Why the standard marketing textbook approach fails

The standard marketing textbooks talk about the marketing process as a series of sequential steps. This implies that each step has to be completed before the next is started. This has three unfortunate results:-

1. The process takes too long so the results are already out of date.
2. The result is often a marketing report that just gathers dust on the shelf.
3. So time and money has been wasted and no business advantage gained.

Why our unique approach works

We do things differently. (That is why we talk about "tasks" not "steps"). It is not necessary to complete each task in strict sequence (Although it can help to have at least thought about preceding tasks).

You have already read about how our ""Marketing Process" splits into two parts: Our "Market Development Process" and our "Sales Pipeline Process".

Now you have seen that, take a look at the table below to see how we like to align the two process in parallel on top of each other:-

 The Top-down, Bottom-up approach

We like to work on these tasks in vertical pairs. This matches one task from the Market Development Process with one from the Sales Pipeline Process:-

• Task 1: Segmentation & Task 5: Suspects
• Task 2: Decision Makers & Task 6: Prospects
• Task 3: Competitors & Task 7: Potential Customers
• Task 4: Marketing Mix & Task 8: Customers

Both tasks in each pair are focusing on the same area, but the "top" task with a generic development view and the "bottom" task with a specific operational view.

The benefits

The contrast of these two views makes it easy to identify complementary top-down and bottom-up actions that can be initiated immediately. The results of these actions can then illluminate each other without waiting to go through the whole marketing process.

The result? More business for the same effort, in two ways:

• More effective top-down market development results by:
• raising customer awareness
• tracking a changing market.
• More effective sales pipeline results (More orders!) by:
• More warm contacts entering the sales pipeline
• Better qualification during the sales pipeline process

Getting your head round this can readily double your business.

Try our "quick start" process improver.

Interested?

Then why not apply to join the Marketing Workspace now.

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