I have been since time memorial mesmerized by the game of soccer. It’s such a thrilling experience watching a fast paced, action packed soccer game. In almost 90 minutes flat while watching the game, one can enjoy the game and also pick up so many valuable lessons in Sales Management. There are several common touch points that the game and sales per se share in common; it’s absolutely enticing. A few key attributes are jotted as under:
By industry definition; sales has to sell and getting numbers is their KRA; getting more profitable business is Sales KRA. Marketing on the other side is responsible to create that demand, the hype and the pull for enabling sales. So who calls the final shots? Who is more powerful? Marketing or Sales?
An Expectation of sorts
Marketing expects sales will give them all the credit for their success viz. improved revenue and profitability to Marketing and the reason for failure as “their inability” to sell effectively. Sales expects marketing will build the brand so strong that customers will queue up to buy the product. Marketing will ensure that we get 100% “qualified leads” that will help sales guys to close more deals. This is true in every situation whether its BFSI, FMCG, Automotive, IT ar Consulting. Marketing is supposed to be the more glamorous role of sorts with “corporate” location and functions; while sales is the classical “feet on street” role where you meet real people and real consumers.
Covid-19 scenario has helped the industry realize the benefit of going Digital. Last 5 to 6 years there has been this wave or hype around Industry 4.0. Primarily we see the application of Digital technologies to enable industry 4.0. Most companies have been toying with the idea of using digital technologies to enable operations excellence. There have been 100s of pilots and a few implementations where the companies have reaped the benefits of using digital for Improving yield, quality, and overall OEE, thereby improving profitability. Now is the time where everyone has decided to board the industry 4.0 journey and every manufacturing company big or small, process or discrete, automotive or chemical, electrical or foods, pharma or oil & gas wants to do it ASAP.
Context
Over the last three decades, many events have been marked as disruptive, such as
Globalization, Computers and automation, Consumer Finance, Opening up of economy in 90’s
Mobile penetration, growth in internet coverage, banking, services in the first decade of 21st century
Shared services, Digital Payment system, E-commerce, Co-ownership, Cloud, SaaS, Digital disruption, focus on environment and the latest COVID 19 in the decade 2010-20
We all might have observed people in movies playing certain roles as a character, similarly, we also do the same. In the midst of every situation, we play a role as a good friend, partner, colleague, or as an individual hero to our own selves. There was a famous quote that most successful people have lived by and we want you to step your journey ahead with the same quote by AYESHA SIDDIQUI:
“BE THE ROLE MODEL, YOU NEEDED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER”
When times are good, businesses get by with a lack of systems and controls, and owners think everything is OK with their business. And when a downturn comes along, panic sets in. Here are some questions to ask yourself when facing hard times, actually even if times are good. This is a list of questions which every business owner or management needs to ask and answer as objectively as possible. The answers will directly point to weaknesses in the business, and solutions will become suddenly visible.
The ability to make an effective presentation is an important, yet often overlooked, skill.
How often have we had to sit through a presentation where the presenter puts up slide after slide and fumblingly reads through line by line. Is there value in this? I think not. You may as well email the presentation to the attendees. So what makes a good presentation different from a mundane one?
Unlike many skill sets within an organization, marketing is primarily a soft skill. So, obviously, when hiring a marketing person, soft skills should receive priority. Some basic things to look out for:
Demographics:
Is the person being interviewed comfortable with communicating in the local language of the area they are being hired for? And, of course, also comfortable with spoken and written English?
In the hustle to sell, the aspect of professional ethics in marketing is often overlooked. However, this is a critical element if one wishes to achieve consistent success in marketing.
Professional ethics in any field demands that we be honest and truthful with the customer and with ourselves. We should neither overstate the merits of our product nor undermine or run down a competitor’s product.
Emotional connection is what you need to sell your product or service.
People make buying decisions emotionally and justify it logically. If you don’t connect with prospects on an emotional level, they won’t buy.
So, how do you build an emotional connection with both prospects and customers?