The Relationship Between Marketing And Sales

When comparing marketing with sales and considering how they relate to one another I always think of the medium sized business where I had my first job. The marketing department people were serious and analytical, always busy with statistics and campaigns and meetings. The sales people were breathless, always on the go, always on the phone or going to meet customers, always on the cusp of some enormous deal, some magic sale that would catapult the company’s turnover way over the annual target. As a junior it seemed to me that the marketing people and the sales people were from two different planets. I now know that they were simply two parts of the same continuum.

Marketing can be described as the set of activities that are undertaken in order to generate leads, while selling is the act of turning a prospect a hot lead into a buyer and later a repeat customer. The marketing and sales functions of any organization are glued together by leads. If there are no leads, the two will fall foul of one another. I saw this in that business I was describing earlier. But leads work both ways. The marketing department has to deliver them and the sales department must act upon them to maximum advantage. But leads must first be generated and that is why marketing tends to overwhelm the sales function when the two are discussed.

The various forms that marketing takes are well known because they are so visible. They range from cold canvassing to brand or corporate advertising, through to the more targeted types of marketing such as direct response advertising and referrals, where the particular benefits of the product is explained to the customer. If this is done properly, then qualified prospects will actually approach the sales people for assistance. Sales people love those leads. It is in fact when the sales people take over the communication function that the lead ceases to be a lead and becomes a prospective customer, then a customer and finally a repeat customer.

Actually I have painted a somewhat idealistic picture of the lead relationship between the marketing function and the sales function. It is just not that simple because not all leads are equal. An extremely tiny percentage leads are customers who are ready to buy. Most of them are merely interested in possibly buying at a future date and some are just mildly interested, just browsing. That’s why it is important to have some sort of lead management system so that potential customers can be turned into buyers and buyers can become repeat customers.

All follow up communication should be friendly and informative, definitely not hard sell. The company representative should be regarded as a helpful expert rather than a rabid sales person. Fortunately many of the follow up functions can be automated to take the form of email, direct mail, voice broadcast and fax broadcast. Obviously the lead would be encouraged each time to call directly if they have questions or a ready to buy. The follow up effort is usually a function of the marketing and sales departments combined.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

How Can I Make My Ex Want Me Back

Breaking up with someone you love can be a very emotionally draining experience. Your first thoughts might be like most everyone else who faces this very difficult situation and you want them back at any cost, and you also want them back right now. Lot’s of funny things are going on inside your head. Your emotions are being tested, and you want them to calm down and get back to normal.

You aren’t alone in your feelings of urgency. You’re probably thinking you should call and beg them to return but that may be the key to driving them farther out of your life. Now is the time to keep your cool and figure a plan of attack. On how can I make my ex want me back?

Now isn’t a time for isolationism, get out and about, do some social things with your friends. Pay attention to your outward appearance. Get your hair done, paint your nails if you are a female, or maybe shave if you are a guy. You have to face the facts that this relationship may be over. Let your ex know that you thought it over and you are ready to move on. This will effectively relieve tension on both sides. This will buy you a little much needed time. Time will have the element of working in your favor in this situation Your ex will be able to think things over in their own time frame. During this time your ex may just realize what a mistake they made and decide they really do love you and want you back in their arms once again.

The old saying “Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder” may be truer than you could imagine. Don’t call your ex at all during this time frame, you want to send the message that your life will go on just fine without them. They in turn may find they really do miss you. Having fun with your friends and keeping up appearances will be extremely beneficial for both sides of this relationship. Only time will be able tell the benefit of your attempts. Any thing you can do to make this time go faster can only be to your advantage in the long run.

You will know when the time is right to begin the communications again. You both will have had the time to figure out how and when to meet again, and what to say when you do meet, you will be seeing each other with a much calmer outlook. Relationships need time to grow and they also need time to mend. Be prepared to give it that much needed time.

"How Can I Make My Ex Want Me Back?" will be a lot more involved that what we are discussing here but should give you an idea of what may be a logical process to undertake. If it works it could make you a very happy person, if it doesn’t than you will walk away more prepared to meet other challenges that life may hand you.

Author : Pat Wilder

http://www.isnare.com/?aid=343139&ca=Relationships

Relationships: Whose Problem is It?

In relationships, it is not uncommon for couples to have difficulties. Sometimes there are things your partner does that drives you crazy! In my work with couples, a common, innocent complaint of women is that their husbands don’t put their dirty clothes in the hamper. They will leave their dirty clothes on the floor right next to the hamper but just won’t take that extra step to get them in the hamper. This seems like such a simple issue but I have heard some women on the verge of divorce or a mental breakdown over this simple issue.

Now, I want to give men equal time here. One of the problems men complain about is their wife’s inability to put gas in their car. She will often drive around with the red “low gas” light on and it drives husbands wild! This seems like another simple thing but it has placed a huge strain on many relationships.

When I ask the question, “Whose problem is it,” what I am really asking is, “Whose most upset by this problem”? Well, in the case of the dirty clothes, it’s the woman who is upset. In the case of the empty gas tank, it’s the man who is upset. Do you think the man is sitting at work upset because he left his dirty clothes on the floor? I doubt he even gives them a second thought once they are off his body. And as for the woman, I don’t think she’s sitting at home thinking, “Oh darn, I forgot to stop for gas and now my sweetie is out driving our car and there’s no gas”! No, in this situation, she is likely oblivious to the gas situation.

If we can agree that the person with the problem is the person most upset by the issue, then we can get somewhere. If there is a person in the relationship who is upset with the other person because of something he or she does or does not do, then it is the first person’s problem. One of the biggest mistakes we make in relationships is having inaccurate problem definition.

However, what commonly happens is that if I am upset by something you do, then I am certain YOU are the problem and I am going to do all in my power to ensure you understand just how much of a problem you are. I am taking my problem and trying my hardest to make it your problem. If you are on the receiving end of my frustration, you have three common responses. You can ignore my attempts at making you responsible for my issue, you can accept it’s your problem and attempt to fix it, or you can fight back and resist my attempts to make you guilty.

In each of those situations, we both lose. It may look like I win if you choose the second choice but do I really? Even if you fix the problem as I’ve identified it, how are you feeling about me? Probably you are resentful of my methods. You may not like having to do something you don’t think is important. You may even find me unreasonable in my requests, thinking I don’t have my priorities straight. This will do nothing to strengthen our relationship. So, even if I think I’ve “won” something, our relationship has suffered and so I lose.

The only way I see to have a winning outcome is for the person who is most upset to accept that the problem belongs to him or her. Instead of trying to get your partner to fix your problem, accept responsibility for its solution. Pick up the clothes. Fill the gas tank. Whatever the issue is, fix it. And while you’re at it, leave the resentment behind. Don’t get angry because your partner doesn’t see the world the same way you do. Don’t be frustrated that your priorities are different.

If you truly love this person, then accept him or her as he or she is. Stop trying to change your partner. Fix the things that annoy you gratefully. Be happy that you have this wonderful person in your life. You will be less frustrated and a better person with whom to live. Your relationship will prosper.

Author : Kim Olver

http://www.isnare.com/?aid=346500&ca=Relationships

Win Back Your True Love

The day that your eyes first met is a day that you will never forget. The first time you held hands, your first date, and the first time that you kissed are all memories that will forever be embedded in your brain. Unfortunately, the person that you think about in all of these situations has decided that it is time to move on. Maybe you lied, maybe you cheated, or maybe you have no idea why in God's name your true love has decided to call it quits. All that matters is now you are single, you are alone, and all you want is just to have your true love back in our arms for good.

So now, your good old friend desperation decides to pay you a visit. You let desperation talk you into things that you would never think to do in every day life. He makes you jealous. He makes you think things that are crazy. But for some strange reason when we as humans are trying to get our true love back, we always let desperation pay us a visit.

Well let me tell you, if you really want to win your true love back, you are going to have to tell desperation to take a hike. Even though some of his ideas may seem brilliant when you are in this state of mind, you must resist! Calling and texting and begging are going to do far more harm than good in this situation. It is going to let your ex know that you are weak. Depending on your ex, this can be bad in many ways. Your ex can use this to their advantage or this can make your ex wonder why he was ever with someone who is so weak and desperate.

What you have to do in this situation is be strong. I am not saying that you need to be rude and shut them completely out of your life, but you must be strong. If your ex calls and tells you that they are feeling lost or lonely, tell them that you are happy that they called but that you have some things going on yourself and that you would love to talk to them about this issue in a couple of days or maybe even in a week. Not only will this make them wonder what you have going on, but this is also going to force them to think about you nonstop until you finally talk with them again.

I know that when you get dumped the first thing that you are going to do is cry and beg and plead, but after that initial session is over, recoup yourself, and start making smart decisions that are going to help you, and tell your good old friend desperation to kiss your ass. You are strong and you know what you want, so don't let desperation get the best of you, and go out there and win back your true love!

Author : Chris Jensen

http://www.isnare.com/?aid=346677&ca=Relationships

How Can You Win Back Your True Love?

All alone? Maybe this is how you feel right now, but let me tell you something. In all actuality, you are not alone! There are thousands of other people out there that are in the same boat that you are in right this very second. Unfortunately, what you do next will determine if you stay here in this boat, or you make the right choices and get back into that other boat and win back your true love.

I am not sure why you are alone, but I am going to assume that you and your true love just broke up. Maybe you are the one that decided that it was time for a change, but if you are reading this, I am guessing that you are the one who was dumped. So I need you to ask yourself one question. What are you going to do to win back your true love? Are you going to stay at home in your sweatpants slowly consuming gallon after gallon of Rocky Road ice cream, or are you going to get your act together and do what you need to do to get your ex back?

I am going to hope and pray that you have decided to go with option number two because no one wants to see a person that goes on and on for what seems like forever with option one. So let's say that you are ready to get going with option number two. What are you going to do now? What you need to do is come up with a game plan. You need to set boundaries for yourself, you need to set goals for yourself, and you need to make sure that you follow these to a T. Here is my suggestion to get you going on option two:

1. Go out and take care of yourself for a day! Get your hair done, get a manicure and a pedicure. Get yourself a spa treatment. Whatever it is that really makes you feel good about yourself, DO IT! Not only will this make you happy, but it is going to rebuild your confidence.

2. Go out with your friends. Let another guy buy you a drink. Dance to all of your favorite songs. Moving around and dancing are going to release endorphins into your body. These endorphins are going to make you feel really good, which is also going to aid in rebuilding your confidence.

3. Do not call, text, email, or bother your ex. For the first few weeks, let him wonder how you are doing. Even if you are feeling like crap, he does not need to know this. If he calls you, do not blow him off. Simply tell him that you are happy to hear from him. Tell him that you are going to be busy for the next week or so, but that maybe sometime next week you two can get together for a cup of coffee or something. This is gong to make him think about you non stop for over a week.

What you are doing here is taking care of you first. If he sees that you are confident and you are going to make the best out of any situation, he is going to desire you more than if you lay around and stick to option one which I mentioned earlier. I hope nothing but the best for you, and I hope that you succeed in your quest to win back your true love.

Author : Chris Jensen

http://www.isnare.com/?aid=347076&ca=Relationships