As any veteran marketing or sales person can attest, there is a plethora of literature devoted to metrics and marketing best practices. Many posit the notion that by fixing the marketing engine, sales will flow generously, like a well primed pump. But therein lies the rub.

Disconnect between Sales and Marketing
All too often sales and marketing processes are decoupled. In the organizational silos of traditional brick and mortar companies -- as well as some hip and savvy B2B companies -- the prevailing corporate structure hamstrings Sales and Marketing teams by making them behave like an assembly line. Lead generation-focused Marketing hands off leads to Sales, which scrambles to close new business. Often tensions flare between the two entities: Marketing is disgruntled with the Sales follow-up efforts and Sales is dissatisfied with the quality of leads Marketing generated. So what's a company to do?

There are many strategies for fixing this problem, not to mention countless business consultants eager to offer a remedy. The approach I offer is based on my experience with numerous companies and strong personal conviction that a customer-centered approach to branding is essential to a company's success.

Brand message-a very good place to start
Getting Sales and Marketing to "play nice" requires them to rally behind a common goal. And a very good place to start is having them evaluate your company's message. A cohesive and engaging brand message is what ultimately drives the success of your business. A strong brand is clear, compelling and rings true to a customer. Strong brand messages are rooted in customer experience.

Here are some checkpoints to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of your brand messages. Does your company...

• Rely too much on tooting its own horn?
• Focus too hard on selling (rather than educating or consulting with) the customer?
• Obsess over beating the competition on functions and features?

• Get others to spread the good word - condition prospective buyers with solid PR. The flip side of the marketing coin is public and media relations. Developing a body of solid testimonials, success stories and referenceable customers is essential to building - and maintaining - your customers' confidence in your products and services.
• Shift the mindset away from 'telling' to 'listening and observing.' Constantly telling your customers how great your products and services are can work against you; it tends to force the sales cycle and strains credibility. Improved listening and observing on the part of Sales and Marketing provides valuable insights into customers' true and often latent needs. By demonstrating a keen awareness of your customer's needs and putting yourself in their mindset, you'll be more effective at moving qualified prospects through their buying cycle.
• Be a leader rather than a follower. In crowded market spaces, companies often become too focused on what the competition is doing. This myopia tends to reinforce the status quo and can stifle creativity. Antidote: re-define the unique value proposition that underlies your company. Strong brand messages are rooted in the customer's experience of the value that you uniquely offer.

• Ask tough questions of your marketing literature, such as: Does it pass the "so-what" test? Critically evaluate current marketing literature for frivolous claims and empty marketing lingo. Fluff only repels customers. Put yourself in the mindset of your customer. Are you hitting their most pressing needs?
• Know your audience. Exhaustive technical specs won't fly if executives are making the purchase decision. Address the hot-button issues of each segment of your audience.
• Collaboration is vital. Marketing literature developed in the vacuum of the Marketing department will most likely fail the field test. You need input from technical, marketing and sales teams to make sure claims are up-to-date, relevant, and appealing to your customers.

Up next in Part 2: The right stuff - creating the right mix of cost effective marketing communication tools.

Christopher Wray is a marketing communication specialist and owner of Communiqué Marketing Solutions (www.go-communique.com). Christopher has over 15 years of marketing and design communication experience, primarily for B2B and technology clients. He may be reached at cwray@go-communique.com.