It may sound like a simple step, but many organizations don’t get input or guidance from their sales staff when they are developing marketing materials. After all, the sales team is on the front line dealing with the prospects and hearing first hand why people do and don’t buy your product or service.
Getting the sales team involved early in the marketing process can provide many benefits. They can help with the initial strategy and provide valuable insight into what marketing materials can communicate the sales message most effectively.
We typically have the marketing manager get the sales team together and have lunch brought in. (It is hard for them to resist a free lunch.) We talk about the sales materials and how they are currently used. Then we discuss ways we can improve the process.
I’m not saying that you let the salespeople dictate the marketing process. That’s the marketing manager’s job. However, when the sales staff feels they have been part of the process, they are more likely to buy into the plan and use the materials.
Over the years, some of our most successful marketing campaigns have come after talking with the sales team. Great salespeople are good listeners, the same is true for great marketing managers.