Overview
In the B2B tech industry, success in field marketing hinges on more than just executing campaigns. It’s about forging strong relationships across various segments of the business, particularly between field marketing and local sales. As B2B tech companies expand into international markets, field marketers must navigate the complexity of aligning local goals with global strategies. This dynamic can be challenging, particularly when the pressures from centralised global marketing demand adherence to overarching corporate strategies.
However, the most successful organisations prioritise local sales objectives first. By aligning the local go-to-market strategy with sales targets and then integrating these into the broader corporate agenda, field marketers can ensure both immediate local success and long-term global impact. This approach isn’t just a strategic preference; it’s a principle advocated by industry experts like Bill Barclay, emphasising the importance of sales and field marketing alignment.
According to a study by SiriusDecisions, organisations with strong sales and marketing alignment see an average of 19% faster revenue growth and 15% higher profitability. Additionally, aligned teams are 67% better at closing deals. This statistic underlines the significance of sales and marketing alignment in driving measurable success.
In this piece, we’ll explore the critical relationships that field marketers must build and maintain to drive success. From the local sales team to business development operations and the global marketing function, understanding the dynamics of each relationship, the associated KPIs, and best practices for managing these connections can make all the difference. Let’s dive into these relationships to better understand the key factors that enable successful field marketing efforts.
1. The Field Marketing and Local Sales Relationship
The relationship between field marketing and the local sales team is the bedrock of success. Without a close and productive partnership, field marketing efforts can become misaligned with sales goals, resulting in ineffective strategies and missed targets. At its core, this relationship needs to be collaborative, agile, and responsive to changing market conditions.
Key Considerations:
- Shared Goals and Objectives: Field marketing and sales should work off a unified set of goals, ensuring that marketing strategies directly support sales outcomes. According to research by DemandGen Report, 52% of high-performing sales and marketing teams state that aligning sales and marketing around shared metrics is crucial for success. KPIs in this context include the number of qualified leads generated, conversion rates, and sales revenue influenced by marketing efforts.
- Communication and Feedback Loops: Regular communication is vital. Field marketers should attend sales meetings, listen to feedback, and adapt campaigns based on real-time insights from the sales team. A Harvard Business Review study found that 69% of salespeople cite collaboration between sales and marketing as the most critical factor in their success.
- Customised Campaigns: Local markets often have distinct characteristics that demand tailored campaigns. Field marketers should work closely with sales to understand specific customer pain points and tailor messaging to address those needs effectively. Customised marketing messages have been shown to improve sales engagement by 36%.
2. The Field Marketing and Business Development Relationship
The partnership between field marketing and business development is equally critical. Business development teams focus on identifying and nurturing new opportunities, often working alongside sales to build the pipeline.
Its important to note, that Field marketing isn’t just about generating awareness or nurturing leads; it’s about being the strategic connector that transforms these efforts into measurable results. This process requires aligning closely with business development and sales teams to translate marketing activities into revenue and growth.
Field marketers have the distinct advantage of understanding the nuances of the local market. This allows them to create targeted campaigns that resonate with local prospects and customers. By focusing on the unique needs, challenges, and behaviours of the target audience, field marketers ensure that each campaign is designed to drive higher engagement and, ultimately, conversions.
As an example, if a business development team identifies a surge in demand for a specific solution in a region, field marketers can pivot their strategy to highlight that solution’s benefits through tailored webinars, workshops, or targeted ads, driving engagement with the right audience at the right time.
Key Considerations:
- Enabling Business Development with Content and Insights: Field marketers should deliver relevant content, insights, and messaging that align with the business development strategy. This involves creating localised content that resonates with target audiences and drives engagement. According to LinkedIn, companies that focus on providing relevant and timely content for business development see a 27% higher likelihood of winning deals.
- Joint KPIs and Accountability: Business development and field marketing should establish shared KPIs, such as new pipeline opportunities created, account penetration rates, and overall account growth. Aligned organisations are 58% more likely to exceed revenue goals, highlighting the importance of setting joint KPIs.
- Adapting Strategies Based on Market Intelligence: Business development teams often have deep insights into emerging trends, competitive dynamics, and customer needs. Field marketers should be agile in adapting campaigns and messaging based on this intelligence. McKinsey’s research indicates that companies leveraging market insights effectively are 1.4 times more likely to report revenue growth.
3. The Field Marketing and Global Corporate Relationship
One of the most significant challenges for field marketers is balancing the demands of the global marketing team with the realities of local market conditions. Corporate marketing often dictates brand guidelines, overarching strategies, and messaging. However, rigidity in this approach can be counterproductive if it doesn’t align with the local market’s needs.
Key Considerations:
- Localising Corporate Strategies: While global consistency is essential, successful field marketers know how to localise strategies without compromising on brand integrity. This includes translating global messaging into language that resonates with local customers and adapting campaigns to fit regional buying behaviours. A Gartner survey found that 60% of companies that effectively localise global campaigns see a significant improvement in customer engagement.
- Managing Budget Expectations: Corporate teams often pass down budgets with specific expectations. Field marketers must be proactive in communicating the unique needs of their local markets, making a case for reallocating resources if necessary. According to a Forrester report, marketers who can advocate for localised resource allocation see a 20% uplift in campaign ROI.
- Reporting and Alignment: Regular reporting and alignment sessions are crucial to ensure that both corporate and local teams are on the same page. Establishing clear KPIs around lead generation, market penetration, and brand awareness can help maintain alignment. From our research in region, organisations with clear reporting structures have been shown to be 33% more effective at driving consistent results.
4. The Field Marketing and External Agencies Relationship
Many organisations leverage external agencies for specialised services, from creative design to digital marketing. The relationship between field marketing and these external partners is vital for executing campaigns effectively. However, without clear direction and communication, agencies can operate in silos, resulting in misaligned campaigns and wasted resources.
Key Considerations:
- Clear Briefing and Oversight: Field marketers should provide agencies with detailed briefs that outline not just the tactical deliverables but also the strategic objectives. This ensures that campaigns align with the broader business goals. A HubSpot study found that well-defined project briefs increase the likelihood of campaign success by 46%.
- Regular Check-ins and Performance Reviews: Agencies should be treated as an extension of the internal team. Regular check-ins and performance reviews based on predefined KPIs help keep campaigns on track and ensure accountability. From our client base, we have observed that external partners who receive consistent feedback are 2.5 times more likely to achieve targeted outcomes.
- Flexibility in Execution: External agencies bring fresh perspectives, but flexibility in execution is key. Field marketers should empower agencies to experiment and adapt based on real-time performance data. An Accenture survey noted that 65% of companies that encourage agency innovation see a boost in campaign creativity and impact.
5. KPIs to Govern Relationships and Drive Success
For each relationship outlined above, clear KPIs are essential to govern interactions and measure success. Below are some suggested KPIs for each:
- Local Sales Relationship: Number of leads generated, lead-to-sale conversion rate, total sales influenced by marketing, campaign ROI.
- Business Development Relationship: Number of new opportunities created, account penetration, overall pipeline growth, influence on account strategy.
- Global Corporate Relationship: Percentage of localised campaigns executed successfully, brand consistency scores, alignment on global and local KPIs.
- External Agencies Relationship: Campaign execution timelines, quality of deliverables, campaign impact metrics, budget adherence.
6. Best Practices for Building Strong Field Marketing Relationships
To build and maintain these critical relationships, here are some best practices that B2B tech companies should consider:
- Establish Clear Communication Channels: Open lines of communication are fundamental. Regular cross-functional meetings and shared digital collaboration spaces help keep everyone on the same page.
- Empower Local Decision-Making: While alignment with global strategy is important, local teams should have the autonomy to make decisions based on market-specific conditions. Empowering local teams can lead to a 22% increase in customer satisfaction, according to a Gallup study.
- Implement Feedback Loops: Create structured feedback mechanisms to gather insights from sales, business development, and agency partners. Use these insights to adapt strategies in real-time.
- Align Incentives Across Teams: Ensure that the goals and incentives of all teams are aligned to avoid conflicting priorities and promote collaboration.
- Measure and Report Consistently: Consistent measurement and reporting on KPIs help keep everyone accountable and highlight areas of success and opportunities for improvement.
Conclusion
In the B2B tech landscape, successful field marketing depends on aligning with multiple stakeholders, including local sales teams, business development operations, global corporate functions, and external agencies. Building these relationships is not just a matter of strategic alignment but also a tactical imperative to achieve local market success.
A Harvard Business Review study found that companies that break down silos between marketing and sales teams can achieve up to 24% faster growth.
The principle of aligning local strategies with sales targets first and then connecting these with broader corporate goals is central to field marketing success. This approach not only strengthens the connection between corporate and local markets but also empowers field marketers to drive impactful results.
Field marketers act as a linchpin, facilitating collaboration between sales, business development, and corporate marketing and marketing operations. This coordination ensures that every step in the customer journey is strategically planned and executed. Regular check-ins, shared dashboards, and collaborative planning sessions help maintain alignment and ensure that marketing initiatives seamlessly transition into actionable business development strategies.
Ultimately, when field marketing, sales, and business development operate in harmony, B2B tech companies can unlock new growth opportunities, strengthen customer relationships, and achieve sustained success in international markets. By following the best practices and understanding the unique dynamics of each relationship, field marketers can elevate their role from tactical executors to strategic enablers of business growth.