One of the many challenges that a business can face is the friction between the Sales and the Marketing departments. Though these two generally work towards increasing the revenue of the company, oftentimes, they are at odds with one another. These internal problems can be detrimental to the company, and result in wasted revenue and time. However, there are a number of ways to help the Sales and Marketing departments get along. The following are a few examples of how to foster a healthy sales and marketing relationship.
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1. Establish Communication
The key to any successful relationship is two-way, continuous communication. This is especially true for Marketing and Sales, as their efforts play a major role in the revenue of a company. If one department is unaware of the other’s actions, then they both risk undermining each other. Ways in which sales and marketing communication can be increased between the two departments is to hold joint meetings, build strong relationships, and even combining the two teams. Another way to foster communication is to have the two departments constantly give feedback to each other. By aligning the activities and the sales and marketing goals, the company can greatly increase their profits.
2. Develop Consistent Goals and Objectives
One reason why disagreements occur between the Sales and Marketing departments is because they lack consistent, similar goals. Business owners can work around this problem by having the two departments create goals that are contingent on each other. For example, if Marketing decides to find more leads, it can work with Sales to nurture and develop the most prospective leads. By setting expectations that are met by working together, the two departments contribute to their company’s goal of maximizing revenue.
3. Define Leads
One of the key responsibilities of the Marketing team is to collect leads for the Sales department to nurture. However, if Marketing has no idea what to look for, then they will be unable to find meaningful leads. Sales and Marketing team should communicate to each other what each one is looking for, so that they can become more efficient and successful in their efforts.
4. Synchronize Marketing Campaigns and Sales Cycles
If the Marketing department decides to market a new product while the other decides to push to increase sales for another, this leads to inefficiencies and wasted manpower. Instead, the two departments should work together and align their efforts to increase revenue. For example, Marketing can campaign for a product while Sales expend their efforts to push for customers.
5. Use Relevant Data and Information
A key problem of communication between the two departments results from a lack of common language and shared information. Instead of using general terms and descriptions, or meaningless data, the two parties should use solid evidence to convey their viewpoints and concerns. Instead of saying, “We have no leads” or “There are no sales”, the two departments should use data to concentrate on the real dilemmas.
In order to work together, Marketing and Sales must be able to understand the other’s goals and expectations. Establishing communication between the two departments ensures that they will both be successful and valuable to the company.
Photo Credit: bgnentrepreneur.net
Rachel Kim is a writer for Business.com, a company helping small to large businesses increase exposure by servicing everything from lead generation to b2b business directory placement; with 23 different categories ranging from VOIP business phone service to credit card processing.
