Companies shouldn’t confuse marketing and sales

Companies think they need to hire sales help when they actually need marketing support – and vice versa. This fundamental confusion can lead to serious consequences in the company when, say, a dried up sales funnel results in limited cash flow.

Conversely, it’s a crying shame when the funnel is full to bursting, but there’s not a salesperson to follow up on the leads. Inquiries turning to dust are indicative of a strong marketing effort without a focused sales department on tap to close.

Marketing gets the word out about a product or service and builds awareness and even interest in the product. Sales then turns that interest into desire and finally action.

It’s the AIDA acronym brought to life: Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action. Half of that is marketing; the other half is sales.

So it’s necessary to have both, marketing and sales.

What are the characteristics of a marketer versus a salesperson?

Marketing reaches a wide audience of qualified prospects that sales then seeks to convert to customers. The jobs shouldn’t be done by the same person. They are different disciplines. One is analytical and involves strategic planning, competitive analysis, industry audits and the ability to find the best return on investment for an always-limited marketing budget.

Salespeople tend to be one-on-one, charismatic, informed and driven to persuade, matching the sales argument with the elicited needs of the prospect. They are listeners and solution providers.

How do you do both?

What if you’re a small-business owner responsible for both filling and emptying the funnel? A simple solution might be to spend your initial effort on a full year’s marketing plan, selecting tactics that require the least expenditure of time and money with the likelihood of greatest returns. You would thereafter spend the time you save on that upfront lead generation, responding to the inquiries that come in.

It’s advisable to put someone in that sales role and train them properly, rather than force-fitting yourself into the extrovert’s role. If you are not a “people person,” don’t pretend to be. Nothing rings so hollow as a fake smile and lack of authentic inquisitiveness.

So consider this: There might be a diamond-in-the-rough salesperson right on your payroll. Look for someone who is great at customer service, follow-up, empathy and comprehending detailed information. That person may well be your next star.

If you don’t have someone on tap in the organization to call on customers, then hire out. You could work out an arrangement that is largely commission based, making the expense a vaxriable cost. Only when you make a sale do you pay the outside salesperson, and that product or service’s price has taken the commission into account. It’s a smart move, but you’ll need to be sure your hire is personable, well informed and loyal. You’ll want to stay in touch regularly and inspire performance via education and encouragement.

Let marketing do the planning and analysis in the job of generating qualified leads for the organization. Let sales follow up on those leads and convert them to customers. Think of it this way: Marketing is the cause. Sales is the effect!

By understanding this distinction, you can see your business in a new light and perhaps improve processes so that you both fill and empty the sales funnel predictably.

Laurie Macomber, owner of Fort Collins-based Blue Skies Marketing, can be reached at laurie@blueskiesmktg.com or 970-689-3000.

on Facebook on LinkedIn