Maximizing Sales with Lean Production and Lead Management

In a recent conversation with a friend from the auto industry we have entered into a conversation about lean manufacturing. It occurred to me that there is something to borrow from this methodology to increase the efficiency of sales and production levels.

Lean production, a methodology that was originally developed by Toyota, captures the concepts of minimizing inventory, maximizing the flow, pull production from customer demand, and continuous improvement. These principles become interesting when applied to guide the management - in particular the minimization of stocks (marketing leads generated) and the maximization of the flow (manufacturing sales) with the implementation of a "pull".

Management "pull" the lead system that reacts to your request for the next lead directly influences the conversion rate of sales. The combination of minimizing the necessary inventory of cables and maximize the throughput of the shares of sales will increase sales performance. The question is, how does this combination to overcome the traditional paradigm of pushing leads to a sales force? Here is how to present the subject of a traction system lean with respect to a costly, low-pressure system of production.

Sales Time

I discuss the general belief that a system of thrust faster gains an advantage for the right person. In fact, if the organization is managing the sale their ability to bring the timeliness in getting to a lead must be equal on both systems. I have always maintained, even when I was running high performance sales team, the lead distribution limitation based on production performance (acting on the cables) and ensuring that the wires do not fall into the "death" of the code was the key to my success. Then, in the choice of a push against the management system of traction lead is typically a commitment to a certain pattern of sale. A methodology will give impetus to the people waiting to be sold door-to-be "them" and in my experience with a less aggressively to respond to customer inquiries. In contrast, a method of firing creates the expectation that every lead is "earned" to meet the needs of the customer last year, or at least rapidly respond to their request. Thus, in the creation of teams of high-speed sales push the edge goes to the methodology.

Time of initial contact

Although I admit that in the sales organizations in which the speed of sale is already high, there should be no difference of thrust with respect to the pull with respect to the contact time. There is still, in the push system, the ability to queue the dreaded "dead". Inherently, the system assigns a user to push each cable system. However, the user is registered, or is he or she on that well deserved two week vacation, or is it even still working in the company? In a push system is better than being very active in the management of users, or you can give valuable leads into "dead" code and once assigned can be very difficult to see - a very costly mistake. The last shop I came across the sales we have had thousands of sales people and a push system. Managing that many sales people can be daunting, especially with the typical high turnover rate, but at this level is almost impossible. My experience is routine to find hundreds of contacts in the "death" of the code - which equals thousands of dollars lost and hundreds of potential customers disappointed.

Pipeline Management

Pipeline management, nurturing and cultivating the conductor, is one of the most critical components of the conversion equation and the area in which push pull dramatically different. In the push system, cables are put in code and is fully borne by the vendor to effectively manage their pipeline. What happens if one hopes is the average sales person calls the advantage even once. Much less compared to contacts 5-7 Normally, it takes to close a lead. Instead, the system continually forces pull back to the individual sales pipeline until they reached a final disposition; interesting contacts 5-7. Add to this power the engine of an intelligent selection of lead that is continuously spread the lead to do better and have ensured increased conversion rate.

Sales process

A final critical factor to increase sales velocity and the conversion process is consistent and disciplined sales. The difference between the two methods is again running time. The approach takes a lead in pushing a queue of sales and hopes that the sales person does something that captures the customer (note the lack of responsibility in the sales process). The drive system forces the sales person to record and available to every lead in order to "win", the first year. This creates consistency in the sales process and feedback to team leaders and marketing.

So basically, the drive to pull the debate is one of the sales velocity. The extraction method will always produce more sales and higher conversion, while maintaining a fast pace sales. The method itself require this behavior in organizations committed to high performance sales teams.

Obviously, the management system traction lead has significant advantages in minimizing inventory lead and maximize the production of sale. If you want a push to use your mailbox. If you want to improve marketing ROI and increase production then get a shot of sales lead management system .......