A Sales Champion Comments on the Critical Integration of Marketing and Sales

Disclaimer: The details of this story are based on true events.  The names have been removed to protect the inefficient and ineffective.  A resemblance of real persons, living or dead, is likely.

In the fading light of early evening a veteran sales manager is navigating heavy traffic.  Next to him, his ABC Corp business cards are strewn across the passenger seat amongst the cards of potential clients.  The seasoned leader is wise enough to know the cards are likely the only things ABC Corp will receive as a result of the sales calls made earlier in the day with one of his most talented reps. He cringes as he recalls the baffled stares received as they stumbled through how a new widget being launched by ABC Corp could satisfy the existing needs of their prospects. “This launch has been a complete waste of our time,” he bemoans.  His team is knocking on every door but sales are not happening.  His irritation escalates as he recollects ABC Corp’s last product launch, which, just like this one, was void of support or direction.  He knows he is accountable to make it work, but as he dials his assistant to schedule another early morning team meeting dedicated to this effort, he continues his ride amid a discouraging search for answers.

At the same time, back at HQ several marketing leaders at ABC Corp look intently at a variety of colorful charts splayed across a circular conference table.  Each picture tells the same story; the launch of their new widget is an unequivocal failure.  “The product looks great, we know it’s high quality, we know who needs it and why they should use it.  Why can’t the sales team sell any?” they ask repeatedly.  They know they are accountable to make it work so their meeting continues amid a discouraging search for answers.

Both the sales manager and the marketing department face the same problem and both are actively working within their silos looking for answers.  Neither understands the plight of the other, and quite frankly neither cares.

In the history of nonsensical conflicts within the walls of business, few have existed instigating the magnitude of collateral damage resulting in lost sales, than the seemingly endless intergroup quarrels between sales and marketing.  Agnostic bystanders are often left wondering, “Why?”  Both units ostensibly want the same result…to entice the engagement of target customers to the point of purchase…so why the lack of alignment when targeting a congruent outcome?  Perhaps the difficulties exist due to the blurred lines that separate these roles.  After all, clarity often is lacking when asking the question, “Who is ultimately responsible for sales?”

The right answer is…both!  Sales and marketing are both responsible for generating sales, however, there are nuances that need be made clear to delineate how the responsibility differs between the two.  First, Sales is the navigation through a multi-step relationship building process in which a positive outcome results in a customer’s decision to buy.  Whether we look as far back as the traders who bartered agricultural products in the third millennial BC or to the modern day strategic sales professional selling to a more informed customer, generating sales is more difficult when breakdowns occur in this process.  Conversely, Marketing’s goal is to employ a disciplined and scholarly approach to generating demand and to contribute to an effective and efficient sales process.  Successful marketing programs use a comprehensive analysis of the most accurate and timely information to enable the creation of a compelling message which is presented to sales in a manner that can be easily shared with, and understood by, an identified list of target customers.  Analogous to sales, breakdowns within this process cause desired outcomes to be elusive.

In the ABC Corp example, by operating within individual silos both sales and marketing are experiencing breakdowns.  In a salute to Aristotle’s assessment, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”, the vision of coordinating the efforts of these teams has proven to be compelling.  Far outweighing individual departmental contribution is the upside gained when the nimble nature and real-time information gathering capabilities of sales is merged with the creativity and analytically inspired lead generating machine of marketing.  However, given the proclivity of these groups working alone, how difficult must it be to bring them together?  

The truth is, this cycle can start by simply establishing a rhythm of communication between the two departments allowing marketing to offer an assessment of current projects and sales to provide real-time and real-world information that can be included in program analysis.  By collaborating with sales marketing immediately becomes better informed on existing market conditions and more efficient in gathering the data used for educated decision making.  Equally, by focusing the direction of a sales organization towards higher probability opportunities via a well-defined set of targets, marketing immediately makes the sales team more efficient.  Sales productivity is further enhanced by this partnership when marketing is better prepared to provide sales collateral which is both creative and pertinent.  These customer-facing materials improve the effectiveness of every direct selling effort.  Finally, by developing and promoting a consistent value message, which is particularly important in multi-channel sales organizations where varying messages can create internal and external confusion, the entire enterprise is more easily trained to effectively share the benefits of a product and the needs it can address.

Imagine the differences within ABC Corp had this type of rhythmic alliance taken place. The benefits recognized would transcend far beyond these two growth-oriented departments and lift the spirits of the entire organization.  After all it has recently been proven that success breeds success.  Yet, silos continue to be prevalent and the question lingers as to why would any competent sales or marketing leader not move towards establishing a closer relationship between the two groups?   Ask them…for to me it makes no sense.

New by; https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingNews/Pages/sales-champion-integration-marketing-sales.aspx

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