Coordinating Marketing and Sales in B2B Organizations

Frank V. Cespedes

Chapter | Handbook of Business-to-Business Marketing | 2012

Coordinating Marketing and Sales in B2B Organizations

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the topic of coordinating marketing and sales in Business-to-Business (B2B) organizations. It provides an historical overview, indicating that this is not a new issue facing firms, that the business press has outlined a recurring set of prescriptive advice about the topic to practitioners, and why (despite its recurring nature) that advice seems to have limited usefulness. The chapter then reviews some common delineations of marketing and sales activities in companies and the implications. Finally, the chapter concludes with a sample of what B2B companies have done in their attempts to improve marketing-sales coordination, including suggestions for future research.

Keywords: Marketing; Practice; Research; Sales;

Format: Print

Citation:

Cespedes, Frank V. "Coordinating Marketing and Sales in B2B Organizations." In Handbook of Business-to-Business Marketing, edited by Gary L. Lilien and Rajdeep Grewal. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012.

Fred Shilmover and Sam Clemens prepared for their fourth quarter board meeting. They were excited to have scaled their software startup, InsightSquared, to $2 million in revenue and secured an $8 million round of venture capital. However, they disagreed on the path ahead, specifically on the sales and marketing plan. Shilmover preferred a sales-centric approach to growth while Clemens preferred a marketing-centric one. Which strategy was optimal for their venture’s next phase of growth?

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 819-010. Shindigz sells party and celebratory items through its branded direct online channel, third-party retail and wholesale channels, and online marketplaces. Shindigz has for decades successfully executed a premium-priced branded strategy across its distribution channels. But market developments put this approach at risk. The teaching note discusses the impact of omni-channel buying processes on marketing requirements in an event-driven product category; the links between channel choice, pricing, and business strategy; and the requirements for change in response to market conditions that put pressure on established processes in a business model.

In August 2017, Cumplo’s Founder Shea and CEO Kirberg meet to discuss growth and strategy issues faced by this Chilean fintech startup. What sales and marketing strategy will best foster the compny’s growth? Are changes needed in the product lineup? How and when should Cumplo begin to expand beyond Chile, to other countries in Latin America? The company raised $1.4 million in its first three years, mainly from individual investors, and then issued new shares for $3 million in 2015. By June 2017, Cumplo was debt-free, had achieved break-even, and had raised an additional $2.3 million.

Faculty & Research

Coordinating Marketing and Sales in B2B Organizations

Abstract

Citation:

About the Author

More from the Author