Step 1: Target Group
Take time to carefully plan the target group. This first step is the most important part of the process, so don’t cut corners doing it. For some of you readers, this is basic stuff – but still we must go through this important stage.
You start by defining the following:
- Company size: The preferred amount of employees and/or turnover
- Geographical area: What region or area do you want the customer potential to be mapped and your sales to focus on?
- Industry(s): What are the industries, where your products or services will most likely to be used? Is there a new industry sector, where you want to focus your new business sales efforts?
- Titles of decision makers. Good way to think here is, what titles or roles do the buyers in your current customer base have? If, you have a new product or service and you don’t now the decision maker profile, you can leave the investigation to the Stage 2: Ask and listen.
Use your local B2B contact database provider to help you set up this target group. Remember that no target group is 100 % correct. 1/3 of the contact information will change during one year – just be sure that you get a fresh one. Finally you have to check that non of your existing customers are on this new target group.
I am happy to get feedback from all B2B Sales and Marketing professionals. I hope this post is helpful for you. Tell me your way – how do you find the potential from the market and generate sales?
B2B LIFE 