When it comes to defining and making distinctions between sales and marketing, are the roles and the language used clear to everyone in your organization? Marketing is responsible for exposing a brand product (could be tangible or non-tangible) to the marketplace. Sales is responsible for converting leads to prospects and then to customers. With this simple distinction we may not know who is responsible for lead generation.
So, who is? Is it marketing, sales, or is it the entire company? Some companies will have more marketing and less sales, others will have the reverse. There is no right answer when it comes to distinguishing sales from marketing and each area’s responsibilities. Over time, a given organization may change these distinctions to impact processes and results. Most importantly, is the structure and its function clear to those who must deliver and act on that understanding?
When it comes to positions in sales, clarity about what an organization wants and needs in a sales position will set the stage for a successful hire. Will it be new sales (hunter), repeat sales (farmer), account manager, or a customer support role/position? What are the expectations for this position? Will the person in this role be responsible for prospecting, making cold calls, building a pipeline, and closing opportunities at a certain pace (quota/goal)? Will they be required to function in a CRM? From a marketing perspective, will the position open a new territory or build out an existing one – vertical vs. horizontal market penetration?
Once the role, expectations, and desired results for a sales position are clear, we can turn to thinking about the kind of candidate that might be suitable for this position. Hiring a customer- and service-oriented person for a new business sales position will likely fail. So, what characteristics should a great candidate for your position have? How will you recognize a good candidate from one that would be a poor fit?
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