The CIM published a  paper pre Christmas suggesting that the sales and marketing function should become fully integrated.  This sentiment caused some controversy – and polarised opinion, depending on which side of the fence you fall.  Sales professionals claim that marketing peeps have not kept pace with the commercial need to demonstrate ROI – which of course is more easily attributed through sales results.

The importance of marketing cannot be underestimated – without it where does the strategic direction for a brand or company come from and how are all the marketing disciplines that every company should use in its arsenal managed without a marketing function?

It will be interesting to see what the fall out is – or perhaps it is all a storm in a tea cup and sales and marketing teams will continue with the age old banter or each decrying the others roles? Read more here.