Everybody knows the story. Marketing is "high concept;"
sales is "real world." Marketing is "long term;" sales is
"seize the moment." Marketing is all about the brand; sales
is all about, well, the sale.
There are countless treatises on this eternal conflict,
many right here within in these pages. People with very big
brains spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure
out how to bridge the gap between these two critical, but
often conflicting business disciplines.
But are the pundits simply perpetuating a legendary feud, a
culture of conflict that really isn't relevant anymore? I
mean, without this topic, what else would they write about?
Are they like the dentist who doesn't really want cavities
to go away, at least not all of them?
I for one believe we can start burying the S&M hatchet once
and for all. Because today, effective sales and marketing
really aren't so different. "Effective" is the key word, of
course. But in the current business environment, the chasm
that has always existed between those who create the brand
and those who push the product seems to be closing.
In fact, the fundamental qualities of good marketing and
good sales were never all that out of alignment. The most
immediate goals of those practicing their respective crafts
were, and that probably led to all the misunderstanding.
But in the end, very similar principles applied. And
whatever real differences there may have been are rapidly
fading away, simply because both sides of the debate are
now reporting to a new boss, one that has never been so
powerful, so critical, so fickle and so unforgiving –
their target audience.
THE AUDIENCE CALLS ALL THE SHOTS
In the past, we sales and marketing experts held most of
the cards. Marketers pushed information to audiences
through a relatively small number of communication channels
– traditional broadcast, print, outdoor, direct mail,
PR. Sales professionals were pitching prospects who had
few, if any available options. Of course there was always
competition lurking in the shadows; but they were
relatively scarce when compared with today's competitive
landscape, where access to messages, promises, deals and
promotions is virtually unlimited.
People just aren't so easily persuaded anymore. The world
is totally transparent to anyone who cares to look inside,
and as a result, audiences of all kinds demand greater
accountability from the companies they do business with.
Today there are endless options, and endless methods of
accessing them. The reality is, we can no longer tell our
targets anything they don't want to hear. Because someone
else is right there waiting for the chance to provide
exactly what they're looking for.
LET'S GET ENGAGED!
So what's the answer? How can marketers and sales
professionals alike get their respective audiences to say
"yes"?
By engaging them.
"Engagement" is undoubtedly the word du jour of the
marketing world. And while the term may not be used as
frequently in weekly sales meetings, engagement has always
been the goal of any good salesperson.
Just what is engagement? While there still seems to be no
definitive definition, as a starting point, engagement is
about building meaningful relationships with audiences (or
prospects), on their terms. Engagement is all about
involvement, entertainment, relevance, relationships,
customer focus, listening much more than we speak, then
speaking in our audience's language rather than our own.
All of this might seem self-evident. But it's easier said
than done in today's world of continuously shifting tastes,
interests and communication/entertainment options. Both
sales and marketing professionals have a lot to think about
if they're going to effectively engage their targets. And
each can learn a trick or two from the other.
THREE ENGAGEMENT SKILLS MARKETING CAN LEARN FROM SALES
Nimbleness. Great salespeople have always been able to turn
on a dime. They know that the prospect leads the dance, and
if they are to succeed, they must be in concert with their
partner, sensitive to their subtlest move and quick to turn
and spin and dip whenever they're ready. Many marketers
still want to lead. They know about this engagement thing,
but at the end of the day, still think they know better
than the audience what the audience really wants. Learn
from your sales colleagues. Give the audience what they're
asking for, even if it changes day-to-day. They decide, you
provide.
Immediacy. There are no more long-term propositions, at
least not in the way there once were. Everything is "now,"
this moment. In fact, now is already old news. Super sales
pros have always been ready to move when the time was right
– before a competitor beat them to the punch.
Marketers have traditionally been more deliberate in their
efforts -- research, develop, research again, refine,
research. Take that tack today and you'll soon be a
footnote in the business history books. Think Wang Word
Processors. "You snooze, you lose" is true more than ever.
Over-Service. The really great salespeople are never too
proud. They're always ready to bend over backwards for a
valued customer – and hopefully enjoy a fleeting
moment of customer loyalty. The successful sales pro is
there whenever needed – nights, weekends, early
mornings, holidays. Because that's what customers demand.
Marketers have always had it a little easier. Set the
campaign in motion and watch as the audience eats it up. No
more. Today, the most successful marketers are engaging
audiences whenever and wherever that audience demands
– in the street, on three screens, in their
neighborhoods, on vacation. Don't expect them to come to
you anymore; they won't. Go where they are and give them
everything you've got!
THREE ENGAGEMENT SKILLS SALES CAN LEARN FROM MARKETING
Research. Marketers have always put a lot of stock in
getting to know their audience, spending millions to
understand just who they are, how they think and most
important, what they'll buy. Today, effective sales
requires an equally inquisitive approach. Learn everything
you can about your prospects – married or single;
golf or tennis; Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts; where they
were born and where they went to school. And of course,
what matters to them in their career and their life. The
more you know about your audience, the better you will be
able to speak their language, and the more engaging your
sales efforts will be.
Thinking Big. Master marketers have always focused on the
"big idea," the overriding brand benefits their audience
values. They don't sell a neat product, they promise a
solution. Likewise, "solution selling" is all the rage
these days, and for good reason. It works. Look for ways to
provide big picture solutions to clients, ideally ones that
encourage a long-term relationship. Don't make their life
better today. Give them the hope that it will be better
tomorrow, for the next year, the next decade. Not with this
sale, but with an understanding of their needs and an
ongoing commitment to providing answers. That's real
engagement.
Strategy First. The most effective marketing programs have
always been based on a carefully designed strategy,
essentially ensuring that the right message is being
delivered to the right audience in the right way, in order
to achieve a desired objective. Sales has traditionally
involved a bit more hip-shooting. And while "nimbleness" is
listed above as an important sales skill marketers can
benefit from, a strategic approach is equally beneficial
for sales professionals in today's chaotic selling
environment. Before ever making the first call or sending
the first email, develop specific, measurable goals, work
to identify your ideal prospects, determine what's
important to them and craft your proposal appropriately.
Determine just how they can be most effectively engaged and
only then execute your strategy flawlessly. Plan your sale,
sell your plan.
It all used to be easier, I think. People could be led to a
desired outcome, even manipulated when necessary. Today
it's the smart salespeople and marketers who know, they're
the ones being led, and are willing to follow along. Ask
what the audience wants and how they want it, and then give
it to them. Whether it's a brand or a product, a message or
a service contract. Make sure it's all part of an immersive
experience that meets and exceeds all their expectations.
Only by being fast, flexible and completely responsive to
the needs and desires of our audiences will engagement
happen – and relationships thrive.
----------------------------------------------------
Keith Harmeyer is EVP of Marketing and Creative Services at
C2 Creative in New York City. He is a marketing,
communication and presentation skills expert, author,
speaker and creator of The SuperSkill (sm), a proven method
for using traditional marketing techniques to achieve
personal and professional success. You can email Keith at
kaharmeyer@gmail.com, or visit his website at
http://www.thesuperskill.com .
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