words, your CRM system should talk to your marketing automation platform and your marketing automation platform should talk to your CRM system.” You should dispose of unnecessary third-party devices, it’s the easiest way to tighten the relationship between the programs.
Formulate A Formal Process
The first step is composing an alignment plan with leadership from the sales and marketing teams, followed by developing a formal process. The teams can start the process independently and then exchange documents and pick out the strategy components that they agree on. When this is done, and the teams are in accordance, it’s time to create Service Level Agreements for each other. These documents should be reviewed and updated as needed.
Integration Time
After the teams are in accordance about the process, the technology that aligns with your strategy can be put in place. Destination CRM tells us that it’s essential for marketing automation platforms to be natively integrated with the sales CRM. If not, it’s challenging to create a homogenous experience for current and prospective customers. This alignment will almost always serve to drive company growth.
Two Thriving Teams
With the proper process in place and ready to go, your sales and marketing teams will flourish together. However, the integration of your CRM and MAP platforms is crucial in order for this to happen. Your teams and technology must align to create a thriving and prosperous business.
When it comes to integration and CRM needs, MDL Technology is here to help. Visit our website to learn more.
