Sales force integration into corporate marketing communications and its influence on sales force performance outcomes

This study is based on research examining whether the level of sales force integration with marketing communications influences sales force performance and concludes that it does. In past studies, integration in terms of marketing communications has been studied extensively, but there was a gap in the literature concerning knowledge of the link between the level of sales force integration into communications and performance outcomes.

Good corporate integrated marketing practice is referred to as the manner through which an organisation intends to engage both internal staff (such as the sales force) and external customers. However, much of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) literature revolves around the needs and interests of consumers without attributing much importance to other potential stakeholders, such as the sales force. The focus on other stakeholders has been highlighted in some IMC definitions and has also been a part of discussions of more generic strategic integration. However, the focus on the sales force in the context of IMC has been ignored in most other research. Therefore, there was considered to be a need to focus on integrated marketing communications in relation to sales force integration.

The idea of having well-integrated marketing communications for those involved in selling is that the sales force should be kept fully informed in all (internal and external) corporate marketing communications. This research attempted to uncover evidence as to the effects of sales force integration into an organisation’s communications.

The robust statistical reliability and validity of the research is described, and a high level of validity was found for the research findings. All the dependent variables (performance outcomes) deployed in the current research show a significant and positive relationship with sales force integration in the expected direction.