I'm appealing to some of my former corporate colleagues for input from product managers on how they best work with salespeople and their corporate sales team.
Any readers of this blog who are in marketing or product management inside a corporation, please also offer your answers to the following questions. I've included one of my former colleague's answers to get the ball rolling.
- What are three good tips when working with a sales team to gain their respect or credibility? LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK THEY ARE PROVIDING FROM THEIR DISCUSSIONS IN THE MARKETPLACE, DISCOUNT THAT FEEDBACK A BIT WHEN MAKING YOUR ROADMAP DECISIONS AS SALES IS ONLY ONE INPUT INTO THAT PROCESS, REMEMBER THAT SALES PEOPLE ARE USUALLY MOTIVATED BY DOLLARS AND WHAT IS IN IT FOR THEM SO REMEMBER THAT WHEN STRUCTURING SALES PROMOTIONS
- How can product management best be an ally to sales professionals? ANYTHING YOU DO TO HELP MAKE SALES EASIER WILL BE HIGHLY VALUED – GENERATING LEADS, STRUCTURING REFERRAL PARTNERSHIPS, CREATING SOLID COLLATERAL, STREAMLINING THE CONTRACT PROCESS, ETC.
- is it important to work well with a sales team, or can you really do a good job even when sales is not cooperative with your efforts? VERY IMPORTANT. YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT PRODUCT THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF PROSPECTS EXACTLY BUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE SALES BEHIND YOU, THEN IT DOES NOT MATTER
- your number one suggestion for success – VISITING AND TALKING WITH CLIENTS – IT WILL GIVE YOU CREDIBILITY WITH SALES.
