Integrating Sales, Marketing, and Communications

Recently I’ve poked, prodded and analyzed the Web sites, marketing programs and sales strategies of quite a few diverse organizations. I’ve noticed that many B2B companies as well as consumer and non-profit organizations don’t do a particularly good job of integrating programs. Sadly, the failure to integrate sales, marketing and communications will always result in lost opportunities.

One of the most cost-effective ways to help drive sales is to look for ways to leverage the programs you’re already doing by re-purposing the content for other initiatives.  Too often, organizations spend tons of money on, say, a PR program that targets a handful of journalists but they forget to communicate the same information to clients and prospects. Or a company’s advertising program designed to generate new sales leads will drive people to a Website that doesn’t match the message of the ads resulting in lost interest.