Getting sales and marketing to play together

a not-so-impossible task

In too many companies, Sales and Marketing are more adversaries than allies. So how do you better coordinate two of your company’s most important tasks? In business, as in all of life, communication is everything. Include your marketing people, including your agency, in your sales planning. Allow them to hear the goals your sales group sets; let them hear about the daily pain and hassle that the reps experience simply trying to get in front of customers and prospects. The more they understand the challenges each rep faces, the more they can creatively help you. By demonstrating long-term strategy and short-term tactics, your agency should also be able to show the sales reps how coordinated marketing serves their interests.

A few tips for integrating sales and marketing:

• Have a come-to-Jesus meeting with both groups together.
• Make sure everyone understands the main goal and their role in getting there.
• Set expectations and how results will be reported.
• Show the connection between your sales cycle and your marketing tools.
• When people understand which tools work during each step of the sales process, they get more excited about the overall plan.
• Be sure each group attends the other’s weekly meetings. Communication is the key to teamwork.

If this is a subject that interests you, we would happily talk about it in greater detail. Let us know.