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Lisa Shepherd

Work with your team to identify all the features and benefits
you provide to the different types of customers you can and
do serve. Be specific, objective, and quantified. For example,
stating that you provide great customer service doesn’t say
anything meaningful to prospects, because everyone says that.
Instead, specify what it is about your customer service that
makes it so great. Do you guarantee that you’ll have a technician
available within a business day? Do you return all calls within
an hour? Does your product allow customers to reduce their
energy consumption by 20%? The more specific, objective, and
quantified you can be, the more powerful your marketing.

Part Three: Revenues and Profit Performance

Thisprocesshelpsidentifyareasofsuccess.It’sastraight-forward
exercise that pinpoints where you make your profits. It will help
clarify where you want to dedicate marketing efforts and where
you may not want to dedicate any effort at all.

Consider these questions:

• What is your total revenue / profit for the past 3 years?
• What is your revenue / profit by product?
• What is your revenue / profit by customer type?

The answers will reveal where your company is most
successful. Every company makes investments that are
expected to turn into profits in the long term. Is your company
making profits where it expects to? If not, you may want to
reconsider where you allocate resources, including marketing
resources.

Part Four: Opportunities and Threats

Conduct internal interviews with your staff to obtain insights
into perceived opportunities and threats. I’m always impressed
by the depth and breadth of insight that can come from sales

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd