Page 185 - HBR's 10 Must Reads on Strategic Marketing

KOTLER, RACKHAM, AND KRISHNASWAMY
Idea in Practice

How interconnected should your Sales and Marketing teams be? The au-
thors recommend determining their existing relationship, then strength-
ening interconnection if conditions warrant.
What’s the Current Relationship?

The relationship is . . . If sales and marketing . . .

Undefined • Focus on their own tasks and agendas unless
conflict arises between them.
• Have developed independently.
• Devote meetings between them to conflict resolu-
tion, not proactive collaboration.

Defined • Have rules for preventing disputes.
• Share a language for potentially contentious areas
(e.g., defining a “lead”).
• Use meetings to clarify mutual expectations.

Aligned • Have clear but flexible boundaries: salespeople
use marketing terminology; marketers partici-
pate in transactional sales.
• Engage in joint planning and training.
Integrated • Share systems, performance metrics, and re-
wards.
• Behave as if they’ll “rise or fall together.”

Should You Create More Interconnection?

Strengthening Sales/Marketing interconnection isn’t always necessary.
For example, if your company is small and the teams operate independ-
ently while enjoying positive, informal relationships, don’t interfere. The
table offers guidelines for companies that do need change.

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