Product category:
Marketing strategy and consultancy
News Release from: MarketBridge | Subject: Roundtable event
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 14 June 2007
Event tackles integration of sales and
marketing
Sales and marketing chiefs from throughout Europe are attending a London roundtable dinner to mull over the issue of how to combine sales and marketing to work effectively and drive revenue.
Representatives from Microsoft, MasterCard and SAP will be among those putting their heads together to find a solution to an age-old industry problem - how do you integrate sales and marketing so that they work effectively together, and drive bigger profits? The debate will be facilitated by sales and marketing professional services firm MarketBridge, with their co-hosts and sponsors MasterCard and INSEAD Andrew Shaw, Vice President of MarketBridge Europe, said: "We meet many companies who have multitalented sales and marketing teams but there remains a fundamental disconnect between the two functions, and the teams don't work together in a way that drives revenue"
Shaw added that for many their sales pipeline was at the root of their problem.
"Many businesses have one of three models: the first is the 'Martini glass' pipeline - wide and shallow at the top, with a thin stem, meaning that marketing produces a lot of leads, but few are successfully converted into sales opportunities; the second is a 'Champagne flute' pipeline, thin and narrow from top to bottom, meaning that conversion rates are good, but lead volumes and sales are low; and the third is an 'urn-shaped' pipeline, narrow, but with a bulge in the middle, meaning that sales generates the majority of its own leads.
"We'll be examining which type of pipelines are common in which sector, the pros and cons of each style, and how to get a better balance of leads and output from your sales and marketing to grow your business.
"The sales and marketing dilemma has been constraining performance for years but there is absolutely no need for businesses to continue to scratch their heads over this.
"We have a range of best practices and experiences, gained from having worked with some of the world's largest companies, that we would like to share".
Guests will start the evening at The Met Bar on Old Park Lane, London at 6:00 pm and go to on Nobu for dinner and discussion.
After dinner speaker Roberto Romano from MasterCard Direct Services will share his experiences of integrating global sales and marketing teams and driving sales.
There are a few places left if you would like to join this special roundtable debate.
Those registering to attend the event will receive a complementary copy of a MarketBridge White Paper, by CEO Tim Furey entitled 'Pump up the Pipeline'.
Other topics for debate at the event include integrated planning and combined target setting; how Marketing can drive the use of alternate channels to increase revenues; improving lead qualification, nurturing and routing to increase conversion rates; mplementing an infrastructure that supports both marketing and sales, implementing metrics and measurement systems to drive the right behaviours.
Past attendees at MarketBridge roundtable events have included senior sales and marketing executives from: BT, Dell, HP, IBM, KLM, MasterCard, Microsoft, SAP and SAS.
MarketBridge is a leading sales and marketing professional services firm.
Headquartered in Washington DC with offices around the globe, MarketBridge focuses on integrating sales and marketing to gain the greatest return for its Fortune 500 clients, delivering client results based on a disciplined, empirical approach to designing, building and managing sales and marketing solutions.
Solutions leverage traditional brand marketing and field sales channels with greater online, call centre and database marketing resources to achieve proven results.
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