Marketing is NOT Sales Support

What’s the purpose of marketing? 

A question with varying answers depending on who you ask or what  internet resource you confide in.

However, one thing marketing is NOT is a sales support function!

What do I mean by this? Well, does any of this ring true…..

“Make this client presentation look pretty” 

“Post on social media” 

“Update the website” 

“Organise this event”

“Where’s the strategy documents?”

“Attend this meeting”

“Get me more leads” 

So many marketing departments act as sales support functions bombarded by an endless list of tasks which detracts from what they should be doing - getting you noticed. 

Marketing Chaos

I spoke about the four freedoms of great marketing in this newsletter here. One of the least talked about is the “freedom from chaos” which is summed up by the hamster wheel of tasks that cause so many marketers to become overworked, under-resourced and stressed. 

In this environment there is no time or space for marketers to think, come up with new ideas and fresh campaigns. Consequently they take the easy path, look at what the competition is doing and pump out more lookalike content. 

The result = bland marketing that does nothing to make you stand out. 

Lack of Understanding

I reckon this stems from a lack of understanding by management as to what marketing actually does or should do. 

Far too many leaders see marketing as a sales support function or worse, to make stuff look pretty! 

Marketing really should be the driving force behind your organisation, getting your product in front of fresh eyes, driving interest and ultimately sales. Unfortunately you’re never going to succeed in an environment of chaos.

Allow time to create

If you want your marketing to be effective and give you the big gains that everyone is looking for then you need to get your team off this hamster wheel of tasks and allow them space to think.

Think up new and imaginative campaigns. Think up something different. Think up where improvements can be made and the big gains realised.

Funnily enough, more of what I find myself doing is being that resource that is detached from all the tasks, chaos and office politics and is given the freedom to come up with new and fresh ideas.

Sounds very illogical, doesn’t it? You can’t stick an ROI on "thinking" and it’s not very productive in the traditional sense. But this is exactly what is required to give you the big leaps in your marketing and business. 

You don’t stand a chance of being creative and getting noticed if you’re constantly being used as a sales support function.

Until next week……