Insights and Research for Marketing, Sales Development and Sales

Marketing teams look for ways to improve results with every program. Marketers can accomplish that goal with an orchestrated program that leverages multiple channels and functions to meet a specific objective for a specific list of target accounts. These programs do not replace existing always-on marketing programs—whether account based or demand generation—but instead create greater impact with stronger results, more focused messaging, and better calls-to-action.

Orchestration design is the process of creating high-intensity, short-duration, high-impact programs that advance a select set of target accounts to a desired outcome. The combination of every program element is designed to meet the objective. The orchestration plan provides the tactics and timing needed to facilitate coordinated execution.

Cross-functional planning yields program success

One of the most common objectives for an orchestrated program is to create opportunities with more companies on the target account list. A singular focus on industry or other common attributes helps define the program. The short duration of each program allows a focused intensity that improves results and can be repeated frequently.

Thirty-three percent of organizations running account based initiatives indicated that coordinated programs across marketing, sales development, and sales is one of their top challenges, according to TOPO benchmark data. While cross-functional programs may be difficult to run since teams are accustomed to operating separately, they are more effective than stand-alone tactics.

One goal of an orchestrated program is to move target accounts forward in the buying process. Improving the effectiveness of the SDRs’ communication with contacts at the target accounts is one key way to accomplish that. Cross-functional tactics have more impact when they are planned together with coordinated deployment. Marketing tactics warm up target accounts, increasing the likelihood of response from the first SDR outreach. The improved efficiency of SDRs means they can have conversations with prospects at more target accounts over the course of the program.

PROGRAM STRATEGY DEFINES MORE THAN THE OBJECTIVE

Defining the program strategy is critical to a successful orchestration program. This can be a formal or informal process, but the more informed the cross-functional team is about the strategy, the more likely they are to develop a program that solves the business need. The team should identify the following elements for the orchestrated program:

• Objective: The clear and agreed-upon desired outcome for each account and how to measure program success

• Audience: The target accounts and roles/individuals at those accounts; it is critical that all have the same desired objective

• Offer: Something of value to the account and roles/individuals that drives the desired action

• Value proposition: The benefit to the audience of taking the desired action

• Resources and supporting materials: Personnel, budget, and content that deliver the value of the offer to the audience

DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF TACTICS INFLUENCE ONE OTHER

Orchestration programs should include three different types of tactics: marketing air cover, pre-outbound, and outbound. Marketers need to understand the role each type of tactic serves in the execution plan. Knowing how the tactics are interrelated and influence one another is critical to the success of the plan.

• Marketing Air Cover: Use these always-on activities to create awareness with all contacts at the target accounts.Make sure to provide enough information so contacts will take the next step and respond to the outbound requests or marketing calls-to-action.     Examples: Digital display ads, social media ads, and marketing email

• Pre-Outbound: These are the most impactful tactics by virtue of being unexpected, visible, physical, or creative. Pre-outbound tactics have the greatest influence on the outbound tactics by getting attention or turning cold calls into follow-ups.  
  Examples: Direct mail and executive outreach

• Outbound: These are conducted primarily by SDRs to generate a response from prospects at target accounts. The coordination of marketing air cover and pre-outbound tactics lifts the results of these human-outreach activities.          
  Examples: Triple-touch combination of email, phone, and LinkedIn

ORCHESTRATION DESIGN BEST PRACTICES

Focus the program on a single, specific outcome. An orchestration program is a high-impact, short-duration group of activities designed to reach a specific goal. The program helps cross-functional teams join together to support a single objective (e.g., schedule sales meetings with mid-market prospects).

Plan cross-functional tactics. The benefit of multi-channel, cross-functional programs is the ability to reach prospects and individuals at target accounts multiple times through multiple channels. Leading organizations use eight different tactics in their account based programs, according to TOPO data.

Determine how to measure program success. A specific outcome requires a clear definition and agreement on measuring achievement (e.g., a qualified meeting has been accepted by sales and updated in the CRM). Marketers can also review the lift per first outbound touch to determine the impact of the orchestration program.

Marketing and SDR teams should pursue all contacts at target accounts. This approach is different from traditional go-to-market programs where SDRs only pursue contacts after a response to marketing.

CONCLUSION

Designing an orchestration program is a way for marketing, sales development, and sales teams to come together and achieve a specific goal in a short duration, with better results than if each team approached the objective separately. Cross-functional programs can be more effective with the right tools and the right approach to planning. The combination of marketing air cover, pre-outbound, and outbound tactics in a coordinated effort can help an organization solve a specific short-term challenge more effectively.