Question

Topic: Other

How To Get The Sales Teams To Communicate

Posted by lmoussa on 1/23/2017 at 7:08 PM ET 500 Points
This is my problem, I am a marketing team of one person with 30 products to market in three different industries which are print, packaging and industrial. There are three different sales team for each industry and as we are a distributor in the market the products we sell can change quickly. I am having problems with the sales team communicating with me on the changes as it happens, they are effective to tell their sales teams but always forget marketing. I have been struggling with this for a while and tried the following monthly marketing meetings (no one will attend as too busy or forget), attend the sales meetings weekly (however I don't get invited to all the time as they forget). I started calling each person to extract information but that took too long. Directors here are always travelling so can't get a hold of them. I have never had this problem before as previous company's had regular update meetings and marketing was a very important part of the business.

Any suggestions on how I change the sales team to remember marketing as soon as there is a change? It has come to a stage now that I am frustrated with the whole practice here when it comes to marketing because no one cares or too busy trying to achieve there targets.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 1/23/2017 at 7:21 PM Accepted
    First, it sounds like they don't value marketing, which is a big challenge. If they felt your work was helping them close sales, they would want to help you more. Your inability to help them due to lack of info would then be hurting them, so something they wouldn't want. Is this the case? If so, then I think you have bigger problems.

    Also, is sales making the product changes, or are your suppliers making the changes? Sales shouldn't be leading product changes, so hopefully they aren't. If suppliers are changing, you should be talking with them to get information. It is in their benefit to make sure you know, so they should add you to distribution.

    In general, if you want salespeople to do something, you often need incentives or orders. Sales do the minimum amount they need to do to close sales and get commission/bonuses. Good salespeople are often money motivated, and the commission or bonus structure should be set to motivate them to do what the company wants done. That said, I am not sure this is something that should be set as a commission or bonus adjusting thing.

    If you need to get this info from sales, I would work toward the plan of you getting in on their sales meetings. Find out who sets the meetings and get on the distribution list. Aren't these regularly scheduled meetings - if so, wouldn't they be the same time of the same day of each week?
  • Posted by lmoussa on 1/23/2017 at 7:32 PM Author
    Thanks Peter for your reply.

    Firstly this is a family run business so the directors of the company are sales people as well as the decision makers on what products are being sold and which products get dropped. Its not just marketing that doesn't get told but also affects customer service and finance who are not told as well.

    They don't have regular sales meeting it is just called on a needs basis. I have asked numerous times to be included in correspondents with the sales director but I am only told about a change when it becomes a problem with the supplier or customer, ie I was just told now we a not selling film in NZ anymore and need to tell customers, but we haven't sold film for the past two months the only reason I got told now is because a customer put in a big complaint and pulled out on all other products they purchase from us. I already have planned print advertisement that is included in the next two issues that I can't cancel as it went to print in December.

    What you have suggested I have tried numerous times without success. I even tried to hold a weekly meeting with the director to exact this information and got told he has no time to direct me on this information. So what do I do?
  • Posted by joy.levin on 1/23/2017 at 8:10 PM Member
    I know you mentioned that this issue affects other departments such as customer service and finance, but it sounds like this is a strategic problem rather than a tactical issue. In other words, it doesn't sound like they view marketing as a way in which they can achieve company objectives; rather, your description of the problem suggests they view marketing as a tactical or operational/support area.

    Have you tried developing and demonstrating a more strategic view of marketing to them, and how it can proactively help them increase sales and revenues? Is there a marketing plan in place, and if not, do you think that starting to develop one, that would be communicated in a a concise manner (not through meetings, since they don't feel they have the time for that) would help?
  • Posted by lmoussa on 1/23/2017 at 8:14 PM Author
    thanks joy.levin for your comment.

    I have only developed in past the communication marketing plan with a budget and kept track of ROI. I am now producing a strategy marketing plan for each product. Maybe I should wait till I complete that then present as a document to teams and see if that makes a difference.
  • Posted by lmoussa on 1/23/2017 at 8:16 PM Author
    Yes they see marketing as a support area. I have tried to explain that it can also achieve company objectives however the company objectives keep on changing and not communicated.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 1/23/2017 at 9:07 PM Accepted
    Ouch, you are in a tough position - a family owned businesses where they aren't taking a big picture, strategic view. Hard to change people like this, especially when they are the ones in power. If you push hard, you could just as easily be out of a job as fix the problem.

    The company could use processes in place. The owner/sales guy says he doesn't have time, and they look at processes as more time sucks, but appropriate processes could prevent them from having these emergencies and actually save them time. They should be spending more time looking at the big picture of the business, and how changes to products impact the business.

    This lack of processes/lack of key people's time likely will impact your ability to get any meaningful marketing plan through.

    What might be your best option is to work with others who are being impacted (customer service, finance) and see if you can get some momentum from others for change. These should be powerful groups - customer service should be telling them of customer complaints (which hurt sales), and finance should be telling them they are losing money they otherwise would be making. Often more powerful comments than marketing. Don't fight it alone.

    Or you could just accept they are a mess. Every company I have worked at did things in ways I would not have, yet they still were (often) successful. Sometimes it is not worth fighting every battle. And if it is real bad (such that you think it puts the company at risk), learn what you can there and then use the time to find your next job.
  • Posted by lmoussa on 1/23/2017 at 9:12 PM Author
    Thanks Peter, now you know my complete problem. I am used to working in corporates not family business so it is challenging.

    I will look into speaking to finance and customer service for support as well and see if anything will change.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/23/2017 at 10:36 PM Member
    What do they see as your role in the company? What services or knowledge do they need from you? Why should they care if you do your job or not? How would they know?

    I'd focus on figuring out how to support their sales efforts primarily. Once they see that you can help them, then they're more likely to see you on their sales team, and might be interested in seeing what else you could do to make the sales cycle more efficient. Since there's only one of you and lots of them, don't try to change them. Change yourself.
  • Posted by joy.levin on 1/24/2017 at 10:48 AM Accepted
    Glad to hear that you are developing a strategic marketing plan! Perhaps you could get customer service and finance input into it, and then present it with their support? The directors might be more receptive if they understand how the strategy impacts the whole business, and you will also have concurrently addressed what sounds like another issue, which is the business working in silos, and not communicating across departments. Good luck!!
  • Posted by mgoodman on 1/24/2017 at 2:19 PM Moderator
    When I am faced with a client who doesn't fully appreciate the Marketing function, I take it as a personal challenge to give them enough information and training so that they will. When I succeed, they almost always become very grateful for the education and for introducing them to a whole new way of viewing their business.

    My suggestion is that you develop a strategy for playing the role of Marketing tutor, pick one or two key people, and see if you can follow the same approach. Of course, you will need to continue to deliver the day-to-day materials and services they expect, but your main assignment should be to educate senior management.

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