Creating sales tools are one of the essential functions of marketing. Why, then, are they so bad? The AMA reports that 90% of sales tools that are developed by marketing go unused by the field sales force. In my experience, this happens mainly because the tools aren't fleixble enough. Corporate marketing typically generates the tools that are needed. And they do this mostly without input from the sales team. At best, marketing can generate important, effective messaging and write compelling copy. At worst, they create the same old stuff. Brochures, one-sheets, etc. Whatever they do, the materials usually end up shipped to the sales group without much explanation. Sometimes there is training on the new products and materials. Even if that happens, its quickly forgotten. Marketing deals with anonymous or mass audiences. For them, everything is broken down into segments and subsegments. And that seldom includes more than a handful of groups. So, they develop messaging and tools for these groups. For sales, every prospect is an individual. And so most mass tools won't work for them. Instead, they want to customize everything that marketing gives them. And if it can't be customized, it risks being unused or trashed.