The sales funnel

prospects > lead > qualify > nurture > propose > close > service > repeat

The marketing function works on inquiry generation, lead qualification, and sales opportunity development… achieved through developing your Customer Centre (CC) with components such as:

1. Customer Contact Preferences
2. Grading Customers – identifying target segments
3. Creating a Customer Contact Plan – positioning, what criticial success factors need to be covered to capture your high worth target prospects?
4. Marketing and Sales Communication Plan – Message sequencing and inquiry capture devices to generate a new qualified prospect list (lead qualification) through your marketing communications

Successful implementation involves:

1. Involving the sales force – those on the front line probably know the prospect best
2. Determining objectives – cost per lead, quality vs quantitiy of leads, etc.
3. Developing the promotion strategy – read-map of steps required for accomplishing the objectives
4. Developing the creative strategy -
5. Developing the media strategy
6. Planning capacity and lead flow
7. Developing the follow-up strategy
8. Measuring results after the promotion has begun