Many Nigerian SMEs and mid-sized companies are setting themselves up for frustration by hiring a single person to handle both marketing and sales, according to marketing strategist Milen Oyinlola.
Oyinlola observes that businesses often post job descriptions for a “marketing manager” that quietly include sales targets, content creation, brand strategy, and the expectation to close deals. Months later, the hire is dismissed for underperformance, with little reflection on whether the role itself was poorly designed.
“Most businesses don’t build a proper marketing function until revenue starts to feel unpredictable,” Oyinlola explains.
“By then, the instinct is to hire one person to fix everything at once. From the outside, growth is growth. But marketing and sales operate on completely different timelines, demand different skills, and are measured by different numbers.”
Different Jobs, Different Outcomes
Oyinlola draws a clear distinction between the two functions. Marketing, she notes, builds awareness, shapes brand perception, and creates the conditions that make people want to buy long before they speak to a salesperson. It is slow, cumulative work that often shows results through increased inbound interest rather than a single closed deal.
Sales, on the other hand, converts interest into revenue through conversations, follow-ups, negotiation, and closing. It is measured in shorter cycles — weekly calls, monthly deals, quarterly targets.
“A skilled salesperson can turn marketing-generated leads into customers,” she says. “But even the best closer will struggle if there is no brand awareness or pipeline to work with.”
Why the Hybrid Hire Usually Fails
The problem, according to Oyinlola, is that the skill sets rarely overlap naturally. Strong marketers think in stories, positioning, and long-term brand equity. Strong salespeople prioritise urgency, objection handling, and closing techniques. While some individuals possess both, they are rare, and expecting one person to excel at both usually means the business is underpaying for two roles while receiving compromised results in both.
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When the arrangement fails, everyone loses. The marketer is blamed for weak sales numbers that depend on pricing, product fit, and sales execution. The business owner grows frustrated watching marketing spend without seeing immediate revenue. Customers experience inconsistent messaging and service as one overstretched person tries to do two full jobs.
A Clearer Path Forward
Oyinlola advises businesses to separate the roles as early as budget allows, even if that means engaging a marketing consultant part-time alongside a dedicated salesperson. Where only one hire is possible, she urges honesty: prioritise one function clearly in the job description and compensation, and set expectations accordingly.
“Stop asking one person to deliver both brand awareness and sales targets with no clarity on what actually determines success,” she says.
“Clarity protects both the business and the professional.”For companies still unsure whether they need a marketer, a salesperson, or both — and how those roles should be structured at their current size and budget — Oyinlola encourages owners to seek tailored guidance before making the next hire.
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