With all the changes taking place almost daily in most markets, it’s hard for salespeople and marketers to keep up. Here’s a quiz that will let you know where you stand today.
If you know the answers these questions, you should be able to put together a strong sales and marketing strategy for 2014:
- Who are the primary players that make up your market? How many companies are involved? What are their dollar volumes? Their profit numbers? Their specific niche? How does that niche differ from others — or yours?
- What are the current trends in your market? Is the market in a period of growth? Decline? Stagnation? Is there an influx of new ideas and people?
- When do buyers in your market typically make their purchasing decisions? Is it during a specific period of their business cycles? Are there other timing considerations, such as tax and holiday seasons?
- Why are your competitors positioned where they are in the market? Is it because of specific product superiority? Savvy marketing efforts? A competitive differential?
- How does your market organize itself? Are trade associations active? Do factions exist within those trade associations? Are there other marketplace leaders? Is the market loosely organized, or is it tight-knit?
Adapted from the book “Accelerate the Sale,” by Mark Rodgers, a principal partner of the Peak Performance Business Group, which helps clients accelerate their sales, marketing and management efforts.
