In this episode of 'The Transaction,' Matt and Craig are joined by John Common, CEO of Intelligent Demand, to discuss various aspects of B2B growth strategy. The conversation focuses on the importance of different go-to-market motions, ICP targeting, and the implementation of cross-functional alignment. John stresses moving beyond tactical focus to strategic integration, operationalizing alignment, and realistically tackling people problems to achieve scalable growth. The episode wraps up with a focus on practical steps for CEOs and ELTs to improve business performance through clearly defined roles and metrics, and learning from successful case examples.Takeaways:Regularly assess and adjust the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) to ensure that targeting remains focused and effective. This ensures marketing and sales aim at the most lucrative customer segments.Translate alignment from a conceptual level to actionable, everyday practices. Implement clear role definitions, SLAs, and regular cross-functional meetings to ensure sustained alignment.Distinguish between primary and secondary go-to-market motions. Focus resources on getting exceptionally good at one or two primary motions before expanding efforts.Constantly educate and train leadership and teams on effective go-to-market strategies and the importance of cross-functional collaboration. Consider establishing training programs or workshops for this purpose.Sales and marketing should collaborate closely during the budgeting process to ensure coherent and mutually supportive plans. Present a unified budget to the board to reinforce company-wide commitment to shared goals.When facing alignment or performance issues, carefully diagnose whether they stem from role misalignment, poor management, or cultural issues. Address these root causes rather than defaulting to replacing personnelThe CEO or top leadership must set a strong precedent for cross-functional collaboration. Leaders should emphasize the importance of integrated strategies and reinforce them by example and mandate.Chapters:00:00 - Craig’s Hat and John's Music03:50 - Transition to Business Talk05:19 - Discussing Business Alignment08:28 - The Importance of Integrated Growth Plays25:17 - Professed vs. Actual Alignment29:05 - Realistic Expectations for Operators29:26 - Challenges in Sales and Marketing Alignment31:57 - Product Management in SMBs33:21 - Scaling Post Product-Market Fit36:49 - The Role of Heroics in Business Success47:20 - Final Thoughts and ReflectionsQuote of the Show:“By doing more, you actually might be hurting your brand more, you might be pissing buyers off more, and you definitely will be wasting your budget more.” - John CommonSponsor:The Transaction is sponsored and produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through Branded podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/Connect with John:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncommon/ Website: https://intelligentdemand.com/Podcast: https://www.growthdrivershow.com/ Shoutouts:Mark Kosoglow https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkosoglow/ Ray Rike https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayrike/ Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ Definitive Guide to Lead Scoring https://business.adobe.com/resources/guides/lead-scoring.html Quartet https://www.quartet.com/ Follow the Show:Craig’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-amundson-91657236/ The Transaction on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-transaction/ The Transaction Website: https://thetransactionpod.com/ Substack: https://thetransaction.substack.com/ Ways to Tune In:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3i3r3WLacRZiSa7dOaOgDz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-transaction/id1734518309 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransaction?sub_confirmation=1