(3 min read)

Sales and Marketing are too often divided in an organization by a misalignment of goals, operational insight, customer identity and reporting structure. Without cohesion between these two groups, companies often scratch their heads trying to figure out why they continue to miss plan each year. They also wonder why they aren’t keeping up with the competition. Let’s examine a few ways to correct the course to ensure success.

Cohesion

In computer programming, cohesion refers to the degree to which the elements of a module belong together. Thus, cohesion measures the strength of relationship between pieces of functionality within a given module. Therefore, functionality is necessary in highly cohesive systems. Sales cannot exist without marketing. There is also no purpose for marketing without the fulfillment of sales. The strength of the relationship requires a single reporting structure that can assign goals enabling the two disciplines to work together to accomplish the same objectives and key results.

Sales, Know Marketing

Sales must be educated on marketing principles, goals and campaigns to better understand the value being presented to the customer. These same values or brand identities must be consistently presented to the customer during the sales process to achieve high conversion. Sales must also understand key metrics that marketing is responsible for. These metrics include cost per sale and ROI. When sales understands these key metrics, it better aligns their behavior in a manner that helps marketing accomplish their goals. This further helps sales understand that every lead is important. A sales team should know and understand that maximizing revenue per sale is a team objective, not just a marketing objective.

Marketing, Know Sales

Marketing must spend time with the sales department to obtain an understanding of operational requirements and customer identity. When a marketing team walks in the shoes of the salesperson, they are more likely to help create processes that compliment rather than hinder the sale process. Understanding the customer identity and what types of customers drive higher revenues and retention should be as important to marketing as it is to sales. This understanding of customers will lead to better marketing strategies, customer segmentation and lead quality. When sales and marketing have cohesion it isn’t about meeting lead and budget quotas. It’s about generating leads that ultimately drive sales goals which in turn accomplish the companies’ objectives.

Sales and Marketing Communication

Examine your organizational structure if you are missing plan and not hitting your yearly growth or profitability objectives. Build cohesiveness between your sales and marketing departments by establishing a single reporting structure, team objectives and a communication plan. Together you will consistently accomplish your strategic goals.

– Mark Casas, Senior Vice President, AIS

The article above is part of our B2B series offering tips to other business owners, managers and entrepreneurs as AIS celebrates 50 years in business. See our tips on Business Finance from our CFO, Chris Bremer. Also, our CEO addresses the importance of your company’s direction and vision. Follow us on LinkedIn for more business-related topics.