Market and sales orientations are different philosophies about how to align and organize a business. Market orientation looks outward toward the customer and focuses all aspects of a business -- not just the marketing department -- on satisfying her needs and wants. Sales orientation looks inward at the business and its need to sell products or services. Market orientation assumes that customers make buying decisions; sales orientation assumes that the customer is reluctant to purchase. Both orientations affect the strategy, processes, organization and culture of a business.
Market Orientation
The key feature of market orientation is the collection and dissemination of customer information throughout the business. Each functional or organizational unit collects and shares buyer influence and customer information. Because knowledge sharing is so important, strategic and day-to-day decisions are made inter-departmentally. Often a market-oriented company creates a highly personalized customer experience.
Market Orientation Approaches
Some business leaders see market orientation as an interchangeable approach to customer orientation. However, Richard Heiens writes in a 2000 “Academy of Marketing Science Review” article that there are differing approaches to market orientation. For example, some market oriented businesses emphasize competitors in their external market analysis. These businesses are called “marketing warriors.”
Market Orientation Concerns
In the desire to serve the customer, a market-oriented business may implement processes and policies that don’t make financial sense or have long-term viability. As such, the decisions a market-oriented company make must serve both the customer and the business. A good way to protect the bottom line is to assess the decisions, processes and policies on a regular basis.
Sales Orientation
Sales orientation focuses on selling products or services rather than on satisfying the wants and needs of customers. This philosophy assumes that people will buy if aggressive sales techniques are used. And as the authors point out in the book “Essentials of Marketing,” this orientation often assumes that sale prices of high value equate to substantial profit.
Sales Orientation Tactics
Because a sales-oriented business is so focused on pushing its product out to the customer, it must rely on aggressive sales techniques. These include intensive promotion, such as advertising, and price-focused strategies. The sales-oriented business also relies on the strength of its sales force to move its products or services.
Sales Orientation Concerns
Some sales-oriented businesses are so focused on the sale they fail to see what is important to the customer. The “Marketing Essentials” authors contend that if the product and services for sale aren’t wanted or needed, an effective sales force just won’t be successful. For example, many dot-com businesses went under in the 1990s because they focused on technology and not selling what the customer wanted.
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