Tactical, Operational & Strategic Analysis of Markets, Competitors & Industries
I recently started a Sales and Marketing Group on this Ning and would like to expand our group and participation.
One of the issues that many people face in CI: How to engage Sales to give timely, quality tips to the CI team around competitor's products, customer intelligence, innovation in the market, rumors that could impact your company's success in the marketplace.
First I invite you to join our group.
Second please share your successes and frustrations with Sales.
I'll start!
Sales needs to receive good scoop from you before they will give, regardless of the culture of your company, regardless of whether management tells them they HAVE to cooperate with you. When I set up our CI initiative, Sales was one of my first targets to collect from. So I gave them a couple of deliverables they valued. The most appreciated was a tactical product comparison and description of competitors at a regional level. I didn't assume I knew what Sales needed: I asked them. Touch points are important with Sales.
The other step that helped build relationships was to be available to Sales. This sounds so obvious, but it's not apparently. My peers in other marketing support functions were not as responsive to Sales, and Sales felt like they were "hiding behind their telephones" since they seldom answered the phone. Today we have so many ways to be in touch. Let Sales know the best way to reach you, and keep your promise to be back in touch within the same day unless you are traveling or on holiday. If you're really busy, acknowledge Sales' communication quickly and let them know when you can be back to help them.
It's your turn now!
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