Sales Performance Improvement: July 2009

July 27, 2009

What is business development

Let’s start with the purpose of a business, according to the author business writer Peter Drucker ‘‘there is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer.’’

Beyond that to retain customer/clients and make sufficient profit to sustain and grow the business, as well as satisfy the stakeholders.

Business development is a series of management disciplines that should work congruently to achieve those three aims create customers, retain them and make a profit.

Successful business development from a consulting point of view, which is my standpoint, is working on the business, maximising the results in certain key areas including:

Strategy, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Operations including IT and Finance, taking account of people management and leadership.

Techniques to measure the success of a business development project are again based around the three aims, number of new customers, improved retention and increased profitability.

You could argue that this is business improvement, but the difference between business improvement and business development is the additional aspect, which is managing the future of the business, looking forward to make sure as best you can in an ever-changing world, that the strategy is robust enough to sustain the business in the future.

Management need to undertake research, ask questions about the economic, political, technological and social influences, review the competition, ask questions about the changing market place and the anticipated needs of the customers/clients in years to come.

So part of business development includes the process of looking outside the business and thinking strategically, to ensure that the business changes to meet the needs of the future. Strategic Management.

Happy to take any questions if you want me to expand upon this subject.

Regards

Mark Wheatley

July 18, 2009

Multi Sequenced Marketing

I said the other week on Twitter that I would tell you about a client of mine that was generating a significant number of new appointments.

Essentially the technique involves creating several pre-prepared communications, that follow in a sequence, in this case all aimed at getting an appointment.

All of the communications are linked, its a bit like telling a story.

So there are sales letters, e-mails, postcards, telephone scripts all put in place prior to starting a campaign.

Its not about being a pest or being pushy, its about creating different reasons why its in your prospects best interest to see you.

You may have heard the one about good salespeople keep following up and the less successful ones giving up at three attempts. This method allows you to keep following up without running out of things to say.

It can be used not only to gain appointments, it can also be used also to sell products and services.

The system is great if you are going after specific prospects that if you converted into customers/clients, it would make a significant improvement to your bottom line profits.

If you are interested in developing something along these lines, this is one of the services that we provide.