Most businesses have both a sales team and a public relations team who work towards the ultimate goal of the company but within their neck of the woods. This means that often the PR team and sales teams have different goals.

Oftentimes PR departments are focused on getting the name brand out into the market while the sales team works on bringing in new customers. Getting these two groups together can create a magical partnership that works for the common good of the company.

Wondering how you can get your PR and Sales teams to work together to produce positive outcomes? Read on below for more information.

What is the Role of the PR Team?

Most people know that when you work in public relations, your entire workday involves branding and getting that branding out into the market. This often entails using all avenues and platforms possible to make this happen.

Many public relations professionals in today’s market turn to social media as a way to get the company’s name in front of millions of people. The PR professional’s number one goal is to flood the market with the company’s name and branding so people will think of them when it comes to the product they sell.

What is the Role of the Sales Team?

The sales team in a business is typically the initial bread and butter since they are the ones to seek out new potential customers and follow leads that come in. Their number one goal is to get more and more customers on board with the company.

Most sales professionals have specific strategies they follow throughout their sales process that can bring in more customers. These strategies are dedicated to meeting the consumers’ needs while also looking out for the interests of the business.

How the PR and Sales Teams are Similar

If you think about it, the PR and Sales team job descriptions are very similar in that they are both focused on driving new business. While the sales team is the ones that actually bring them on board, the PR team may have been the one to pique their interest.

To thoroughly promote a brand through the various channels that public relations teams often use, they have to be able to know their audience. This is similar if you are on the sales team in that you must first do your research before you begin to make your pitch.

Why Should PR and Sales Teams Work Together?

Since the roles of both the public relations and sales teams are so similar, it would be advantageous to put the two groups together for the greater good. The result of this pairing often leads to more business for the company in the long run.

The sales team can assist with what the public relations team does by giving them helpful information about the customer they recently onboarded or even potential customers. This information includes their demographic, age range, gender, occupation, and many more.

The PR team can be just as helpful to the sales team by giving them insight on where to look for more information on the potential client. This can then be used by salespeople to close the deal they have been working on.

Keep in mind that being in the public view of any company can have its ups and downs. This can include if the company gets a bad review which can put a dent in sales. The public relations team can work with the sales department to turn this around.

The bottom line is that if you put these two teams together, you will soon see that the pairing was more than effective when it comes to achieving your company’s goals.

How Can PR and Sales Teams Work Together to Achieve Goals?

When it comes to these two departments working together there are many ways to not only make it happen but to make it successful. This can only happen if they keep the following ten tips in mind.

While many of these tips may seem like common sense, you would be surprised that they may not be thought of in the beginning. Once they get past the thought of relying on another team to do their job, these two teams often begin to work like a well-oiled machine.

Here are some of the ways PR and Sales teams can work together to achieve goals:

1. Understand how the two roles work individually.

The first step in bringing these two teams together is helping them to understand the roles and responsibilities of each team. This begins with a conversation about what they do during the day and what the expectations are.

Once they have this initial conversation, they often have a clear understanding of what the other team does. This often gives way to ideas of how they may be able to help each other meet their goals.

2. Start with the purpose behind the company.

You have most likely heard of companies starting with the why or why the company even exists. The same is effective when you are attempting to get two teams to work together.

Knowing the purpose behind the company can help the PR and Sales teams see that they both are working for a common goal. Once they see this, then often times they are better able to understand why they should work together.

3. Be respectful of each other’s needs.

While these two teams have a similar purpose, they also have various needs that have to be met to do their jobs. For example, the sales team has to bring in new customers while the public relations team has to push out the next campaign.

For this pairing to work effectively, they both have to respect what the other team needs to accomplish their own goals. This is all the while they are working to accomplish the goals of the group and the company.

4. Make sure both teams are on the same page.

Many times when you pair two groups together, initially they are most likely going to bump heads trying to get their voice heard. In some cases, this means that one or both teams are asserting their need to control things.

This conflict can often get in the way of achieving the ultimate goal of moving the company forward. Starting with the goal of what they are to accomplish is a great way to ensure that both teams are on the same page.

5. Respect and use each other’s strengths.

Anytime two people or departments are working together, it is important to understand and respect the other’s strengths and weaknesses. This can often result in better conversations and work being done to achieve certain goals.

In most cases, as previously mentioned, this starts with an initial conversation about the common goal and what each member of the team brings to the table. Doing this can help to divide up the work more effectively to achieve the goal.

6. Share resources.

In most companies, a dedicated sales team typically has resources at their disposal that can help them achieve their goals each month. The same can be said for the public relations team and the resources they have access to.

When these two teams are attempting to work together, they mustn’t hold anything back. Bringing their resources together is a great way to be successful at the goal they have set for themselves.

7. Become an authority on specific content and use it in the sales pitch.

Oftentimes, the public relations department is all about branding and increasing traffic flow to various social media platforms and other areas. This most often means that they have created various content designed to show potential customers how knowledgeable the company is.

Even though sales teams often have their material, they can use the content that the PR team created in their sales pitches. This can show the potential customers that the company is an authority on certain products and services.

8. Keep an open line of communication.

As the two teams work together, it is important to keep the lines of communication open at all times. This will help to reduce the amount of confusion and misunderstandings between both parties involved.

Since the ultimate goal is for these two teams to work together to achieve the company’s goals, they need to be communicated throughout the entire process and beyond. Effective communication is the only way to make this kind of relationship work for the long haul.

9. Use the sales team’s pitch ideas to create interest in PR campaigns.

Like using the PR campaign materials within the sales pitch can be effective, so can using what the sales team does in a public relations campaign. Since the teams are working toward a common goal, using each other’s materials just makes good business sense.

If the sales team is promoting a sale or discounted offer, the public relations team can use this in the materials they put out in the market. This can not only increase brand awareness but also drive more business into the company.

10. Understand that the ultimate goal is to build business relationships that can turn into sales.

While the ultimate goal of these two teams working together is to drive in more business, the focus should be on building relationships. Many times when you show potential customers your worth as an authority figure in your area, this can be the draw for them to close the deal.

In fact, many companies have moved away from a sales team that works aggressively to make the sale. They often exchange this mentality with focusing on what the company does and building their reputation and relationships first.

What Are Some Barriers to Making the Relationship Between PR and Sales Work?

It is important to keep in mind that while getting the PR and Sales teams to work together can create magic within the company, it does not come without its hiccups. This is often because the teams are used to working exclusively, so having to work with another team can be frustrating.

Typically, at the beginning of pushing these teams together, there is often a power struggle surrounding who’s agenda should be pushed. This can often be detrimental to the ultimate goal that the company is trying to achieve.

Another barrier to making this relationship work is that putting the teams to work together can be taken as a betrayal. This means that some members of each team might view this as a sign that they are not doing their job.

How Can You Overcome the Barriers?

To overcome these barriers, it is important for management to clearly explain the purpose behind getting the teams to work together. This often goes back to explaining the why of the company and getting them to see the goal through that lens.

Managers need to explain to both teams that this pairing is not so much about the individual teams not accomplishing their goals, but rather the opposite. Because they do their jobs so well, this pairing is designed to take the work to the next level.

Once they see they are working together to create something that may not have been accomplished before, they often change their minds. This is especially true for those who like a good challenge and are determined to get the job done.

Ready to Get Your PR and Sales Teams to Work Together?

Now that you know all the benefits and ways that you can bring your PR and Sales teams together, you should be ready to dive into this pairing yourself. Keep in mind that this could be rocky in the beginning, but when the focus remains on the ultimate goal, great things can happen. 

Moving past the initial shock of these two teams coming together can lead the way to some great accomplishments. Incorporating some of the hottest digital marketing trends can be the next step in both the sales and PR campaigns to drive new business.