Building robust, consistent business processes for RevOps function is very critical. If the purpose of RevOps (Revenue Operations) is revenue generation, why are teams who work in these departments constantly feeling like they’re not aligned?
Here are the most common barriers:
1. Need & cost -
The dual barriers of need and cost often go together. The need for an offering is influenced by its perceived value. Without a clear understanding of the actual value of your offering, the only way to distinguish yourself is to compete on price. This will nearly always create the inevitable downward spiral that results in decreased margins and impacts your bottom line. This makes the ability to communicate a compelling Sales Value Proposition (SVP) and link an offering with a customer’s requirements vital to making a sale.
2. Role ambiguity & unclear communication (source impact) -
Companies try to fix the alignment problem when teams are not aligned by rolling out programs. And a program is a short-term thing with short-term goals. For example, a company may try a new tactic to outsource their MQL to SQL handoff.
Like before, sales complain that marketing is not generating good leads, so the company hires a person to work the lead (MQL) and determine if it is good enough to pass to a salesperson (SQL). This only adds a layer of complexity to the sale. They’re introducing someone who doesn’t know anything about their business except how to ask some basic questions to qualify or disqualify a lead. This person is sure to have a quota, so they pass on plenty of unqualified SQLs as well — not to mention elongate the time it takes a qualified prospect to talk to a knowledgeable salesperson. The program fails. A better way is if sales and marketing define a qualified lead. Together. They could take some of the closed/lost opportunities that were passed on as leads from marketing to sales and analyze them.
What were the specific criteria that marketing used to pass on the lead? What were the variables that sales used to disqualify the lead? And instead of just analyzing the wrong leads, they could also look at the good leads that converted to sales. What made them suitable? How was the deal won? What were the specific variables to success? How can we create more of these types of leads? Agree on a plan together on what a qualified lead looks like. Continue this exercise regularly until you have success.
3. Advancing the Relationship -
A sales rep’s only resource is time. It is their only currency, and how they invest that currency will ultimately determine their success.
4. Engaging the actual decision maker-
When asking for the opportunity to discuss and learn about them, demonstrate that you have done your homework and that you have some understanding of what’s important to the decision makerWe would love to collaborate to discuss these hurdles.
For more information about how we continue to work on this initiative, don't hesitate to drop a note to harshal.patil@btbventure.com or visit www.btbventure.com
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