Comments on: Integrating Sales and Marketing at Software and Technology Companies http://www.pjmconsult.com/index.php/2008/12/integrating-sales-and-marketing-at.html General Management and Marketing Advice for Software and Tech Companies Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:42:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: JC Hewitt http://www.pjmconsult.com/index.php/2008/12/integrating-sales-and-marketing-at.html/comment-page-1#comment-5459 JC Hewitt Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:55:21 +0000 http://www.pjmconsult.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-5459 I found this through Ultra Light Startups. Although I've only worked as a freelancer, this seems like a brilliant set of observations. From my perspective, marketing and sales are part of the same continuum, and unified leadership seems logical. Marketing should identify and soften up the target customer while sales executes the last segment of the process. Why are they so often split? Is it just inertia in the business culture? I found this through Ultra Light Startups.

Although I’ve only worked as a freelancer, this seems like a brilliant set of observations.

From my perspective, marketing and sales are part of the same continuum, and unified leadership seems logical.

Marketing should identify and soften up the target customer while sales executes the last segment of the process.

Why are they so often split? Is it just inertia in the business culture?

]]> By: Paul http://www.pjmconsult.com/index.php/2008/12/integrating-sales-and-marketing-at.html/comment-page-1#comment-5458 Paul Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:50:44 +0000 http://www.pjmconsult.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-5458 Phil, I found my way here via Linked-in.Your observations about the tensions between sales and marketing in hi-tech companies are absolutely spot on. I recognised all of them from my time in Unisys and Siemens! Your recommendations are also thoughtful and well considered, but let me add another perspective. Marketing has got detached from both the strategy of the company and from sales execution. Sales and marketing are just two parts of the same continuum, so I have been involved in some projects where we effectively create an industrialised end-to-end process that engages sales with marketing early, as you suggested, ensures that the messages match the company's strategic intent, that the communications are relevant and timely and connected to very targeted and measurable sales execution tactics. We have had some excellent results with what we describe to sales people as the answer to "the marketing cycle of doom" and to marketing people as the answer to the "the marketing merry-go-round". Although marketing people can be a little defensive, hence our different terminology when talking to them, the results and the better relationship with sales usually win them over pretty rapidly. Phil, I found my way here via Linked-in.Your observations about the tensions between sales and marketing in hi-tech companies are absolutely spot on. I recognised all of them from my time in Unisys and Siemens! Your recommendations are also thoughtful and well considered, but let me add another perspective.
Marketing has got detached from both the strategy of the company and from sales execution. Sales and marketing are just two parts of the same continuum, so I have been involved in some projects where we effectively create an industrialised end-to-end process that engages sales with marketing early, as you suggested, ensures that the messages match the company’s strategic intent, that the communications are relevant and timely and connected to very targeted and measurable sales execution tactics.
We have had some excellent results with what we describe to sales people as the answer to “the marketing cycle of doom” and to marketing people as the answer to the “the marketing merry-go-round”. Although marketing people can be a little defensive, hence our different terminology when talking to them, the results and the better relationship with sales usually win them over pretty rapidly.

]]> By: S. Gibson http://www.pjmconsult.com/index.php/2008/12/integrating-sales-and-marketing-at.html/comment-page-1#comment-131 S. Gibson Tue, 18 May 2010 13:55:21 +0000 http://www.pjmconsult.com/wordpress/?p=20#comment-131 All good marketers recognize the need to not only straddle the line between sales and marketing, but also make it their business to be a healthy if not aggressive revenue champion. This approach works particularly well when the Sales organization is equally committed to aligning with Marketing. All good marketers recognize the need to not only straddle the line between sales and marketing, but also make it their business to be a healthy if not aggressive revenue champion. This approach works particularly well when the Sales organization is equally committed to aligning with Marketing.

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