| Ten years of competitive hell!That was the title on | | | | response for an organization that doesn't have |
| the seminar brochure I received recently. As I survey | | | | feedback mechanism in place to adequately |
| some of the forces flowing through our economy, | | | | understand its customers.The unfortunate |
| and witness the way in which they effect my clients, | | | | consequences are often more pressure, more |
| I have to agree. The Information Age is certainly one | | | | confusion, and more energy expended in the wrong |
| of the most turbulent times business people have | | | | places.Is there a better way? Sure. A far more |
| ever seen.And the force causing the greatest | | | | effective response is to create a powerful sales and |
| turbulence is rapid, unrelenting change. Consider this. | | | | marketing system. A sales and marketing system |
| In 1900, the total amount of knowledge that mankind | | | | provides an interconnected, measurable set of |
| had was doubling about every 500 years. Today, it | | | | processes and tools that ultimately result in increased |
| doubles about every two years. And the pace | | | | sales. Where would McDonald's be today without a |
| continues to increase. One futurist predicts that | | | | system to consistently produce hot hamburgers? |
| today's high school seniors will have to absorb more | | | | Where would Ford be if they had no system to |
| information in their final year alone than their | | | | design and build new automobiles? The keys to |
| grandparents did in their entire life.At the same time | | | | success for these businesses has been their ability to |
| that things are changing rapidly, competition is | | | | create and manage effective systems to accomplish |
| increasing in almost every industry. Foreign | | | | their goals.Sales and marketing can be treated in |
| competitors have entered our markets, the wave of | | | | exactly the same way. The process of acquiring |
| corporate downsizing has transformed thousands of | | | | customers and then expanding the business with |
| displaced executives into reluctant entrepreneurs, and | | | | them can be systematized. If you're successful in |
| the knowledge explosion continues to evidence itself | | | | creating a working system, you'll be investing your |
| in new technologies that often provide radically | | | | resources in the most effective way, and producing |
| different ways of accomplishing some task.The | | | | predictable, regular sales results.Your sales and |
| result?Burgeoning competition in almost every | | | | marketing system should start with a thorough |
| industry. I have yet to meet an executive who has | | | | understanding of the needs and interests of the |
| said, "I have fewer competitors today than I did | | | | prospects. Fold into that an honest awareness of the |
| three years ago." Continually growing numbers of | | | | unique value your company brings to the market, and |
| competitors seems to be a characteristic of our | | | | you have the beginning framework for your system. |
| economy that we are going to have to live with for | | | | Your system should focus on the highest potential |
| the foreseeable future.Unfortunately, these forces of | | | | market segments, and develop segment-specific |
| rapid change and growing competition have brought a | | | | processes and tools to help you reach your market in |
| cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives | | | | the most cost-effective way.When your system is |
| trying to grow their businesses.One common | | | | designed, you'll also have a set of criteria in place to |
| response to this cloud of confusion is what I call | | | | help you adequately assess the potential in such |
| "Popcorn." Imagine kernels of popcorn simmering in | | | | things as advertisements, brochures, computer |
| hot oil in the bottom of a popcorn popper. As the | | | | programs, etc.A well-designed system allows you to |
| heat grows, one of the kernels explodes and rockets | | | | move out of the desperate reactive mode |
| off against the side of the popper. A few moments | | | | characterized by "Popcorn" and into a confident |
| later, another kernel explodes and shoots off in | | | | pro-active mode.Here are seven questions to |
| another direction. Before long, the canister is full of | | | | determine whether you're operating from the |
| careening kernels bouncing in every direction.That's | | | | "Systems" perspective or the "Popcorn" mind set.1. |
| my analogy to the way in which many businesses | | | | Do you have specific, realistic objectives for your |
| attempt to increase their sales when the | | | | sales and marketing efforts?2. Have you precisely |
| temperature created by growing competition gets | | | | identified your highest potential markets segments?3. |
| hot. As the heat of the situation grows, they know | | | | Have you identified the sequence of decisions that a |
| they have to do something. Then along comes a | | | | typical prospect goes through to come to a decision |
| good idea and, pop, like a kernel of exploding | | | | to buy your product or service?4. Have you identified |
| popcorn, they lunge at the good idea.The good idea | | | | the key activities and processes that must take |
| can be anything. Maybe it's a media representative | | | | place on a monthly basis in order for you to reach |
| who suggests a new advertisement. That sounds like | | | | your sales objectives?5. Do you have a monthly |
| a good idea. So, "pop" off they go after that. Or it | | | | measurement of the quantity and quality of your key |
| could be a salesperson suggesting that a computer | | | | marketing activities?6. Are you able to track exactly |
| program will solve their problems. That sounds like a | | | | how much it costs to create a customer?7. Do all of |
| good idea, so "pop," off they go after that good | | | | your marketing collateral (brochures, ads, etc.) directly |
| idea. Next is an advertising agency suggesting a new | | | | support the purposes and processes of your |
| brochure. That also sounds good, and "pop," like | | | | system?Obviously, a positive answer to those |
| kernels of corn exploding in every direction, they | | | | questions indicates that you have a well defined sales |
| expend money and energy in short term "good | | | | and marketing system in place. That means that you |
| ideas."Like kernels of popcorn, they frantically chase | | | | have gone from reactive to pro-active marketing, |
| lots of good ideas hoping that one will be the answer | | | | and that you're well on your way to regular, |
| to the marketing problems. The problem is that these | | | | predictable sales. Negative answers mean that you |
| good ideas rarely have any relationship to one | | | | have some work to do to bring your sales and |
| another. And, they generally present superficial | | | | marketing efforts into a proactive mode to allow you |
| solutions to problems which are often deeper. The | | | | to successfully compete in the turbulent 21st |
| company's time and energy is diverted toward these | | | | Century.Copyright 2006 Dave KahleDave Kahle, the |
| superficial "good ideas," and away from the deeper | | | | Growth Coach (R), is a consultant/trainer who helps |
| solutions.For example, an advertisement in a trade | | | | clients increase sales and improve sales productivity. |
| journal may be a superficial solution for a company | | | | Dave has trained thousands of salespeople, and is the |
| that does not have a system for identifying qualified | | | | author of over 500 articles, a monthly ezine, and six |
| prospects. And a new brochure may be a superficial | | | | books. |