To read the first part of this article click here, increase sales. It is titled, “Does Marketing Support Your Sales Team, Or Your Sales Team Support Your Marketing?”

In the first article I addressed the crucial business question many small businesses don’t stop to ask:  “Are we a marketing-driven company supported by our sales force; or does our sales team take the lead and our marketing plays a support role?”

Today I want to post the question, “What to do if you are a marketing-driven company that is supported by sales?”  OK, if you are selling the less-expensive items (under $300), or if it is easy to compare items across different websites or among catalogs, then marketing has often closed the sale before ’sales’ ever speaks to the customer.  However, sales occupies an important supportive role. Read the rest…

Here’s a crucial business question many small businesses don’t stop to ask:  “Are we a marketing-driven company supported by our sales force; or does our sales team take the lead and our marketing plays a support role?”

Does the answer matter?  Absolutely.  The answer influences the caliber of salespeople you hire as well as marketing plans and budget.  In this first of two posts we’ll examine the case of the Sales Force that is supported by its marketing.

Marketing Plan To Increase Sales Leads

If you are a “sales-oriented” company, then salespeople are your front-line in actually closing the sale.  Typically, your $$ value is $300 or more (and yes, if you are a hotel or an airline this dollar value may not apply).  Typically, the higher the dollar-value of the product or service you are selling, the more important the sales person’s skill set is to increase sales.

Typically you are going to be hiring salespeople who are hungry to close and very much money-oriented.  Whether your sales cycle is long or short, a conservative approach or an “overcome the objection at all costs” approach, you usually are looking to hire hunters who want to go for the kill, not farmers who are interesting in tilling the soil. However, a seasoned hunter is appreciative of the gunsmith that puts a fine rifle in his hands, or the maker of the scope that allows him to see his quarry.  Just so, the wise salesperson is aware of the value of the marketer who gives him the opportunity to take many shots at the prey he seeks. Read the rest…