Marketing and sales are directly connected.
–If they aren’t, especially in today’s new on-line marketplace, you’re likely suffering in ways you may not even be aware of… Simply put, you’re not maximizing your sales opportunities.
Having been in sales and managing sales teams, as well as in several marketing positions (full-time and consulting), I’ve often been amazed by how frequently I’ve witnessed “the disconnect” between marketing and sales (from small to large, even well-known organizations, it can be oddly adversarial! –which always seemed strange and pointless to me).
Marketing strategies and programs are best when their designers take the time to walk in in the shoes of salespeople and customers (Getting real perspectives, ideas and needs!) How else can you design marketing strategies and programs that create the best sales results!?
Here are a couple important, long-touted acronyms that most every salesperson can recall:
1) “A.I.D.A.”–Attention, Interest, Decision, Action
2) “ABC” -Always Be Closing
—These are both good and practical keys for addressing sales process and goals. But, how do these acronyms stack up in today’s marketplace and sales environment?… They are still undeniably critical, yet added clarity needs to be addressed for today’s marketplace!
Our new technology/information world is affecting “the way customers make decisions.“ It’s affecting the way we support and build relationships. And let’s face it, “attention” and “interest” are also affected. We’re living in a rapidly growing and changing multi-media, social-media information-rich world! —A place where all our communication tools are integrating and melding.
VALUABLE ON-LINE CONTENT and INTERACTIVE INVOLVEMENT are the critical strategic links for creating better marketing, designed for greater sales!
Here are some of the advantages of creating a variety of on-line content, informative, valuable and interactive:
1. Valuable and unique content can help differentiate you in the marketplace.
2. Salespersons, when needed, can direct potential customers to valuable/supportive content, presentations, tools, research, etc. on-line.
3. Marketing and sales can screen customers and gathers leads.
4. Interested, potential customers can more easily and quickly access information about you, your products and services.
5. Your marketing and sales teams can gather more information regarding customer interests, feedback, thoughts, ideas, etc.
6. Information about you/company can be represented by you, your customers, partners/alliances, or other industry professionals, publications, etc.
7. Customers gain the psychological advantage of learning about you on-line (in a non-threatening, relaxed manner).
8. The more content you provide (and link to), the greater your visibility and search rankings.
9. Valuable content and interactive on-line involvement can foster relationship-building, while earning greater confidence and trust.
10. A positive on-line presence can help persuade customers -helping them make a decisions to TAKE ACTION and BUY.
11. All content can link purposefully and naturally back to website response mechanisms to take action.
12. Although “ABC” (Always Be Closing) is part of a salesperson’s motto in the trenches, on-line you need to use etiquette (“Netiquette”). -There is a time and place for everything. *Response mechanisms are critical and effective when done right.
The “ABC” (Always Be Closing) motto is key for the salesperson and/or entrepreneur in the trenches. –It helps set a valuable tone of priority and importance. We all need to keep focused on the goal!…However, it’s very important, to make the sales process a NATURAL ONE. No customer wants to feel they are “being inappropriately sold”, especially while in the process of exploring and learning in a non-threatening manner.
Creating a supportive on-line world with “VALUABLE CONTENT & INTERACTIVE INVOLVEMENT” around your marketing and sales activities is critical for any organization. The Internet and mobile devices and play a valuable role in the supporting marketing and sales by sharing information, educating, interacting and build relationships.
