Last in a series
Here's Seth's 11th, and final, thing that marketers ought to know about salespeople. This one is a comment to salespeople who might give this feedback to marketing guys and gals:
The two worst pieces of feedback you can give me (because neither is really actionable or especially effective): a. lower the price and b. make our product just like our competitors.
Big difference between marketing and sales, although as I've said before you can't have one without the other.
I agree with Seth Godin on both points. It's easy for salespeople (mediocre ones, especially) to ask the marketing department to "lower the price." In the mind of the salesperson, lowering the price equals a lower barrier to sales. However, what sales pros need to remember is that other factors go into determining price than what makes it easy or hard to sell. R&D costs, marketing costs, etc. all go into pricing strategy. Remember that when you go to complain about pricing.
On his second point, I wonder how often that is actually asked? Usually, differences in a product create selling points that make it easier to sell, not harder. Unless your competitor's product is far superior in design or performance or level of service, I don't think youd want your product to be too similar to a competitors. Maybe I'm missing something here...perhaps one of our readers can give a good example of an instance when you desire your product to be just like your competitor's.
Great series, Seth. Thanks for giving us some interesting thoughts to chew on while we attempt not to blow off body parts this 4th of July.
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