Getting the most out of sales and marketing

Sales and marketing often get lumped together, but that doesn't mean they know how to play nice.

You know the story. The sales squad snipes about getting meager support from the marketing department, while marketing folks--who on the whole command far smaller salaries--whine about feeling unappreciated for the quantity and quality of help they provide. And both sides are quick to point the finger at the other when key contracts aren't landed and revenue goals aren't met.

The fact is, letting a rift grow between sales and marketing can lead to lost revenue, reduced productivity and a dented reputation. The two sides need each other, and as a small-business owner, it's your job to set the tone and play referee. No mean feat, but the good news is that small fry tend not to suffer from the 'silo' effects that plague larger competitors.

With that, here are five surefire ways to improve relations between your sales and marketing departments:

Remind everyone that they're on the same team. Salespeople don't like to hear this, but by definition, sales is a subset of marketing--the universal effort to blast your company's message to the marketplace, find the most likely prospects, land them and keep them happy. While the sales team plays a critical role in that effort--a role often given to individual achievement--it is still one arrow in the quiver of a company's communication strategy.

Encourage empathy. Marketing folks tend to spend too much time in the office "thinking strategically." Sorry, folks, but there are diminishing returns to this. Force marketers to spend time in the field with salespeople. This should be part of their job description, not just their training.

Get everyone involved. Salespeople should help develop marketing programs. Invite them to brainstorming sessions, establish a formal system for collecting their ideas and give them full credit when their good ideas get implemented.

Create a smart incentive structure. That advice goes for every part of an organization, but it's especially critical in the sales and marketing realm. Salespeople will always be motivated by fat commissions, of course, but you should look for ways to let marketing staff get a piece of the action.

Craft and communicate a consistent message. In an effort to land business, salespeople can veer from the company's overall strategic vision, ultimately confusing customers. That's why you have to take steps--establish procedures, run training seminars, whatever it takes--to make sure both sales and marketing are strategically aligned. Remember: While internal conflict is distracting, pumping out conflicting messages is downright destructive.

Kern Lewis is president of GrowthFocus, Inc., a small-business marketing consultancy based in Castro Valley, Calif.