Grappling with a plan for your day, a tough task, a long-term project, or even your life?

Remember Stephen Covey’s 2nd habit: Begin with the end in mind.

This rule of thumb applies specifically to follow-up in sales and marketing.

If you know where you want to be, you’re more likely to get there!

Every aspect of your business has a number, and you’ve got to know not only what that number is now, but what it should be.

5 steps to determine your marketing targets

Know your current GP. (Gross profit).
GP = Revenue minus Cost of Goods sold
Be sure that the GP figure used is reliable and obtainable.
Overheads can be
1. Fixed, i.e. expenses that don’t vary as a result of changes in activity (rent, utilities, depreciation) or
2. Variable. For example, the costs incurred with an increase in production.
Net profit = Gross profit less Overhead expenses.
Breakeven identifies the revenue required to cover Overheads.
Now you can use your Breakeven analysis to set your Sales target.
Breakeven X 2 = Your Minimum Sales Target.
If you can achieve the volume, this number leads you to your –

Marketing targets and the follow-up circle

We call it a circle because all the action is interdependent in view of the final sale – and hopefully a repeat customer.

The 6 segments of your sales circle

Tele-selling.
Appointments cause sales. Calls cause Appointments.
As a tele-seller you might be contacting prospects by phone and following up with a confirmation email, or following up an email blast with a phone call.
You’ve got solutions, you’ve got the goods and you’ve got salespeople ready to jump when you get a lead.
The order you’re after is an appointment for yourself or another salesperson –
a quality quoting opportunity for the team.
But you’re selling, right? So be ready to close a sale if it comes your way!
Email-blasts
Possibly the easiest way to get your name out there, e-blasts get results. But don’t skip the next steps:
1. Accurate recording in a good CRM (Customer Relationship Management).
2. Telephone follow-up of email marketing.
These 2 steps are what bring home the bacon!
Face-to-face salespeople – 2 attributes
According to a salesman I interviewed, a successful salesperson needs:
1. A tenacious ability to follow up every shred of contact, deal or glimmer of opportunity.
2. An inward drive to do the activities that generate sales.
In-house or on-the-road, a good salesperson makes appointments, opens doors and makes sales.
To set your personal sales target:
Multiply your base salary by 5. That number represents how much GP you should be generating for your company
Pull off this equation and you’re on your way to success...So establish your goals, meet your targets and hang in there!
Brochures
Catch and hold your customer’s interest with a sharp brochure. A picture paints a thousand words!
PowerPoint presentations pack a punch too.
Websites
Attract business with your website. In a way it’s your storefront.
New content posted regularly attracts the search engines and brings traffic.
But just like you need to know who’s coming into your store, you do need to know who’s poking around on your website. Use those leads! Have a system set up to contact and follow up anyone that’s dropped by.
Customer service
Points 1 – 5 are intended to build up your volume, because, as we know, volume fixes everything.
However, not without integrity.
A company-wide culture of quality products, respect for deadlines and fulfilling of performance guarantees builds trust and repeat business.
After sales follow-up
You got the sale; it’s been delivered and you can now relax. Not so fast!
Follow-up with a personal phone call or email to make sure that your client is delighted.
Customer complaints
Make sure that every customer issue is followed up until it’s 100% resolved.
A delighted customer is your new, free salesman!