<h2 class = 'uawtitle'>Why Marketing Needs to Stop Selling Sales</h2><br />
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>by Jonathan X. Livingsworth</div><br /><br />
<div class='uawarticle'>The Annuitas Group recently posted a blog to help marketers change the way they think about the sales and marketing relationship. "Who is Marketing's Customer" explains how many marketers are led to believe that viewing sales as their customer will aid in the alignment. According to the post, however, nothing could be further from the truth. When marketing is told to treat sales as "king" and is given the sole purpose serving sales with as many leads as possible, the two sides are no longer on equal footing.<br />
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So who is marketing's number one customer? The B2B buyer, of course! Sales and marketing must realize that they share the same customer and they both have important roles in generating revenue. Once sales and marketing understand this crucial point, they can work together as equals to better serve and attract their customers.<br />
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The Annuitas Group post suggests that these five conditions be met before the sales-marketing alliance can happen successfully:<br />
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1. Start at the top<br />
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For a cultural change like this to be successful, it must be initiated and supported by top management. Unfortunately, research has shown than many CEOs, CMOs, SVPs and CROs don't believe that sales and marketing share equal roles in the buyer relationship. Transforming this attitude will be key to engaging and empowering the two teams to work together successfully.<br />
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2. Develop a workable, mutually agreeable process<br />
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Initiating a clear process for sales and marketing helps to define the roles and responsibilities that each has in creating and managing a better buying process from start to finish.<br />
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3. Implement change management<br />
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Change can be hard! But if management is committed to and prepared for the transformation, many difficulties can be avoided or diminished. Their willingness and enthusiasm will go a long way to help overcome the challenges that accompany any change. And, if the going gets touch, management can step in to resolve disputes without undercutting the entire process.<br />
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4. Know your (real) customers<br />
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If sales and marketing are unable to clearly define their customer, they can forget about forming a successful alliance. Both sides need to understand and agree upon the needs and wants of their specific customers. A helpful suggestion in the post is to have sales and marketing create a process together that will help them define their customer so they know how to sever them better.<br />
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5. Be willing to accept the change<br />
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Some people will resist change. Those employees who cant grasp the importance of the transformation and get onboard may need to be replaced. Major cultural change cannot happen quickly and effectively with some team members trying to sabotage or stonewall the process.<br />
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The way that sales and marketing is viewed and how they interact is evolving. You will get left behind if you are unable, or unwilling, to initiate a change towards alignment and equality between sales and marketing.<br />
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<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br />
About the Author:<br />
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<div class='uawlinks'>Jonathan X. Livingsworth is a media writer in the world of marketing. If you are interested in working with the latest in marketing he suggests you check out this <a href="http://www.pedowitzgroup.com/lead-generation-strategy/">Lead Generation Strategy</a>. You can learn more about this revenue marketing company at <a href="http://www.pedowitzgroup.com">http://www.pedowitzgroup.com</a>.</div><br />
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New Unique Article!<br />
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Title: Why Marketing Needs to Stop Selling Sales<br />
Author: Jonathan X. Livingsworth<br />
Email: rafael.e.zabala@gmail.com<br />
Keywords: b2b marketing agency, business marketing consultants,b2b marketing, online marketing,b2b marketing, marketing, business<br />
Word Count: 475<br />
Category: Marketing<br />
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