Sales Advocate Newsletter

Marketing and Sales - Interdependency

May 2002

In many companies, Marketing and Sales Departments view themselves as two separate departments with unique goals and objectives. Although each of these departments has distinctly different functions, the ultimate goal should be the same: revenue for the company.

Most of us are driven by recognition in both of these departments. Our departments’ budgets are influenced by the proven results of our efforts. We want to shine and we want our organizations to shine. This natural and healthy competition keeps us striving to improve, striving to increase the bottom line.

But can either department go it alone? If Marketing creates the most exotic, compelling pieces for brand recognition, lead generation or product evangelization, will that in and of itself bring in the customers? If Sales pounds the phones and the street in search of the qualified prospect and to evangelize the market can they be effective on their own?

If either of the above were true, we wouldn’t need both departments. But we do. The best model for success is recognizing and utilizing each of these departments for their strengths, their specialties, their professional knowledge. Ultimately in doing so, we ensure the highest success rate and the lowest cost of the sale.

The most successful companies follow this formula:

• Marketing creates the image, the message, the positioning.  Marketing determines the target market, the target audience, the sweet spot.  Marketing identifies lists, mediums and strategies for brand recognition and lead generation.  Marketing creates and supplies a calendar of campaigns that includes the above information in conjunction with an estimate of leads to be created and converted.
• Sales conducts timely follow-up activities to Marketing generated campaigns ensuring that the leads do not become cold.  Sales utilizes tools supplied by Marketing to relay the messaging.  Sales tracks contact and metrics information and supplies feedback to Marketing in order to better understand if the campaigns, lists, and positioning statements are on target ·Sales prospects inter- and cross- departmentally to ensure account penetration ·Sales qualifies, creates interest, educates, identifies needs, develops opportunities, develops relationships and closes revenue.

The key to the formula’s success is Marketing and Sales working together at each step. Marketing gets Sales’ feedback on the campaign plans before they are implemented. Sales provides feedback to Marketing on how the messaging and positioning is working, and Marketing and Sales work together to refine the messaging.

When this model is followed Marketing now has reconnaissance information to support additional programs, as well as conversion data to which revenue can be tied directly to specific Marketing campaigns. Sales has been able to minimize cold calling (a costly method of blindly calling into unsuspecting, unprimed contacts), shorten the sales cycle (based on warm calling as opposed to cold calling) and increase productivity on qualified prospects and opportunities.

Working as a team is a win-win situation for both departments. The Company with increased revenue is the biggest winner, ultimately helping to ensure a future for all.

This newsletter is provided as a complimentary service from Phone Works, Inc., the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading sales consulting firm. Phone Works helps technology firms increase revenue, shorten sales cycles and implement successful, repeatable sales models. The industry’s largest technology companies and newest start-ups turn to Phone Works for lead-generation, lead-qualification, telesales and sales-productivity programs.

You can reach Phone Works at 510.749.9073.