Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales, Spells Relief

Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales, Spells Relief
Free Download - The True 4 P’s of B2B Marketing for CEOs By Michelangelo Celli
Name: Email:

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.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Tags:

Article Feedback
 Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief The information was helpful and useful. Thank you!
Commented on Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief.
 Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Dave Kurlan
Dave 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

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are 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

Linda Richardson
Linda 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

George Ludwig
George 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

Anne Barr
Anne 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


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


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.


Michelangelo Celli is a Silver author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Michelangelo Celli's

Complete
List Of
Marketing
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Michelangelo Celli's Complete List of Marketing Articles For FREE!

More Michelangelo Celli
The True 4 Ps of B2B Marketing for CEOs
Establishing Customer Relevance Drives Sales Spells Relief
Lean Marketing
Dropping the Ball
Marketing Is Not A Cost A CEO Who Doesnt Understand Marketing Is
CEO Marketing is Not Advertising
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
David Barr  
Jay Kubassek  
George Ludwig  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video




Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Benefit From Analytics Icon Benefit From Analytics
3 Networking Skills Icon 3 Networking Skills
Customer Focus Icon Customer Focus
Different QuickBooks Versions Icon Different QuickBooks Versions
The Human Network Icon The Human Network
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Fortune Hunters - CBC Entrepreneur TV
Fortune Hunters
CBC Entrepreneur TV
 
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
Top 50 Franchising Blogs
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Stella Ozemoje Benin City, Nigeria,
Stella Ozemoje
Benin City, Nigeria
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Robert Iachetta, $372k to $921k in 2 years
Robert Iachetta
$372k to $921k in 2 years
Dana Zita, > $2.5 Mil in revenues
Dana Zita
> $2.5 Mil in revenues
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Dana White, UFC
Lillian Vernon, Lillian Vernon
Lillian Vernon
Lillian Vernon
Famous Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Advice
Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone
Keith Ferrazzi
Never Eat Alone
Michael Gerber, The E Myth
Michael Gerber
The E Myth
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Here's why you should build creativity in the workplace.
By Donna Williams
     Make your meetings more productive with these three simple steps.
By Donna Williams
     How should you handle advertising in a recession?
By Donna Williams

Have A Suggestion?

Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!

Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information