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I'm on a new campaign. (Old campaign, really, but renewed vigor—and I single it out from the noise.)....
I am trying to put ... SALES ... back on the pedestal it deserves. In the process I suppose I'm down-grading marketing—and that's more than okay per me. Of course I think marketing is incredibly important, but I think it intellectually comes second after sales—and the like of MBA programs have mostly eliminated sales from the picture. Stupid! Hence one of my favorite quotes these days is from Robert Louis Stevenson: "Everyone lives by selling something."
This all came up in a presentation yesterday. I championed my Client's cause—the more intense and focused use of databases and analytics associated therewith in marketing. I said, fine—as long as you'll substitute the word "sales" for "marketing." I claimed—and I'm faithful to it in practice—that my two favorite "businessman's terms" are: Sales. Revenue. (Good stuff.) (Very good stuff.)
I also cautioned about the use of "integrated marketing." I said,"Fine, as long as we fully comprehend that said 'integrated marketing' is in service to 'selling more stuff.'" On a roll, I suggested that the extended use of data did not mean, as some said, that "marketing" was going "left-brained" (more analytic). Data and analysis, by the front-end-loader-full? Fine! But ... all sales-marketing is in the end about the "Two Es"—Emotion and Experiences. And this is as true for commercial sales as for consumer transactions. The increasingly sophisticated and intense use of data and analytics is effective only to the extent that it supports emotion, experience, sales, and revenue. Period.
I'd acknowledge that's a little strong—but my point, as usual, is to correct what I see as incorrect biases.
Previously published on Tom Peters' Web site. See www.tompeters.com for more.
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Comments
I had a President of the company that I reported to many years ago that would often cite the phrase, "nothing happens until something is sold."
His often repeated mantra came from the heart of a salesperson--but he, like Tom Peters is right.
Sometimes marketing gets beat up for being nothing more than sales support, but that's not a bad thing, lest we forget who keeps us employed. Ultimately it's the customer, but the salesperson makes it happen.
Marketing that doesn't support the sales process is similar to Paris Hilton --nice to look at, but completely irrelevant.
Posted by: Paul A. Barsch | 05.04.06
Hey Paul,
Go easy on Paris. Good looks + irrelevance IS her brand (plus lots of cash). Standing for nothing is still standing for something. I think Seinfeld proved that.
Posted by: Ed Delia | 05.05.06
There is a point missing here. Some products aren't really "sold" by anyone. Their sales are a product of marketing (and its underlings, advertising and branding).
Rarely does someone "sell" me a beer at a bar, or "sell" me a CD at a music store, or "sell" me the usual household staples at Wal-Mart. I request the brands I want, and I usually know what I want before I enter the store. No sales needed.
Some things, like cars and insurance are more beholden to a sales process. Although, the Internet has made even these items more of a marketing initiative tha a sales event.
In 2003, I was looking for a new car. Before I ever stepped onto a sales floor to negotiate, I already knew what car with what features at what price, to the penny, I would pay for the new car I wanted. I even knew which dealers had which exact cars in inventory, so I didn't waste any time with delivery delays. All of this information came from the Internet. I came in with their factory cost printed out for every feature I wanted, down to the floor mats, from three distinct sources. Also figured in any factory incentives that were in play.
Took a quick test drive and let them make an offer. (I had driven the same model a week earlier without sales pressure - just tell them that your spouse - who is at home - has to cosign anything and they put away their nets).
Made my counter-offer immediately. His jaw dropped. I sent him to his manager, since I knew that was the next step to ending this dance.
Guess what? After 90 minutes of all kinds of gamesmanship by the sales staff (3 levels of them plying their tricks of the trade to boost the price or add meaningless add-ons like rustproofing), the dealership finally understood I knew my facts, and they took my terms to the penny. No financing involved either.
I could have even bought the car on the web, but I wanted to choose the dealer myself for geographical reasons. Sales, in this case, was irrelevant and impotent in this transaction. Someone got a commission, but that was the dealership's burden to bear.
Sales are still required for many things, especially for complicated items or unique solutions, but marketing has gained serious weight since the Internet became a force for transparency in business.
Posted by: Daniel Limbach | 06.26.06