Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales, Spells Relief
Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales, Spells Relief
“Except marketing.”
Marketing has evolved. But most corporate marketing approaches have not. And in a tough economy, those who have not are feeling the pressure – but who’s taking the heat? Why, the CEO, of course.
Marketing has grown from the most simple, measurable tactics (put a sign in your window and see how many people come in), to a world of complexity never envisioned even a decade ago. Buyers are better informed, more savvy and with more options than at any time in history. Higher levels of product innovation, increased personalization of services, and cheaper foreign competition set the performance standards higher for all of us. As a result, the customer is much more difficult to hold onto. Most companies have not kept up; the outcome is increasing frustration at their inability to tie marketing to results.
Those companies that have a tighter grip on the customer than their competition know the key to keeping and winning customers is what it has always been – relevance. Relevance is at the center of your customer’s buying decision. Is your product or service directly aligned with their need? Companies seeing sales stagnate or decline are finding out the answer is no. CEOs are struggling to produce more predictable outcomes in the modern marketing environment. But they have not taken the time to understand how to configure these elements for control. And configuring the elements involves a new look at relevance as the heart of any marketing effort.
Here is a quick way to understand the product, market and customer relationship and the importance of relevance to getting the outcome you desire. Envision a crowded cocktail party (the marketplace). You (the product) are on one side of the room, and you have agreed to deliver a message you know is important (the promise) to a person (the customer) on the other side of the room. The party is noisy (the status quo), and crowded (the competition), so they cannot hear you shouting, or see you waving your arms.
You are irrelevant to their discussion, and even though the information you have is more valuable, they’re still having a good time. Unable to penetrate the crowd, you find a chair (the innovation), stand up on it (the strong position), and now that everyone has stopped what they were doing to pay attention (the alignment) to you (the market leader), you deliver your message (the marketing), “IT’S A BOY!” The person smiles, laughs, and then weeps with joy (the relevance), crosses the room pushing the crowd out of the way, gives you a hug (the adoption), and then hands you a cigar (the sale).
There are many marketing elements at work in coordination in the above example, but relevance closes the deal.
Companies that are succeeding in the marketing war right now are focused on strengthening customer relevance first by methodically and systematically understanding the full customer need, and demonstrating total commitment by building an offering that meets every aspect of that need completely.
The truth is, once relevance has been established (and it’s not easy), marketing can deliver more meaningful and measurable returns than any other function inside of your business. For sales, relevance offers a stronger position. For marketing, relevance develops context. For the CEO, relevance spells relief.
Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief - To learn more about this author, visit Michelangelo Celli's Website.
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There’s an old axiom: “Nothing happens before you make the SALE.”
“Except marketing.”
Marketing has evolved. But most corporate marketing approaches have not. And in a tough economy, those who have not are feeling the pressure – but who’s taking the heat? Why, the CEO, of course.
Marketing has grown from the most simple, measurable tactics (put a sign in your window and see how many people come in), to a world of complexity never envisioned even a decade ago. Buyers are better informed, more savvy and with more options than at any time in history. Higher levels of product innovation, increased personalization of services, and cheaper foreign competition set the performance standards higher for all of us. As a result, the customer is much more difficult to hold onto. Most companies have not kept up; the outcome is increasing frustration at their inability to tie marketing to results.
Those companies that have a tighter grip on the customer than their competition know the key to keeping and winning customers is what it has always been – relevance. Relevance is at the center of your customer’s buying decision. Is your product or service directly aligned with their need? Companies seeing sales stagnate or decline are finding out the answer is no. CEOs are struggling to produce more predictable outcomes in the modern marketing environment. But they have not taken the time to understand how to configure these elements for control. And configuring the elements involves a new look at relevance as the heart of any marketing effort.
Here is a quick way to understand the product, market and customer relationship and the importance of relevance to getting the outcome you desire. Envision a crowded cocktail party (the marketplace). You (the product) are on one side of the room, and you have agreed to deliver a message you know is important (the promise) to a person (the customer) on the other side of the room. The party is noisy (the status quo), and crowded (the competition), so they cannot hear you shouting, or see you waving your arms.
You are irrelevant to their discussion, and even though the information you have is more valuable, they’re still having a good time. Unable to penetrate the crowd, you find a chair (the innovation), stand up on it (the strong position), and now that everyone has stopped what they were doing to pay attention (the alignment) to you (the market leader), you deliver your message (the marketing), “IT’S A BOY!” The person smiles, laughs, and then weeps with joy (the relevance), crosses the room pushing the crowd out of the way, gives you a hug (the adoption), and then hands you a cigar (the sale).
There are many marketing elements at work in coordination in the above example, but relevance closes the deal.
Companies that are succeeding in the marketing war right now are focused on strengthening customer relevance first by methodically and systematically understanding the full customer need, and demonstrating total commitment by building an offering that meets every aspect of that need completely.
The truth is, once relevance has been established (and it’s not easy), marketing can deliver more meaningful and measurable returns than any other function inside of your business. For sales, relevance offers a stronger position. For marketing, relevance develops context. For the CEO, relevance spells relief.
Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief - To learn more about this author, visit Michelangelo Celli's Website.
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 Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales, Spells Relief
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| Those companies that have a tighter grip on the customer than their competition know the key to keeping and winning customers is what it has always been – relevance. |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Dr. John OdaJohn Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Michel NerayMichel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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 Michelangelo Celli (Visit Michelangelo's Website) Michelangelo Celli is the Founder and President of The Cornucopia Group, specializing in CEO action planning, marketing strategy and sales process and program design and service reengineering. He has published his views in dozens of articles on the B2B CEO Marketing challenge, and has been a frequent speaker for organizations such as The Pittsburgh Technology Council, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, The MIT Forum and CEO Clubs of New York and Dallas, as well as a sought after panelist for numerous marketing and sales management related events. Mr. Celli serves on the Board of Directors for the CEO Forum of Pittsburgh. His perspective on the marketing challenge through the eyes of the CEO is completely unique, informative, and highly enlightening. His views have been sought by numerous business and trade publication.
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