I think it the definition will depend on the type of sales too.
Sure, anyone can argue that Apple is a innovation-driven company, but I can make a case that it is sales-driven. I’ll use my current location as an example.
There is no doubt that we are a sales-driven company. It is said by the board, CEO and all management. The VP of NPD makes no bones about it. And the salesforce is well compensated. We differ from Apple in that sense as our salesforce does direct sales whereas Apple is going through the distribution chain.
So back to us. We are focused on organic growth. While we will milk the cash cow, that is no way to create growth in a mature market. I’d say most companies in a mature market will get 2-3% growth being focused purely on sales. But where we differ is the sales generated by NPD. That is where we are able to maintain double-digit growth for over a decade (probably jinxed 2016 with that comment). We are committed to innovation (new and has impact, blue water, whatever you want to call it). We are a sales-driven company driven by innovation.
Sure, you can argue that is possibly the tail wagging the dog, but our culture is still sales. As a matter of fact, the VP of NPD came from sales. And it shows why I don’t think I’d ever be a great VP or CEO, I don’t have that natural sales ability to build the necessary relationships to sell innovation to those who don’t think it “matters”. Selling innovation to the company is sales. Jobs had the ability to sell innovation to the company, making Apple a sales driven company. If he didn’t have that sales-ability, Apple would be a small niche player and not the juggernaut it is.