Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Norquest defines the relative areas of responsibility quite well. Marketing increases the quantity and improves the quality of opportunities where selling can take place.

But your question isn't as much about what marketing vs. selling is as much as how do these FUNCTIONS get managed in your organization.

In my experience, I believe you'll find the answer you're seeking when you examine two things:

1. Your Organization's Table of Organization, and

2. The Position Description of the 'Sales Manager' and 'Marketing Manager' positions in your company, respectively

The role of the Table of Organization is to define the STRUCTURE of the business so it can fulfill its mission -- much like a football team's roster allows it to go on the field and play e.g. we need a quarterback, some linemen to protect him, an end who can catch a bullet pass, etc.

The role of the Position Description is to define the FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES of any person who happens to be in a given position.

Consequently, if you're finding some 'grey areas' are cropping up, that's simply symptomatic that the basic 'roles and responsibilities' have not been clearly defined (in advance of any 'misunderstandings') and communicated so that ALL parties on the 'team' / in the company know WHO they are to do what for, WHAT they have a right to expect from others and HOW WELL they are to do what they're supposed to do it.

It's really more of an Organizational Development question I sense you're asking here, Stacy.

I hope this sheds some light on why you're getting those 'grey areas' cropping up and what, specifically, you must do to keep them from recurring again and again in the future.

Best of luck in your new position!

Bill

Building off the prior responses, I'd add a key word that both "sides" will recognize. Think Glengarry Glen Ross - LEADS. Marketing should be seen as finding leads (generating demand) and Sales should be seen as closing them (generating revenue). The concept of leads prevents you from having to debate ownership of other, more abstract terms.

A key point though - the gray area in most companies is around when Marketing "hands off" the leads to Sales. It becomes a question of qualification, and this depends on your industry. Some businesses are not complicated, so Sales prefers a high volume (versus high quality). But in cases where the product is complicated, with a long sales cycle, the Sales group could waste a lot of time calling on poorly qualified prospects. Your biggest challenge right now is to sit down with your Sales colleague and agree where the handoff should be for your company. There is no right or wrong answer, but without agreement you are dead in the water.

One other thing: it is OK for Marketing to also be involved in helping Sales with sales "tools" such as collateral and in-person presentations....just be careful this is not your only value-add. It is important, don't get me wrong. But it is not as strategic to the company as generating demand. If you can spend more time on the latter, I think you will make a better, bigger mark in your new role.