Define to Align with Tricia Gellman
What it takes to actually align sales and marketing teams to crush company goals.
The hype train for Season 2 is full steam ahead and this week, we’re featuring another Drift alumni. (For anyone who’s scared at the thought of us only speaking to past Drift employees from now on, don’t worry, next week we’re chatting with someone who was pretty integral to the success of Salesloft…)
Here’s what’s on deck this week:
What Craig’s Reading
Latest Episode: Defining Metrics & Aligning Goals with Tricia Gellman
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What Craig’s Reading
GTM AI Flash Survey
Yes, this report was written by my team at Scale Venture Partners but the results were fascinating. AI has a long way to go but people are trying it and over 90% of respondents are seeing some impact from their adoption. Check it out.
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Latest Episode: Defining Metrics & Aligning Goals with Tricia Gellman - The Transaction - Ep. 32
What does an opportunity mean to you? Would the rest of your company give the same answer? Probably not. But not to fear, GTM leader, because Tricia Gellman, the CMO of Box joins hosts Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg to explain how to fix the cracks between sales and marketing. Tricia outlines the importance of having shared goals across sales and marketing teams, why defining terms clearly is so critical, and what it’s like for those selling AI tools to B2B buyers.
Also, Craig recounts his time spent hanging out with reps at Dreamforce and Matt gushes about the events TOPO used to run.
Critical Takeaways
A crucial component in driving sales and marketing alignment is using the same metrics and dashboards to accomplish shared goals. Consistency and agreement on these metrics will help streamline the goal-setting process, reduce friction, and ensure everyone is working towards the same company objectives.
Clearly define what constitutes an opportunity and different stages within the pipeline. Aligning these definitions across marketing and sales will prevent discrepancies and confusion, leading to more accurate performance tracking and reporting.
Invest in brand building. A strong brand is essential for long-term success and helps in making conversations happen at the C-suite level. This investment continues to pay off by fostering word-of-mouth recommendations and creating a lasting impression in the minds of decision-makers.
Building a community, especially around high-level executives and key decision-makers, can significantly enhance your brand's reach and credibility. Hosting events and creating opportunities for peer networking add tremendous value and deepen customer loyalty.
Chapters
00:00 Tricia's Italy Trip & Career Advice
03:08 Overcoming the Challenges of a CMO
04:51 Managing Pipeline in the Current Environment
08:56 How to Align Marketing and Sales Teams
23:26 Aligning Incentives Across Teams
24:01 Defining Opportunities and Meetings
25:18 Adapting to AI in Sales
27:13 Transitioning to a New CMO Role
32:22 Building Community and Product Alignment
Epic Quotes
“Saying you can't do it because you don't have the data is just a cop out.” - Tricia Gellman
“Everybody works to their goals. Whatever the incentive is, that's what people work towards.” - Tricia Gellman
“One of the key roles of leadership across sales and marketing is really being clear on who are we going after? Why are we going after it? And then, how are we going to go after it?” - Tricia Gellman
Connect with Tricia Gellman
Website: https://www.box.com/home
Shoutouts
Mini Peiris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mini8ture/
Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/
Sydney Sloan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/
Ted Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedpurcell/
Latané Conant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latane-conant/
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Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/
The Transaction’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/
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