INTEMARCO IS AN INDUSTRIAL MARKETING DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANCY
There are often doubts about the need for marketing and whether it make sense to invest in this discipline.
Here are some comments to frequent statements by the sceptics.
1. ‘Sales begin when the salesperson meets the potential customer’
You probably recognize the ad to the right. It is the well-known “Man in the Chair” ad that the publishing organization McGraw-Hill, ran in their magazines in the late 1950s. The questions are still relevant, although there are many new communications channels at hand these days.
An exaggeration maybe, but it highlights a company’s need for better marketing to pave the way for successful sales.
The message addresses both brand and product portfolio aspects, as well as the fact that a cold call is time consuming and seldom productive.
2. ‘But we get all RFQs’
Great! But you need to make the sale before the RFQ comes out – it’s very hard to win a contract as a newcomer.
- Make sure you are known and that they trust you and your overall offer
- Relationships matter and building them is of paramount importance, so that you are not tendering as strangers
- With close contact, you can find out what is important and tailor your offer
And, learn from the Pepsi Paradox: “If you don’t have a strong brand image with the buyer to begin with, then this is a significant business development oversight that will seriously weaken your chances of success. You will be competing with companies with strong brand recognition and will be exposed to the Pepsi Paradox. PepsiCo noted that people tended to choose Pepsi as the preferred cola. Here, the Pepsi Paradox relates to the issue of being unable to gain a market advantage over Coca Cola’s less preferred product due to the brand strength of Coca Cola.”
Source: www.sciencedirect.com
3. “I have a good contact”
There are many stakeholders involved in making a buying decision. This fact is often missed or ignored by the seller.
Source: www.marketingprofs.com
3. “I have a good contact”
There are many stakeholders involved in making a buying decision. This fact is often missed or ignored by the seller.
Source: www.marketingprofs.com
So, what do we suggest?
Firstly, it’s important that you believe sales productivity actually can be increased, i.e., that time spent to close deals can be reduced, and that margins can be increased by greater sales efficiency and effectiveness.
If you believe this, the question is: How do you increase efficiency and effectiveness in sales? Our answer: Establish an enhanced, seamless Marketing and Sales process. Or, even simpler, do Better Marketing.
Do
Better
Marketing