Defining Metrics & Aligning Goals Between Sales & Marketing with Tricia Gellman, CMO of Box - Ep 32

What does a sales opportunity mean to you? Would the rest of your company give the same answer? Probably not. But not to fear, GTM leader, because Tricia Gellman, the Chief Marketing Officer of Box joins hosts Matt Amundson and Craig Rosenberg to explain how to fix the cracks between sales and marketing in B2B. Tricia outlines the importance of having shared goals across B2B sales and marketing teams, why defining terms clearly is so critical, and what it’s like for those selling AI tools to B2B buyers.

Also, Craig recounts his time spent hanging out with reps at Dreamforce and Matt gushes about the events TOPO used to run.

Critical Takeaways

• A crucial component in driving B2B sales and marketing alignment is using the same metrics and dashboards to accomplish shared goals. Consistency and agreement on these metrics will help streamline the goal-setting process, reduce friction, and ensure everyone is working towards the same company objectives.
• Clearly define what constitutes an opportunity and different stages within the pipeline. Aligning these definitions across marketing and sales will prevent discrepancies and confusion, leading to more accurate performance tracking and reporting.
• Invest in brand building. A strong B2B brand is essential for long-term success and helps in making conversations happen at the C-suite level. This investment continues to pay off by fostering word-of-mouth recommendations and creating a lasting impression in the minds of decision-makers.
• Building a customer or peer community, especially around high-level executives and key decision-makers, can significantly enhance your brand's reach and credibility. Hosting events and creating opportunities for peer networking add tremendous value and deepen customer loyalty.

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Chapters

00:00 Tricia's Italy Trip & Career Advice

03:08 Overcoming the Challenges of a B2B Chief Marketing Officer

04:51 Managing Pipeline in the Current SaaS Environment

08:56 How to Align B2B Marketing and Sales Teams

23:26 Aligning Incentives Across Go-To-Market Teams

24:01 Defining Opportunities and Meetings

25:18 Adapting to AI in B2B Sales

27:13 Transitioning to a New CMO Role in a B2B company

32:22 Building a Customer Community and Product Alignment

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Epic Quotes

• “Saying you can't do it because you don't have the data is just a cop out.” - Tricia Gellman
• “Everybody works to their goals. Whatever the incentive is, that's what people work towards.” - Tricia Gellman 
• “One of the key roles of leadership across sales and marketing is really being clear on who are we going after? Why are we going after it? And then, how are we going to go after it?” - Tricia Gellman

Connect with Tricia Gellman

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gellmansfmarketing/ 
• Website: https://www.box.com/home 

Shoutouts

• Mini Peiris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mini8ture/ 
• Maria Pergolino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapergolino/ 
• Sydney Sloan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydsloan/ 
• Ted Purcell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedpurcell/ 
• Latané Conant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latane-conant/ 

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