Ema Roloff, EIS Group, and James Roloff, Roloff Consulting, will be presenting at AMA Madison’s Craft Marketing event at Garth’s Brew Bar on February 27th. They will discuss misunderstandings of each other’s roles and motivations, and how to ultimately build around shared goals.
The session begins at 5:30 p.m. with networking. Register now.
Thank you to our sponsors!
AMA: Tell us a little about yourself and what Encompass Technologies and Roloff Consulting do?
Ema: I have been in sales for almost a decade, focused on helping companies successfully navigate using technology as a competitive differentiator. I work with the team at EIS to help insurance carriers navigate large-scale, core technology transformations.
In addition to my traditional sales experience, I have worked collaboratively with marketing colleagues to help build brand recognition and capitalize on digital sales channels. I am the host of the YouTube Series “Leading Change”, the co-host of the LinkedIn Series “The Third Thursday” and lately am known for bringing transformation and change management to TikTok.
James: I’m a digital sales consultant, who helps sales reps sell with social and become trusted experts online. I aim to help them increase their visibility, authority, and lead generation. I do this through workshops, courses, and educational consulting I provide to my clients.
Before starting my consulting business, I was the Sales and Marketing Director at our web design company. Over the 8 years I was there, I’ve helped hundreds of clients improve their online presence and digital marketing strategy.
AMA: Why is it more important now than ever for sales and marketing teams to leave their traditional siloed strategies behind?
Ema: I spend my days talking to Insurance carriers about how technology has, or will, change every aspect of their business. How hypocritical would it be for me to believe that the same is not true for Sales and Marketing? We are not immune to the impact that technology has had on the world. The way we buy everything is drastically different than it was even 5 years ago.
People want to buy from experts who provide them with value before they have ever made a purchase. Providing that value takes creativity, requires that you play on your team’s individual and unique strengths, and ultimately blurs the lines of traditional sales and marketing. If you don’t figure out how to work together, you will continue to spin your wheels while the competitors that work collaboratively to generate revenue speed past you.
James: Two major changes impact sales and marketing teams: 1) the move to more digital-focused channels, and 2) the changing buying behaviors of digital native prospects. Together, these changes are forcing sales and marketing strategies to come closer together to move deals through the entire business development cycle.
AMA: What benefits can sales and marketing teams enjoy as a result of working together?
Ema: Typically, Sales are the closest to your industry and your customers, while marketing has a great understanding of trends and how to promote a message at scale. When those strengths are combined the right way, you are able to bring the feeling of meeting one-on-one with a prospect to digital channels at scale.
Then, when a customer is ready to buy, they have familiarity with your brand, and potentially the sales rep, and they trust that you will be able to continue to add value and help them solve their problem.
James: There are a LOT of benefits to having a strong alignment between sales and marketing. But here are the top three that every business will benefit from:
- Increased Revenue – Aligned teams are going to generate more revenue. You’ll run better campaigns, generate more leads, and improve your close rate.
- Faster Deals – Pipeline velocity, or speed of deals from lead to close, is often improved when sales and marketing are aligned. This results from better pipeline management and strategy around nurturing deals being deployed.
- Better working environment – While a fluffy result, your working environment is better when teams are aligned. Gone is the “us vs. them” attitude that plagues many organizations. Replaced by a more effective “us vs. the problem” approach.
AMA: What is the big takeaway people can expect if they attend the event?
Ema: James and I will be breaking down a few areas to align internally with helpful suggestions of how to change your mindset to easily see the value of working collaboratively between your own Sales and Marketing teams.
James: While I can’t give away all the secrets in this post… the big takeaway is about aligning common focus areas. Getting everyone on the same page around revenue goals, customer personas, and processes enables both teams to do their best work.
Venue: Garth Brew Bar, 1726 MONROE ST.
Cozy atmosphere. Educated staff. Remarkable beer. Garth’s Brew Bar opened in 2019 on Monroe St. The bar started from a passion to do good for the people and right by the beer. Learn more at https://www.garthsbrewbar.com/
AMA Madison’s ‘Craft Marketing‘ Series
Craft Marketing features a local presenter each month. You’ll have the chance to learn about a wide range of marketing topics while networking with other industry professionals and enjoying the drink of your choice.