The litany of stories illustrating the often sour relationship between Sales and Marketing never seems to end. It really should not be so, although some of it is probably inevitable. After all, both groups have a lot of passion all of which is directed towards achieving an identical objective: more revenue.
Even so, there is no question that there is a difference in intellectual approach. These days, with the advent of internet-based tools, Marketing teams strive to build programs rooted in data analysis. They remain highly conscious of the brand and weave image-building in with more tactical concerns. Sales teams are in it for the kill, the quicker the better, which is what they are paid for. Managing the two sides to achieve company goals is somewhat like encouraging romance between the proverbial porcupines: it must be done carefully.
So what are the issues to keep in mind when trying to turn some of the natural tension between Sales and Marketing into more revenue?
- Understand the psychology of the protagonists.
Some marketing people may be closed, reflective types, but most are not. As for Sales, an outgoing personality “comes standard”. Of course, too many extroverts in the room creates friction unless the situation is adequately managed. That requires understanding what motivates, what excites, what creates concern in each group. - Turn the different conceptions of time into an advantage
Salespeople invariably consider a lead as a line to a customer that can be closed “soon”. Marketing is usually not as heavily compensated on immediate results and therefore is more keen on lead nurturing. It is important to have each team, or at least each team’s leaders, understand this nuance so as not to continuously generate frustration in both groups regarding the other side’s approach. - Make the “Funnel” transparent
The operational framework that underpins the interaction between Marketing and Sales is the conversion funnel. Both teams must clearly understand the nature and the number of prospects in each level of the funnel. The status of a lead should be clear at the hand-off point between Marketing and Sales. Transparency creates accountability and that can motivate each team to excel on their respective side of the funnel. - Understand the differences in the types of customer data
Sales people have an instinct for retaining important information that will help them close ASAP. Marketing relies on systematic data collection in the field to improve targeting, messaging, and conversion rates all along the funnel. Customer knowledge is so fundamental to any business that this dichotomy must be successfully resolved. Sales should be motivated to collect critical information through compensation or programs tailored to elicit the required behavior. Marketing is responsible for structuring the data collection and for showing the ROI on this investment in time through more and better quality leads. - Balance the promotional with the brand-building
Sales teams love to see promotions that drive customers to them. Marketing teams want to make sure that the groundwork for success has been created by building up the brand. Of course, Sales teams love to work with a powerful brand, but when times get tough, they tend to view branding activities as disconnected from immediate revenue concerns. Depending on the situation, the balance between the two can be modulated, but no side can be favored at the expense of the other for any significant length of time.
Much of the difference lies in a more short-term focus for Sales and a longer-term focus for Marketing. Ideally, the two views coexist harmoniously in that a well executed Marketing strategy that by nature has a somewhat longer term perspective will yield results that are continuously harvested by Sales in the here and now. Managers on both sides have a responsibility to have the porcupines practice a friendly form of coopetition to make the best of each side’s talents.
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Tags: management, marketing, Sales