Avoiding the Costly Marketing - Sales Disconnect

There's a trap businesses fall into all the time...which create sizeable missed opportunity.

It's when there's a disconnect between the Marketing department...and the?Sales team.?

Let me illustrate what I'm talking about.

In an ideal world, your marketing efforts and your sales efforts should be two?sides of the same coin. They should work together, support each other, and?(most of all) be informed by each other - at all times. Like a good marriage...

And then there's the all-too-common reality:

The Marketing department "owns" and develops The Message (i.e. your value?proposition for a certain product). They create it, put it in the product brochures, across all the ads, across the whole website, etc.

But the Sales team, the ones who are doing the prospecting and harvesting out?in the field, end up using a totally different message!

Why?

Because they spend way more time with the actual customers. And they learn - in real-time - what is actually resonating with the target market.

Now, it goes without saying that this wastes a lot of money and energy...

But Why Does this Disconnect Happen in the First Place?

Because Marketing experts are not typically Sales professionals - and vice versa.?

3 reasons to consider:

1. For roughly the last 50 years, there's been a trend that companies involved in?complex or big-ticket sales separate the processes?of “developing the message”?and “delivering the message”.
2. They tend to rely on traditional, sophisticated market research and industry experts...as opposed to their own sales teams.
3. They work to develop the strategic conversations ("What are we? Who do we serve??What makes us different?") that shape the message?(i.e. the value proposition).?And then pass it on?to the Salespeople to deliver the messages?found in marketing?collateral. ?

But, rarely is the question asked, “What’s really happening out there?” to their own?Sales team. And as a result, there's a disconnect.

So, to avoid being caught in this trap, consider:

• Why ignore the wealth?of immediate and grounded marketplace insight – the thousands of hours of conversations between your salespeople and customers?
• Why not shape the message?based on the real and specific guidance from the direct sales team?
• Why not take advantage of the customer-facing resource (i.e. your direct sales force) for real-time market intelligence - and use them as the sounding board

So here are your pivotal questions for today:

• Do your sales and marketing personnel - truly collaborate?
• How would your go-to-market program look if your message development was was purposefully connected?with your sales team’s message delivery?

Looking for an edge in the market??

Why not start by getting Marketing and Sales working together?to define and effectively communicate your market-based value proposition.

What do you think?

Use the comment area below and share your experience or advice on this topic.

Business not growing the way you want?

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If you're a bit frustrated with slowing or stalled growth – let’s have a short call to see if we can help. Contact me at 480-766-1772 or [email protected] .

Rich Kohler is a Business Growth Expert. His company, Kohler Consulting Group specializes in helping CEOs and Marketing Executives of Mid-Market Aerospace & Defense, Hi-Tech firms who want to accelerate or recapture growth momentum, build a clear roadmap to achieve faster, more sustainable, profitable growth.

A former Fortune 500 Executive, he has helped BAE SYSTEMS, Eaton, GE Aviation, Smiths PLC, Transdigm address stalled growth, flat-lined revenues, declining profit margins; take a step back to more clearly & confidently navigate complex and rapidly changing markets, intensifying competition - increase clarity and control to reduce the uncertainty and risk around their strategy.

We apply a comprehensive CEO perspective to attack growth on multiple fronts, utilize proprietary & globally proven systems, methodology and combine consulting, coaching, and training to produce significant near-term results. We focus first on enhancing profitability, then pursue growth.? We also apply a unique approach - designing customized strategies “Built from Within” that are right for your business - fully leverage your unique organization capabilities…so you can accelerate profitability and sales growth in any economy.

Serious about accelerating your growth - and moving to that next level of success? Contact Rich at: [email protected].