Building Marketing As A Core Competency

Building Marketing as a core competency sounds like an admirable and worthwhile goal. After all, every business needs to market itself. Without marketing, the number of people who know about you is limited to the number of people you directly tell, and the number of people those individuals tell, and so on. And in some circles even this word-of-mouth effort is considered marketing.

When I talk about building marketing as a core competency, I’m speaking about something on a more systemic scale. Marketing as a core competency begins at the top, and needs to infiltrate and involve every part of the business.

So no one dons the mantle of Don Quixote and starts chasing windmills, let’s establish one foundational belief that is essential before marketing can ever be a core competency. The purpose of business is to generate customers and revenues, and other functions in the business exist to support that effort. If management does not believe this, then marketing is just another business operation.

Assuming this foundational tenet is in place, the leadership can then focus on the following best practices in order to elevate marketing to competency status. First, management understands that marketing and sales are two different disciplines and treat them as such. Marketing is the analysis and strategies that create value for customers, successfully differentiate and position the firm, and profitably present the company, the products and the services.

Selling is the actual presentation of the company, the products, and the services – it is the implementation of marketing ideas. A business absolutely needs both marketing and sales to strengthen the company, the market position, and relationships with customers.

Two Sides

Marketing without sales is a mental exercise with little chance for producing revenue.

Selling without marketing is a physical exercise with no long-term goals or predictable outcome behind it. Marketing is the foundation for good sales. If marketing is done well, the sales effort has a higher probability of success.

A second best practice is recognition that marketing is not strictly a departmental function; it is present in all areas of the business. Management attempts to instill customer-focused values in all employees. All employees understand the market position and focus of the business, and how they individually contribute to the success and growth of the company.

Research forms the bedrock for marketing ideas and plans. Regular research and interaction with customers shape the identification of market opportunities and new product development. Every employee who interacts with a customer has a means to pass on their knowledge and learning from each interaction. Customers have multiple ways to connect with the company to pass on their feedback and reactions. Regarding competition, the company knows its top competitors and what they can do. Management understands how customers view the company versus the competition.

Finally, management plans their marketing effort. There are clearly established and communicated goals and objectives, supported by well-researched strategies and tactics. All of this is reviewed with all employees. The marketing plan is a working document the company uses to measure progress. And, the plan changes as market conditions, customers, and company conditions change.

Developing marketing as a core competency delivers one benefit that eclipses everything else – it puts customers first, and recognizes that employees are the marketing communicators for the company. If for no other reason than this, leadership should focus on building marketing as a core competency.

Ken Cook is managing director of Peer to Peer Advisors, an organization that facilitates business leaders helping each other. You can reach him at kcook@peertopeeradvisors.com.