Analyzing Your Sales and Marketing Strategies for Continued Process Improvement

The sales and marketing function of any business is critical to the continued viability of the organization. With this organizational dependence it is imperative that sales and marketing results be recorded, tracked, and analyzed. When a new business condition presents itself, strategies can be adjusted to address the changing requirements.

One of the easiest ways to quantify and evaluate your sales and marketing effort is with a customer relationship management (CRM) software program. The use of this tool tracks lead generation, prospect qualification, sales presentations, proposals, outcomes and sales expenses. Sales forecasting now has
data to support the monthly, quarterly, and annual projections. Marketing activities related to sales material, web site, trade shows, and advertising can now be closely evaluated. By understanding each aspect of
the sales and marketing function, meaningful change can be implemented to improve the company’s
return on investment.

Every type of business routinely contemplates “what if “scenarios. With the added known data from the CRM program for example, sales volume, order size, administrative expenses, and sales expenses, realistic information can be utilized for these hypothetical situations. Hopefully the resulting options and answers from analyzing different business approaches will create a focus on the process which produces results.

The task of analyzing the sales and marketing efforts helps your organization better understand the needs of your customers. This new insight can establish different pricing, alternative marketing methods, and additional services. Once you understand the customer’s needs and problems your product, service, or business offering can now add value with creative solutions.

I have developed a number of tips, tools, techniques, and resources to help improve the sales and marketing efforts of business. Please contact me for a no obligation review of your company’s sales and marketing process.

Mark Marlin received a Master of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has held a variety of increasingly responsible positions as account manager, regional sales manager, divisional sales manager and owner of a manufacturers’ representative sales organization.
Mark’s sales and marketing consulting business helps small to medium sized organizations improve sales performance and drive business to the next level.