Can too much communication inside the company hurt sales?  Yes! We all want to believe communication is a good thing, but it also can create as many, if not more, problems than it solves.

One of the biggest problem areas for communication is between Sales and Marketing. The two departments need to work in unison. Yet, the desire to be in unison can wind up causing over-communication.  

For Marketing and Sales to operate effectively, they have to understand each other’s roles and, more importantly, how they can wind up stepping over each other. Specific lines of communication, including when to communicate, must be well established between all departments and, in particular, between Sales and Marketing.

When there are no boundaries in the frequency or type of communication, it can become far too easy for people to lose sight of the objectives. Human nature says we tend to respond and react to the most recent thing we hear. When this happens, quarterly objectives and other longer-term goals can quickly be pushed aside in order to tend to the most recent message.

Let’s start with the Sales and Marketing departments. Each one must have specific times when communicating between the departments. Whether it is once a day or once a week, it’s imperative there be a policy. Same goes with what is communicated and how. Consistency in how things are communicated is key, because it allows for faster assimilation of the information.

What I always find interesting is how frequently communication breaks down due to senior management thinking policies apply to everyone else but them. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve found in my work as a sales consultant how senior management can be so oblivious to the negative impact they can have due to their own communication methods.

Communication policies only work when everyone adheres to them all of the time. Does this mean there is zero tolerance? No, there will be exceptions, but they have to be just that—exceptions. Something that occurs weekly, or even monthly, is not an exception!    

Having a smooth communication process can and will create operating efficiencies. These will result in each member of the organization operating more effectively. The result is simple—more sales. And usually they are more sales with less work.

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price. He is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. He was named one of the Top 50 Influencers in Sales by Top Sales World.  To receive a free weekly sales tip and read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on Twitter, on Facebook and on LinkedIn.

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