Sales or Marketing – Who’s the Boss?

  1. What should Sales know about Marketing — and Marketing know about Sales?
  2. What steps can you take to get Sales and Marketing to partner more effectively for better results?
This ITAC Marketing Think Tank was hosted at Oracle Corporation Canada Inc. in Toronto by Mike Shulman, Senior Manager, Marketing. The discussion was moderated by Bob Becker, Principal, SMA.
Attendees
 

What We Learned

  • Senior management in Sales and Marketing must set a tone of collaboration
  • It’s vital to have Sales involved in the marketing process to get buy-in and ensure relevance
  • Sales and Marketing cannot collaborate fully if they don’t meet!  We must get to know each other better by meeting in person
  • Both organizations need to develop a deeper understanding of the other’s reality, needs and value
  • Marketing and Sales are essentially each other’s customers – and share a common goal

Attendees

  • Shannon Beattie, Marketing Manager, Eclipsys Solutions
  • Bill Charters, President and CEO, Sunrise Solar
  • Glen Gibson, Director, Regional Marketing, North America, Global Demand Programs, Amdocs Canada Inc.
  • Wayne Hendry, Communication Manager, ITAC
  • Chub Letenyei, Senior Field Marketing Specialist, OpenText Corporation
  • Douglas Long, Director, Strategic Marketing, Applanix
  • Sherry Lyons, Director, Marketing Communications Director, Toshiba Canada Limited
  • Susan Park, Director, Branding Siemens Canada, Siemens Canada Limited
  • Mike Shulman, Manager, Canada Hardware and Technology Channel Sales – VAD, Oracle Corporation Canada Inc.
  • Anu Vijh, Channel Marketing Manager, Canada, Symantec Corporation
  • Fern White, Regional Field Marketing Manager, Supporting Western USA, OpenText Corporation

Image1

What does Marketing feel Sales is most frustrated about them?

  • Marketing collateral is not relevant or timely enough
  • At times there is too much information; Sales needs condensed, shorter versions
  • Lead quality is poor or unqualified
  • Sales needs and wants more comparisons/references
  • “It never seems to be a good time” to call Sales – dealing with Marketing is bothersome
  • Sales always wants the next “big thing” from Marketing, but time and budget is a challenge
  • Sales does not understand high-level branding; there’s a disconnect and lack of education in sales and brand
  • Sales does not like and is not interested in ROI on marketing
  • It’s more than just getting together with prospects Sales is comfortable with

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What are the greatest frustrations Marketing has with Sales?

  • Sales is not interested in account objectives outside of pipeline
  • Sales say: “Sell this”; Marketing says “How do we feed that?” or “What relationships are challenged”? or “How do we engage/foster/repair relationship?”  It’s not so simple.
  • Needs to be a two-way relationship with Sales; more collaboration is needed
  • Lack of understanding of Marketing’s breadth and lack of appreciation of its value
  • If it’s not a “Sales idea”, Sales is not invested
  • Sales continuously wants something and yet unresponsive to Marketing requests

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From a Marketing perspective, what do you find works with Sales?  What do we both need to do to make the relationship better?

What works:

  • Events can get Sales more engaged.  Social events, such as golfing, work better than product events
  • Letting Sales think “they built it” – then they will come
  • It’s easier when buy-in comes from the top down
  • Keeping it simple and automating the lead, feedback process, wherever possible

What will make it better?

  • Have Sales involved in the marketing process; ask for their input
  • Understand cycles; Sales are situational-driven; tolerance needs to be built between Marketing and Sales
  • Get out and build face-to-face/one-to-one relationships with Sales
  • Collaboration becomes easier when it’s personal

Image4

How do you manage social media in marketing?

  • Do not force social media; instead provide tools, such as “canned” material for Sales
  • Determine whether social media needs to be vetted/approved by Marketing
  • Encourage corporate content to be disseminated via personal pages/links
  • Reverse mentoring — match social media savvy employee with executive to get “them” out

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How do you lead hand-offs – obtain lead follow-ups and get them closed?

  • Consider outsourcing telemarketing lead generation to ensure qualified leads
  • Have open dialogue in leadership meetings for lead update status
  • Consider “paying” Sales to generate leads versus Marketing handing Sales a lead
  • Marketing should meet with Sales more often to obtain collaboration and ultimately obtain “hook-in/buy-in”
  • The challenge is once a lead is entered in Salesforce.com, it turns into an ‘Opportunity’ in Salesforce.com, becoming part of the pipeline – which means certain leads will not be accepted
  • Salesforce.com struggles: managing pipeline versus campaign management

Attendees’ Summary

  • Improve ROI metrics on event campaigns
  • Make smart decisions to justify Marketing’s reality
  • Make the time for one-on-one dialogue
  • Stay connected with sectors and re-connect with all groups
  • Get Sales invested and participating with more personalized assistance
  • Have tone dictated from the top and be mindful of dysfunctional tension
  • Communication is better than assumption; be up front and keep it going
  • K.I.S.S.  —  keep it simple stupid
  • Ask Sales to Marketing – Marketing to Sales,  what is going to make you successful
  • Get a better sense of timeline of activities and share own timeline
  • Define leads and lead process; add lead follow-up to all “meeting agenda”
  • Take a step back  —  Marketing and Sales are each other’s customers

Posted By: SMA

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