| | | | | have weekly meetings or why are the two divisions |
| Sales and marketing need each other; they are | | | | not sitting next to each other? I would presume it's |
| married. Though, in this case, a divorce wouldn't mean | | | | bad theories on marketing and management's behalf. |
| a 50/50 split, it would probably mean a business. | | | | What most marketing divisions do not understand is |
| However, I have always found it ironic that | | | | that their sole job is to feed the sales professionals |
| marketing and sales are two totally separate | | | | leads. These days, incoming leads are almost the only |
| divisions; this is most prominent in some mid-size and | | | | type of leads which have a closing rate of over 50%. |
| larger companies. One would have to ask themselves, | | | | There are some exceptions such as when your |
| why? This is an important question which often | | | | company hires a real superstar who comes equipped |
| needs answering. | | | | with a lot of business connections and can truly close |
| There are many tell-tale signs when marketing and | | | | a high rate of business. Marketing divisions need to |
| sales does not have the sweeping romance which | | | | keep track of the number of incoming leads to the |
| they should. The first sign that things are not great is | | | | sales force. However, the sales team also needs to |
| when marketing is spending a lot of time focusing on | | | | be cognizant of these numbers as well. |
| print marketing. Unless you are a drug company | | | | If these lead generation numbers were to drop, and |
| trying to convince somebody to take your drug, print | | | | the economy was continuing to get better, both |
| marketing is useless. Even worse, the marketing | | | | parties have a problem and need to determine where |
| professional or professionals who are actively hiring | | | | the loose ends are. Also, the head of sales should |
| the print marketing professionals are, dare I say, | | | | step in and approve all marketing material (both online |
| useless and expensive. In a company, having | | | | and print) which goes out to the public. You could run |
| someone useless and expensive is a one-two | | | | into a problem if the marketing material is saying y |
| knockout punch (and not to the other team). Getting | | | | and the sales team is pitching x. Additionally, if |
| back to drug companies, hiring someone who is very | | | | pitching x is working for the sales team, the |
| good at print marketing may not be useless, but the | | | | marketing division should not fight the sales division |
| ethics of it hovers in the air. | | | | and ought to adjust according. Simply stated, if the |
| One example I like to provide regarding the | | | | two divisions do not have a symbiotic relationship |
| necessary relationship these two divisions should | | | | with one another, your company is opening its guard |
| have is that sales people are the frontline soldiers | | | | up to getting beaten by the competition. We all |
| while the marketing team is comparable to the tanks, | | | | know that staying on top is a lot better than playing |
| ammunition and supplies. Without the supplies, the | | | | catch-up. |
| troops cannot fight and without the troops, the | | | | The best advice I could give is to merge the two |
| supplies don't do much good. So, why do they not | | | | divisions and have a "sales and marketing" division. |