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April 28, 2005
Aligning Sales and Marketing
Building a cohesive sales and marketing strategy requires both departments to be on the same page. Sales should share information from the field, and marketing needs to share information from research efforts or promotions. In some companies, these two functions are in the same department. In others, they may be under different umbrellas. In either case, sales and marketing must have a symbiotic relationship in order to keep existing customers and win new ones.
Marketing can:
Gather critical data. Qualitative and quantitative research is used to identify and define markets, develop strategies, test products or services, float marketing concepts and guide ongoing business development. It identifies what the customer is thinking, is wanting and will use.
Sift through the facts, figures and trends. Marketing must analyze the research data and connect the results to business decisions. This is used to identify new products or services, effective marketing strategies and efficient action programs and activities.
Turn analysis into action. Marketing provides the set of recommendations that direct specific actions and programs. A strategy is the basis for integrated plans and varied tactics in support of an identified and approved business objective.
Implement the plan. This includes creating a tool kit that the sales department can use. They are developed in concert with the rest of the company and generally include all elements in the marketing mix, including print and Web-based collateral, price, promotion and distribution channels.
Sales can:
Provide first-hand customer insights. Based on their interactions with current and potential customers, field and telesales reps will get insights into the products and services of most interest to the targeted market. Such information should be provided to marketing so it can include it in promotional material.
Share competitive data. Field and telesales reps often learn before the marketing department about shortcomings and superior aspects of competitor products. Such information should be shared not only with marketing—to ensure promotions touch on the best aspects of the company’s products—but also to research and development to improve a company’s own products.
Identify prime customers. Sales can help identify demographic and psychographic commonalities among most likely customers. This will help marketing create the most effective and efficient messages, promotions, and media plans.
Provide immediate feedback from customers. Having direct contact with customers gives field and telesales reps an opportunity to gather anecdotal compliments, complaints, suggestions and ideas. This immediate feedback can be taken into account long before the next round of market research can get under way.
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