Jul 5, 2010
Linking Marketing and Sales Can Be as Easy as Dialing the Phone
“At some point somebody has to sell something”… Let’s make it sooner! This opening line of Chapter 6 of The 90% Rule resonates that much louder during challenging times.
This point is made in the first part of the book because, all too often, successful companies become order takers. They have been wooed by the good times in which the phone would ring and now they sit and stare at it aimlessly, forgetting that, yes, it can dial out, too.
One of our colleagues and contributors, sales scientist Adrian Davis, President and CEO, Whetstone Inc explains, “marketing must now tie the end of their funnel directly to the beginning of the sales funnel”.
The success of innovation depends on telling people about what it is that you have innovated. Yes, there are some very strong traditional and marketing tools that can help raise awareness of your company or brand, and increase the number of people phoning in to you. But, don’t be complacent. Ensure that your lead generation process systematically ties together your innovation and marketing to a strong, proactive sales program.
I know, it can be tough. I am definitely not a born salesperson so I have made myself into a disciplined one – actively attending events, making well researched introductory calls and generally making sure that everyone in the company opens their eyes to opportunities and feeds them back to me to follow up on.
Remember, your phone is still your company’s best friend … but nobody can dial it for you.
-Ken Tencer
Category: Marketing, Spyder Works
