Product is at the foundation of every successful organization.
Whether it’s an actual product, something we can see and touch, or a solution, such as a platform to optimize a process. Without a viable product/solution there is no business.Therefore, the product/solution itself should always be at the center of everything that happens, but not in isolation.
PRODUCT IS THE FOUNDATION BUT NOT THE END RESULTThe best products and the best solutions won’t matter if there is no awareness of its existence (responsibility of marketing) and a sales force that brings it to market (responsibility of sales leadership).When start-up companies launch their offering, their inventions are brought to life by the vision of the founders. These people are instrumental to the success and they usually share close quarters because communication is key to their success. Ideas are discussed openly and mind-share occurs on a daily basis, driven by excitement and the desire to succeed.
INDIVIDUALISM DOESN’T ALWAYS LEAD TO SUCCESSDisconnect happens once a company starts growing and official departments are established. That’s often when individual ideas seem more important than the overall success. It’s part of human nature. Once we are in charge of a department, we want to put a stamp on it,
brand it with success to make sure that we and our people are recognized and thriving. STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR AUDIENCESMarketing leaders look at everything through their marketing lens, the same holds true for sales and product development. Everybody has their idea on how to develop, position and sell and without collaboration it can quickly happen that the final offering is out of touch with the market place.Products and solutions need to evolve in order for companies to stay competitive. Once a product/solution is launched into the market place, feedback from the market is crucial and should be incorporated based on responses from the sales outreach.
ALLOW SALES TO HAVE A VOICESales people talk to their prospects and clients on a regular basis, but too often they are asked to sell something that is no longer relevant to the market place.Marketing departments are responsible for creating awareness and to ultimately
generate leads for sales. Without input from sales they could operate in a bubble, which can lead to confusion in the marketplace. Product development should also be open to receiving the feedback, so they can adjust their strategy, if necessary.Related:
5 Sales Tips to Break Through the Clutter FEEDBACK SHOULD BE ENCOURAGEDSales people should be encouraged to provide honest feedback to marketing and product development.Marketing’s role is to position the product in a way that it enables sales to be more successful. Product development’s role is to develop products that will resonate.Neither department should be a self-serving entity, nor should they operate in isolation.
LACK OF COLLABORATION LEADS TO DISCONNECTUnfortunately, disconnect is present in many organizations and one of the main reasons why organizations fail and revenue goals are missed.
LEAVE EGO AT THE DOORIt is only human to strive for success and there is nothing wrong with it. The challenge is to make sure that our individual and/or our department’s achievements contribute to the overall goals of the organization. The only way to succeed is
to collaborate, to cooperate and to leave Ego at the door.
