Abstract:

Relationship marketing and sales management are two of the main research mantras, while their integration further captures a lot of interest, both in the academic arena and business world nowadays. Nonetheless, it is still an emerging topic. Current paper succinctly overviews the main forms of marketing and sales exchanges from collaboration and communication, towards superior form of integration underlining key characteristics of each phase, the mechanisms and factors facilitating an effective relationship of the two. The aim is to lay a conceptual foundation on the relationship frame among the two functions (with relational marketing and partnering role, posing a direct influence on the way sales is defined and deployed). Moreover it is aimed to set future research and practical directions focusing on integration, as a superior form of collaboration. Managerial implications and further research avenues are pinpointed in the conclusive section.