Sales or Marketing: What comes first?

Two business experts will duke it out in a debate on "Sales versus Marketing: Who should drive strategy?.

According to a recent study, only 17% of marketers and 14% of salespeople say that the two functional teams are fully aligned. This statistic is probably of no surprise for most sales and marketing teams; however it seems to blind side many managers who are clueless to the internal rift between functional teams. This month, we invite two Austin business experts to debate the topic of which functional team should lead business activities – sales or marketing.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/3/0/a/600_398317642.jpeg

Dr. Jan Triplett, co-founder of the Business Resource Center (http://ownersview.com/), will champion the position that “Sales” should drive business strategy. She draws on her long career helping emerging companies and small businesses develop sales and marketing plans to prove her position that “sales should drive”.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/8/3/6/600_388063062.jpeg

Opposing Jan's position, will be Francoise Luca, co-owner of Business Finance Solutions (http://bfs-usa.com/) who will argue that marketing should drive business strategy. She draws on her experience in marketing and sales for AT&T and NBC and Univision to explain that a well developed marketing strategy should drive business operations.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/0/1/600_434461537.jpeg

To facilitate this debate, we have invited Eve Richter. As a veteran marketer, business consultant, and business development professional, Eve (http://www.linkedin.com/in/everichter/en) straddles the fence between sales and marketing, and looks forward to moderating this epic and ongoing battle. She is currently a Marketing and Operations Associate for Drop Zone Strategies, a Business Development Representative for Sales Engine International, a fitness coach with Fitness Within You, a producer with Go Blind Go, and a pet sitter with Paw Pause Pets. An entrepreneur and stand up comic, Eve will keep this debate entertaining.

Some of the topics we will discuss:

• Who owns the customer?

• Who determines price?

• Who determines “the pitch”?

• Who "drives" in your organization and how is that working out?

Join us for this enlightening and entertaining presentation and bring your questions.