But what about a PROSPECTIVE customer. An equally large challenge is to develop trust, enjoyment and preference in PROSPECTIVE customers. That requires consistent marketing throughout BOTH the lead aquisition process AND the sales process until ultimately, leads are converted into customers.

Customer aquisition, especially in longer average sell cycles, often means the marketing department throws a lead over the fence to the sales department and goes back to generating more leads. But in today’s relationship intensive and competitive sales environment, it is clear that marketing and sales cannot operate with a siloed approach. They need to work together in converting generated leads into customers.

A key success requirement for this is a good CRM (Client Relationship Management) system that facilitates 1)smoothly transitioning sales leads into prospects and )2 collaborative sales processes that blend the application of marketing and sales skills until a prospect becomes a customer.

It may be easier for marketing and sales to work separately; but, the time for that is long past. This is the time for tightly coordinated marketing and sales efforts, enabled and empowered by appropriate CRM and other technology. In today’s “prospect constrained” environment, successful companies need the right tools and techniques to maximize the value of every single solitary lead, period.