Sales and Marketing on the Same Page

Marketing teams are the Rodney Dangerfields of the corporate world. They don’t get no respect. The underappreciated few are supposed to attract the interest of target prospects and clients who are inundated with countless promotional messages every day. And while marketers are tasked with teeing up qualified prospects for the sales team, these two departments are often working out of synch with each other.

One way to get on the same page and begin a more mutually beneficial relationship is to use the tools that enable sales teams to train faster and to streamline the sales communication process while educating and engaging their prospects.

Integrated Messaging
The marketing message has to be an effective, integral part of the sales materials and overall practice. Work with sales to create a message, and then test it. Consistency, from print collateral to what prospects see on their first visit to the website, goes a long way in helping sales present a united front.

A Bigger Toolbox
Marketing can be instrumental in creating collateral templates that are easily customized and assembled to appeal to a specific target. Also, email attachments that are designed to complement different types of communication can be an effective and easily accessible sales or marketing tool. When it comes to using the right technology, make your decision based first on the target audience and the overall strategy.

One Identity
Make it the marketing department’s responsibility to help generate leads by revamping the website if necessary, developing customer success stories, generating good public relations, and driving promotional campaigns that convey the message and build the brand.

And finally, take a salesperson to lunch and let them pick up the tab.