Marketing SLAs (Service Level Agreements) define response times, handoff protocols, and accountability. They're the foundation of marketing-sales alignment and operational excellence.
Lead Response SLAs
Speed-to-lead matters: response within 5 minutes converts 8x better than 30 minutes. Define SLAs for each lead type: hot leads (5 min), MQLs (1 hour), SQLs (immediate handoff). Monitor compliance and track against shared KPIs.
Campaign Execution SLAs
Define turnaround times for campaign requests: ad creation (3 days), email setup (2 days), landing page build (5 days). Build buffer for review cycles and QA. Track actual vs. SLA to identify bottlenecks.
Reporting SLAs
Weekly reports by Monday 10am. Monthly reports within 3 business days of month close. Quarterly reviews within 1 week. Automate what you can to ensure consistency - see automated marketing reports.
Escalation Protocols
When SLAs are missed, automated escalation prevents things from falling through cracks. Tier 1: notify the responsible person. Tier 2 (after 2x SLA): notify their manager. Tier 3 (after 3x SLA): leadership notification.
Related Resources
- Sales Alignment
Align marketing and sales SLAs for seamless handoffs.