Do We Really Need Marketing?

we have a really long blurb memory, and we recollect with substantial clearness that in days long ago,"marketing" was a sideshow, roughly an after-thought, or an extras to the actual engine room inside of many companies – the sales force.

Typically, the inhabitants of the selling subdepartment – yes, that was way before they became divisions, or even functions – were possibly unsuccessful salesmen or women, who had mislaid the ardour for full on every day aggressive skirmishes, or they were returning mothers, seeking for a few part-time income.

Their days typically began at 8.55 am on the dot, and finished at 5.01pm. They closed down typewriters/word processors (yes, we am really discussing about that long ago) at 1.00 pm, to empty their lunches, and then religiously full all the Tupperware and flasks divided once again at 1.59 pm.

They did not so ample come in rooms, but rsther than randomize in, worriedly - roughly apologetically - as if in apprehension of being asked if they could possibly clear their existence.

They might have considered that they were accountable for compelling – and sometimes fortifying – the company's image, but in reality, they were at the beckoning of any person in the boardroom/C-Suite. Come to consider it, they were moreover at the beckoning of any person in sales too.

When we myself arrived at house turn – and in fact, at every firm we operated at that turn – we rapidly schooled that selling budgets were there to be spent. It was roughly as if not spending the whole bill would be viewed as failure! So what did we do? we refused to set aside a budget, but rather, laid out essential guidelines, that forced deliberation and fact for any leading spend. Radical? Hardly. But it ensured that we always had my finger on the pulse.

My goodness, how times have changed. Marketing heads right away walk opposite the sales floor; they look the sales group in the eyes; they have become an critical and integral segment of the "offense unit" …. In fact, selling teams who know what they are carrying out are as profitable as high-achieving sales professionals.

Why? The enrichment in really high high quality and effective sales/marketing fixing tools, have propelled the selling function in to a fearful front-line function, producing a regular river of high high quality leads and opportunities. In many organizations, they have transposed chilled mission and determined themselves as the "new business origination stars"

So because still the stand-off? Why still no authorised wedding? Why an nervous ceasefire – a type of "marriage of convenience?"

I'll notify that in a follow-up post next week. It isn't "rocket science" – good not to someone who has a long memory, and can recollect typewriters!

News: Have you been opposite to the 2010 Top Sales Awards site yet? You can opinion in 10 not similar categories, and the awards rite is on December 16^th –

Top Sales Awards

Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author, consultant, and sales strategist, who has guided hundreds of companies and thousands of people around the world towards optimal opening levels.

He is the CEO of Top Sales Associates, Chairman of The jf Corporation and the author of Top Sales World.

Jonathan is formed in London and

Paris.