Sales and Marketing, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Everyone opens a business with the aim of making the greatest sales, and thus have highest returns. The sales and marketing departments in organizations determine the amount of sales. Whereas the two terms commonly used together, they have different meanings. Marketing as a process comes before the sales process. Marketing employs the study of the market and consumer needs and determination of what to introduce to the market. It employs the study of the existing competitors, what they offer, at what cost and their convenience to the consumers. The marketing department then identifies strategies of entering and fitting into the competitive business. It advises the sellers the approach to use to win the customers and convince them to buy their products or services (Kotler et al, 2008, p. 25). Again, the marketing department does follow up to identify customer satisfaction. They work tirelessly to ensure there is a positive feedback. Although the sales and marketing work together, they are not necessarily the same in terms of roles and activities as discussed. Major companies invest so much on advertisements, through the internet, newspaper, billboards and in magazines, which is part of marketing. This report aims at presenting the difference between sales and marketing, the difficulties facing the departments and the importance of working together.

Discussion and Analysis of Findings

Marketing-what it takes to be a successful marketer

Marketing comprises of activities as promotion, distribution, determination of price, and advertisement. These activities ensure the continued need of customers meet, while the value of their money taken into account. Marketing may sound easy, but it employs integrity and use of skills. If in case, a company deals with foodstuff marketers may develop, some unique packaging that is pleasing to the eye to attract customers. They should develop a brand name, which slowly gains loyal customers. A marketer studies a place, identifies a business opportunity, determines the distribution channel, and the price at which to offer the product. Marketing is the measure and strategic approach employed to reach and persuade customers that your company’s products are the best amongst many other competitor brands (Browne, 2010, P. 83). The marketers market their brand. For any successful marketing department, a set of inbound measures need consideration. Thereby these questions need answering.

• What a specific group of customers /clients /markets is the company interested in reaching?
• What are the specific needs of these customers of interest?
• How those shall needs met, is it product redesigning, product content changing, or the packaging enhancement?
• Who are the competitors, could they have the same thoughts of redesigning or enhancing their packaging?
• What is the class level of the majority of the customers, how much are they willing to pay for the product?
• How shall we design and describe the product so that customers/clients prefer to you from us and not other organizations?
• How the product should identify and branded, how shall we manage our brand?
• How do we take into account the ethical issues with regard to our production, are we dominant monopolies?
• What risks are we bound to, legal issues, environmental pollution issues?

The outbound measures needing consideration include answering these questions:

• What approach should employ in advertising and promotions, internet, home advertising, digital marketing, in-game advertising, product demonstration, word of mouth?
• How do we teach our sellers to approach customers and make great sales, how do we sell our products, merchandise, drip marketing?
• How do we make Public and media relations?
• How do we present the customer service?
• How do we identify and measure customer satisfaction, interviews, observation?

Marketing practices divide into four: the production, the product itself, the selling and the act of marketing itself. In the production process, the firm aims at producing a product needed by the customers. This determined by the demand of the product or the service existing in its delivery to the customer. The product itself has to be quality (Paliwoda & John, 2009, P. 25). Marketers guarantee that quality products without doubt sell off since they meet consumer taste. The third process of sales focuses on the provision of promotions, while determining the desires and needs of the consumer. The marketing procedure involves monitoring the whole process of production, the product, and its sell, while identifying the problems and coming up with possible solutions.

Sales-what it takes to be a sales person

Largely, sales calls for a personal with convincing power. It needs a person who can convince the most reluctant buyer on the reason of buying a particular product or service. A sales person ought to be one who can show the value of money out of a product. He/she should be in a position to employ techniques to attract customers to sign contracts, even if they had no plan. The sales process entails interpersonal interaction on a one-on-one meeting. It sometimes involves calls, for regular customers and employs a lot of networking. Sales persons are more engaged to customers to a personal level. A good sales person is able to identify a potential client from a group, and with time develops a warm and long-term relationship. The main purpose of a sales person is to act as a mediator between the customer and the marketer. The sales person takes the plea of the customer to the marketer who then upgrades the products to the required standards.

Difficulties facing the sales and marketing department

In most companies, Sales and Marketing never fail to have disputes. Sales people accuse marketers of not being in a position to determine and produce the taste and touch of the customers. They may claim that the prices are too high. On the other hand, marketers will insist that sales people are not long sighted, and that they only focus on individual customers who are short-term while ignoring longer-term customers. These cases results in poor communication and coordination of sales and marketing departments. As a result, the business is affected, where the market-entry costs rises, the sales cycles lengthens, and the consumer not lucky for an increase in cost of sales. Apart from the relationship difficulties and disputes in the sales and marketing departments, other issues exist. Marketers of organizations reported to develop and upgrade a product claiming they aim at meeting customers. However, there is no verification of the need of the customer (Browne, 2010, P. 56). Companies go ahead and spend immensely on advertisements, promotions, and publication of products without knowing exactly what the consumer wanted in the first place. The issue not solved through adverts or promotions. It could have been the content, or taste of the product that was an issue. Those organizations that have had such experiences rely a lot on consumers’ decision and not their own decisions. Market researches greatly help in solving this problem.

Importance of sales and marketing department working together

While the sales and marketing departments have different functions in a business organization, their interaction brings in the maximization of sales. This further maximizes the revenues, which is the dream of every business organization. Best sales depend on the marketing approaches employed. Since customers have a one on one contact with the sales person, the sales person acts as a connector of the marketer and the customers. He /she pass the plea of the customer to the marketer, who then fulfills the will of the customer. The marketers have to develop a quality and attractive product that sells itself out, depending on the information provided by the sales person. The marketer’s unable do without the sales department because they would not obtain necessary marketing information required. Again, there would be no point of producing products that remain piled up without selling. The importance of the liaison of the two departments (sales and marketing departments) listed in point form as below:

• There is existence of advisory relationship between the two departments, where the marketing department advises the sales department of the budgets and spending associated every procedure in the sale of a product. These costs incorporated into the cost of the product to avoid the encounter of losses.
• There is an improved communication relationship where the blaming disputes put aside. The sales department freely provides the marketing department with valuable information including obstacles in sales, the feedback of the customer, the prospects objectives, and the competitive activities in existence. From these, the marketing department knows the areas to improve.
• The liaison of the two departments enables the determination of the specific activities for each. While the sales department does the selling, the marketing department invents and creates programs and provides materials that facilitate the sales, making the process easier, enjoyable, and more successful.

In general, without a marketing department, there would be no progress and prospect of products, and at the same time, without good sales, the returns are depressing. Both form necessities for the successful performance of a business and any profit making organization (Christensen, 1997, P. 59). The strategic combination of both efforts of sales and marketing departments results into a successful business growth.

Conclusion

The importance of sales and marketing explained above shows that a business, organization, or any setup with an aim of generating profit, could not do without the sales and marketing department. Regardless of the conflicts that arise between the two department, a way out need establishment. The two teams of sales and marketing integrated where they share performance metrics, while rewarding and involving marketers deeply in management of the key accounts. The sales department also barred from internal backbiting and placement of blames on the other team. Once this successfully achieved, the right relationship between Sales and Marketing created. This then gives birth to the ability of the two departments sharing advisory information, which is very essential. Definitely, with this, a company would rise from nowhere to somewhere, especially after identifying the needs of their consumers.

References

Browne, K. (2010). Trolley psychology: choice unlocks the psychological secrets of the supermarket and shows you how to avoid spending more than you mean to Choice, Chippendale, NSW, Australia: Australasian Consumers’ Association.

Christensen, C. M. (1997). The innovator’s dilemma: when new technologies cause great firms to fail, Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Harvard Business School Press.

Kotler, P., Gary, A.,Veronica, W., & Saunders, J. (2008). “Marketing defined”. Principles of marketing. Cengage Learning.

Paliwoda, S. J., & John, K. R. (2009). Back to first principles: International Marketing: Modern and Classic Papers. Cengage Learning.