A recent study by software vendor Eloqua found that UK marketers are currently missing critical sales opportunities due to a lack of alignment between sales and marketing. The study, based on an online survey administered by YouGov, was created to better understand marketers’ priorities and concerns as they track prospects through the buying cycle.
The study found that 75% of UK marketers surveyed lack any type of lead scoring programme. Lead scoring programmes help the most qualified leads get passed to the sales team in a prioritised manner, improving sales’ ability to close deals. Additionally, 85% of the UK marketers surveyed do not have a lead nurturing programme in place. Lead nurturing programmes further improve sales close rates by staying top of mind with potential buyers who may not be ready to purchase at the moment.
Sylvia Jensen, Director of EMEA Marketing at Eloqua, said:
The study results indicate there is a clear disconnect in how marketers perceive alignment between the sales and marketing department and what is actually being done to get these two teams working together better to grow revenue. Lead nurturing and lead scoring are necessary for sales to receive the most qualified leads. When the sales team can concentrate on high quality leads, close rates drastically increase along with revenue for the company.
Despite the majority of UK marketers reporting that they have no lead nurturing or lead scoring programs in place, more than half (55%) of respondents described their sales and marketing relationship as well aligned or tightly aligned. As a solution for the challenges that marketers face, Eloqua highlighted the benefits of Marketing Automation technology, a form of business software that Eloqua offers. . .
