Chemversation: Why Can’t Sales and Marketing Be Friends? We Can! posted by Don Harder, Sarah Crytzer and Ken Li

Marketing and sales in some life science organizations are like Walter Matthau and Jack Lemon – they’re like “Grumpy Old Men” who don’t necessarily know how to get along.

But because they have the same goals and rely on each other for success, they should be the best of friends.

During a recent Chemuniversity, a veteran sales guy in the chemical industry instructed us on how we (marketers) can better work together with them (sales).

Tim Quinn is a senior business development manager with Sigma Aldrich Fine Chemicals. Tim knows sales. He’s been in the business for over 18 years, lands $1 billion deals, and handles all of the company’s outside sales east of the Mississippi.

Tim shared this juicy nugget with us: you guys shouldn’t be marketing to existing customers.

Who knows best where the industry is headed? Sales, Tim says. That’s because the sales team talks to prospects every day and knows their pain points both now and 12 months from now.

As marketers, according to Tim, we should gather these insights from sales in the planning process, and preferably as early as possible. The result: not only can we devise a better plan, but sales will believe in it and stay committed to it.

And when we roll out new marketing pieces, we shouldn’t just mail them out to the field and check the box. Tim recommends holding a conference call to explain why we’re doing it.

Maybe Tim’s advice could even help the ex-Bass Pairs get back together. (Except they’re probably too busy talking to AP reporters.)

Watch this Chemversation to learn more about how sales and marketing can be the best of friends.

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