Sales and Marketing Techniques

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How do sales and marketing teams achieve their goals? The tactics vary based on the industry and company culture. They have also changed over time.

These are some of the common sales and marketing techniques that form the core of each practice.

Sales Techniques

Limiting the opportunity. The idea of a "limited-time offer" is common in retail, but creating a sense of scarcity is a tactic used in many industries. A limited opportunity may be limited by time (e.g. an offer good for this month only) or availability (e.g. the last pickup on the lot).

Focusing on pain points. An effective salesperson can frame the benefits of a product or service regarding the needs of a client. This means understanding the day-to-day challenges a client faces and focusing on how a product can solve those issues. An emphasis on pain points can also help build a relationship by showing a salesperson's interest in a customer's problem.

Making the assumptive close. The assumptive close is a sales technique that changes a request for a "yes" into a "no." For instance, rather than asking, "Do you want to try this service?", a salesperson may instead ask, "When would you like us to schedule the installation?"

Marketing Techniques

Outbound marketing. Outbound marketing represents traditional "push" marketing. This includes television advertisements, direct mail flyers, and cold calling. Outbound marketing tactics often are effective at generating broad awareness among a demographic. However, some modern marketing strategies question the ability of outbound marketing to develop the persuasive, personal marketing messages that build lasting company–customer relationships.

Inbound marketing. Inbound marketing shifts marketing efforts from "push" to "pull." The core idea behind inbound marketing is to draw potential customers in by creating marketing materials that help consumers. For example, an investment firm may offer a free webinar on retirement planning. Inbound marketing tends to focus first on providing a consumer with something valuable, rather than maintaining an inward focus on delivering a company message.