Connecting Strategy with Marketing and Sales

Reading the Harvard Business School, Working Knowledge I've found this article of "Connecting goals and go-to-marketing initiatives" from Frank V. Cespedes which I think is very interesting.

Frank V. Cespedes faculty chair of Harvard Business School Executive Education program gives a glimpse in how Aligning Strategy and Sales is or should be done.

The article points out that aligning field behaviors and go-to market systems withe espoused strategic goals is critical to long-term revenue growth.

It emphasizes that to implement the strategy is difficult mainly because requires of dealing with a combinational of core factors:

- Market Analysis

- Strategy Development

- Incentives

- People Management

- Developing a Performance Culture

Which are the factors more important to Align Strategy and Sales Program according to Cespedes?

- Understand the externals (industry you compete, market segments, nature of customers you sell and service),  in your business and their impact on sales tasks

- Determining those factors help identify required sales tasks

- Aligning field behaviors with required tasks and utilizing the appropriate internal actions, systems for doing so

The article points out other very interesting questions for companies to consider for growth, I will ended up underlying this last one. You could get more information at http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6529.html?wknews=111510.

Other challenges companies face as they develop an integrated sales plan within their organization are:

1- People: Professional and personal skills, attitude over time, what they know

2- Performance Management Practice: compensation, incentives, values, control systems, performance review

3- Company Environment:

* How communication work accross internal organizational boundaries

* How salespeople are managed

* Wider company culture

From my perspective, the last question is crucial to implement strategy however it requires very clear goals, good directions, and  a team, what do you think?