Coordinated Marketing

A following of dependable customers has always been a firm's greatest asset. The sage observation, "It is better to own a market than a plant," was until recently only a catch phrase to many manufacturers - more preached than practiced or understood. Except in times of serious depression, it was always possible to sell harder, improve performance, or cut price. Management's word to salesmen and distributors was, "We'll make It - you sell it." Today the successful business leader says, "What does the market want that we can make and market? How can we best please them with both product and service? How can we get that market to be ours - at least a share of it?"

In the early Fifties, a new concept of marketing emerged very clearly. It was a market and customer-oriented approach. For some firms this was not new, but for most industrial goods makers, so long production minded, it was a new idea to start with the needs of the market and work back.

If your training program is to be effective, you must see that your sales trainee understands this fact, is able to translate it into effective sales technique, and understands how his sales effort contributes to the total marketing mix of your company.