# How to Align?

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### Step 1: Structure

**1. Reporting Structure**

* Ensure both sales and marketing leaders report to the same individual (not the CEO) such as a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) or Chief Operating Officer (COO) responsible for all revenue.
* This unifies decision-making and avoids feuds between department leaders seeking CEO approval.

**2. Decision-Making Authority**

* Determine who drives decision-making based on your business model:
* Sales-led growth motion: Sales team leads decision-making, especially regarding go-to-market or revenue strategy.
* Product-led or high-velocity sales environment: Marketing team may have more influence due to revenue driven by marketing efforts.

**3. Operations Team Reporting**

* Avoid misalignment by ensuring sales and marketing operations teams report to the same individual (CRO or CMO) to prevent conflicting systems and data reporting.

### Step 2: The Right People

**1. Interviewing Sales/Marketing Leaders**

* Gauge if candidates see themselves as part of a cohesive team by asking about the performance of the opposite department at their previous companies.
* Look for a tone of respect and shared responsibility, rather than blame-shifting.

### Step 3: Clearly Defined Go-To-Market Processes

**1. Data Definitions and Processes**

* Misalignment often arises from differing data definitions and handoff processes.
* Ensure both teams have a clear understanding of key terms like "sales qualified lead."
* Define routing and handoff procedures for various lead sources.

### Step 4: Incentive Structure

**1. Goal Alignment**

* Incentives drive behavior, so align incentives with desired outcomes.
* Common misalignment occurs when marketing's lead generation goal differs from sales' ideal customer profile.
* Consider tying marketing compensation to closed deals or making pipeline generation part of sales goals.
* Offer bonuses for driving testimonials or case studies valuable to marketing.

### Step 5: Tools and Technology

**1. Transparent Goal Tracking**

* Implement visible and transparent goal tracking, preferably within your CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot).
* Consider more sophisticated BI or pipeline sales management solutions like Looker, Heap, or Funnel Source for complex needs.
* A shared, accurate view of progress fosters collaboration and alignment.

**2. Routing and Handoff Optimization**

* Use tools like LeanData or Chili Piper to optimize routing and handoffs between sales and marketing, ensuring efficient processes.