On this episode of the Common Sense Marketer, we talk with Rob Triggs, the VP of Sales & Marketing for CRM Dynamics, a Microsoft Gold Partner and member of the Microsoft Inner Circle, representing the top 1% of global Microsoft Business Applications partners. Additionally, the company was a recipient of a 2019 Microsoft Impact Award.

Rob shares with listeners important insights that every business owner cares about today; how to get ahead of your competitors. The internet and the dramatic shift in buyer behaviour have left companies scrambling with respect to how adjust their sales and marketing strategies. Getting ahead of the competition and creating a presence for a business online has become one of the most important tasks for companies but also their biggest challenge.

Rob addresses some of the challenges he has seen on the road to digital transformation:

Customers aren't sure what marketing tactics and sales tools they should invest in.After the tools have been bought, customers cannot get them to work properly.How to use marketing automation for both sales and marketing.

Here are some questions Rob encourages you to ask about your own marketing automation and CRM strategy:

How aligned are your sales and marketing teams around who owns lead management in the organization?How well documented is the lead qualification process and can it be mapped to conversion points on the web?Who uses which tools in your organizations and who drives the business processes around those tools?

It's time to address your CRM and Marketing Automation strategy and see if you're on the right track.

You must have an agreement between the sales, marketing, and technology teams about business goals and a common set of objectives. Looking to get your team on-board with this process? Take this online assessment. It will take you five minutes to complete and it’s free.

ABOUT ROBRob has more than two decades of experience in the information technology space, working with Xerox, Soft Choice and now CRM Dynamics. He has been recognized as a results-oriented sales leader and direct selling consultant with significant experience in guiding companies through the rapidly changing sales and marketing landscape. A runner, keyspire positive leader, and true believer in “practice what you preach” values, Rob has a proven track record in helping architect sales and marketing effectiveness solutions. In this podcast episode, he also shares some of the techniques and insights that CRMD uses to help its clients stand out from the crowd in a competitive marketplace through his “Smarketing” marketing automation initiative.