By Michael K Adonteng
Nov 27th, 2024
A robust sales pipeline is the foundation of consistent revenue growth, yet many Chief Sales Officers (CSOs) face the daunting challenge of maintaining pipeline volume, especially in today’s rapidly shifting markets. In Africa’s diverse business landscape, where customer needs vary significantly across regions and industries, low pipeline volume can stymie growth potential and dampen morale.
However, one of the most effective ways to counter this challenge is by fostering a stronger alignment between sales and marketing functions. By collaborating closely with Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), CSOs can boost pipeline generation, improve lead quality, and create a steady flow of opportunities.
Here are three essential areas where CSOs can work hand-in-hand with CMOs to revitalise their pipeline.
1. Aligning on Target Accounts: Who Should We Target?
A low pipeline often starts with targeting the wrong accounts. Sales and marketing teams sometimes operate in silos, with marketing identifying accounts based on general data while sales pursues leads based on past closed deals. This disconnected approach can lead to wasted efforts and missed opportunities. CSOs should collaborate with CMOs to create a unified ideal customer profile (ICP) based on both firmographic data and insights from closed-won deals. By jointly defining the characteristics of high-potential customers, CSOs ensure that both departments are pursuing prospects with the highest likelihood of conversion.
In practice, this means that sales and marketing should continuously share insights to refine the ICP. For example, if data shows that mid-sized enterprises in East Africa’s financial services sector are increasingly seeking digital transformation solutions, both teams can focus their resources there. This targeted approach not only increases the volume of relevant leads but also improves the quality of the pipeline, enabling sales teams to engage more effectively with prospects who have a genuine need for their solutions.
2. Crafting Unified Messaging: What Should We Say?
Once target accounts are aligned, the next step is creating consistent and impactful messaging. Marketing and sales teams often have different perspectives on customer pain points and may develop separate messages, creating dissonance that confuses potential customers. CSOs can mitigate this by working with CMOs to develop a cohesive messaging strategy that resonates with the target audience across all stages of the sales funnel.
In a practical example, while marketing might craft messaging around general buyer challenges, sales teams can provide real-world insights from customer interactions that highlight specific issues. For instance, if African businesses are struggling with data security in a cloud environment, marketing should incorporate this pain point into their campaigns, and sales teams should be prepared to discuss tailored solutions during client conversations. By ensuring that both sales and marketing are speaking the same language, CSOs can enhance the customer experience and foster a sense of trust that moves leads through the pipeline faster.
3. Tracking and Optimising Metrics: How Should We Measure Success Across the Funnel?
Tracking metrics independently is a common mistake that leaves CSOs without a comprehensive view of the sales pipeline. Often, marketing focuses on top-of-funnel metrics such as leads generated, while sales focuses on closed deals. This lack of visibility across the funnel can hinder performance analysis and prevent both departments from identifying bottlenecks.
CSOs need to work with CMOs to establish shared metrics that track leads from initial engagement to final sale, creating a single, consolidated view of the pipeline. This approach enables both teams to evaluate what’s working and adjust their strategies based on real-time data. For instance, if metrics reveal a high drop-off rate in the middle of the funnel, CSOs can collaborate with marketing to introduce re-engagement tactics or nurture campaigns that address the specific concerns causing prospects to disengage.
In African markets, where sales cycles can vary depending on regional dynamics, this unified approach to metrics allows for greater agility. Sales and marketing can quickly identify and address specific challenges—such as longer decision-making times or lower lead conversion in certain regions—ensuring that the pipeline remains active and robust.
The Future State: Operating Jointly for Sustainable Growth
The evolution of sales and marketing from siloed functions to an integrated, collaborative unit is essential for addressing low pipeline challenges. By operating jointly, CSOs and CMOs can leverage a shared pool of insights, data, and resources to drive pipeline growth effectively. This future state isn’t just about coordination; it’s about building a cohesive go-to-market strategy that adapts to the unique needs of African markets, delivering value at every stage of the sales journey.
For example, by jointly developing buyer personas, sales and marketing can deepen their understanding of customer needs in emerging sectors like fintech or e-commerce. In doing so, they create a pipeline that’s not only filled with high-quality leads but also primed for faster conversions. This unified approach is crucial for staying ahead in competitive markets and building a sustainable growth engine.
Addressing low pipeline volume is a challenge, but with the right strategy, it’s an opportunity for transformative growth. By aligning with CMOs on target accounts, messaging, and metrics, CSOs can ensure that every lead is a potential high-impact opportunity. This collaborative approach not only strengthens the sales pipeline but also enhances overall business resilience, enabling companies to navigate Africa’s diverse and dynamic markets more effectively.
Michael K. Adonteng
Founder, ASA
