MAP Benchmarking Guide
Overview
So that you and your team get the most out of Align MAPs, we want to share a few benchmarking tips. To learn about the MAP feature, check out this article.
MAP Benchmarking provides feedback to reps and managers about what's working and what can improve when it comes to buyer collaboration.
Questions to think about:
- Do you use a MAP consistently? With certain deals or customers? Why?
- What feedback have you got from customers when you ask to collaborate?
- Do your deals often get stuck at the same point in the sales cycle?
- Does a MAP help you better understand your buyer's decision process?
- How much help do buyers typically need to navigate their own buying process? Where do they get stuck? Who gets in the way?
Benchmark your MAP on a 5-point scale
We recommend you benchmark MAPs with a scoring system. You can score your MAP with each of the 5 pillars below on a 5-point scale. This will help you improve your MAPs.
1. Grouping and Detail (1-5 points)
Actions should be grouped into milestones that correspond to the stages of your sales cycle, plus major events in the buyer's journey. 4-6 milestones are ideal, with 3-4 actions per milestone.
2. People (1-5 points)
There should be a place to add at least one person from each team who has taken responsibility for each milestone, and the MAP as a whole should include all stakeholders on both sides.
3. MAP Time Range (1-5 points)
MAP first helps at the Proof of Value stage. It should not end on Close, even if Implementation is just shown at a high level. Some MAPs have a final milestone at customer time to value.
4. Dates (1-5 points)
It’s clear when each major milestone is expected and how long each should take. Some MAPs list dates for every single action, but this adds a lot of overhead on the Rep to keep it up to date.
5. Buyer Journey (1-5 points)
The MAP has action items for the buyer. Those action items help you understand their buying process and needs—so you can make it easier for them to buy.
Calculate your total score out of 25
After you score the pillars above, you can calculate a total for an overall MAP score.
