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?