2min
How often do the Sales and Marketing teams disagree? Stop these fights in their tracks with a robust Service Level Agreement template perfect for Sales and Marketing alignment. An SLA is a commitment between two divisions that coordinates on their objectives and defines agreed anticipations. Rather than continually fighting over leads an SLA ensures both teams are held accountable to specific and measurable targets.
A correctly crafted SLA can produce genuine alignment between Sales and Marketing, by detailing how to establish and evaluate Marketing Qualified Leads. With the correct SLA in position, your Sales and Marketing teams will begin to behave like they're on the same team once again.
Constructing an Effective Service Level Agreement Template
Part of the reason for discord between Marketing and Sales is the fact that there are no fixed guidelines. Each team has their own strategies and thoughts on how the partnership should work and these ideas are usually notably different. This is clearly a formula for disaster and misalignment. A Service Level Agreement is so important because it establishes a level playing field for both departments and makes sure that everybody understands what the common objectives are from the start.
Implementing the principles
A Sales and Marketing SLA operates as both a guidebook and a referee that determines how both teams function. It's crucial to set these expectations as quickly as possible so everybody understands and observes the guidelines at all times. When disputes arise, Sales and Marketing can always return back to see precisely what the expectations are, to prevent further arguing and begin working together again.
This formalised process might appear strict, but it really is the best possible way to make sure that Sales and Marketing perform effectively together. It holds both teams to the same high standards and drives them to achieve their objectives. And if something is not working or has to be modified, you can still adjust it. The SLA should be a flexible document, wherein both teams can make modifications and rewrite it to match the requirements of your business as it grows.
Greater Alignment and Satisfaction
Rather than wasting time and resources on continual conflicts between Sales and Marketing, the two sections will now be on the same team once more. Neither Sales or Marketing likes to be the one that fails to deliver on expectations established in the SLA. They'll work together to progress leads along the Sales and Marketing funnel and achieve the same desired goals.
As a result your Marketing leads will be of a higher calibre, your Sales team will chase after those leads harder and fundamentally, you will close more sales. Sales and Marketing alignment is challenging to achieve, but totally worth the undertaking.
If you're unsure how to begin creating your own Sales and Marketing Service Level Agreement, why not download Real Inbound's Service Level Agreement Template and personalise it for your own business.
