You may have the best product, or offer the highest quality service. Your expertise and reputation may be rated highest in your industry, your place of business and equipment may be state-of-the-art and located in the fanciest facilities. But if you lack the power of a solid sales and marketing strategy, you are leaving the best on the table.
Sales is the absolute blood-stream, life and future of any successful business: product or service alike. The highest efforts and resources should be allocated on a well planned strategy, before anything else. This is your only real asset; everything else is an expense.