#5 in the series ‘interview questions’
This week in the ‘Interview Questions’ series: “Do you believe that marketing and sales should collaborate?” Our colleague Michael Bandel assists you in providing the right answer during an introductory conversation by sharing his expertise.
The collaboration between marketing and sales is of significant importance, especially in B2B sales. Recognizing that approximately 60 – 80% of prospects prefer to engage with sales at the end of their journey, it’s advisable to work closely with marketing.
Rephrased, the question becomes: “How will the candidate contribute to the collaboration between marketing and sales?”
A candidate who doesn’t positively nurture collaboration won’t achieve their own or the organization’s goals.
Answer: Most sales professionals will respond affirmatively (if not, an alarm bell should ring…). It’s crucial to explain how you’ve previously structured/improved collaboration with marketing and the results achieved. If you struggle to articulate this, another alarm bell should ring…
In my case, an answer could be:
“In my view, a strong collaboration between marketing and sales is crucial for the collective success of the organization. Since the customer determines when, how, and at what point they want to engage with sales, it’s important to provide marketing with insights into customer and prospect challenges. What’s happening in the industry, with a specific customer, and how can we leverage this to assist our customers in their journey towards a potential purchase.
This is what I’ve done in my previous roles – strengthening collaboration and sharing customer insights with marketing. Literally sitting down together, brainstorming and creating content with tailored messages for different stages of the journey.
As a result, I was able to engage at the right moment, leading to more effective appointments and quicker success.”
Make the most of it, and until the next interview question.