The lifeblood of almost every company is a continual stream of successful new products or services. In truth, probably the only way out of commodity hell is new products and services. If this is true for you, you know it's true for your competitors! So, who ever produces more successful new products or services wins.

This month's white paper shows you a new approach to produce new products faster and with greater success. After all, if your existing approach was working, all you'd have to do to win would be to work harder.

Sales process. What does that term mean to you? For some it means the use of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or SFA (Sales Force Automation) software. But, those are simply tools to manage activities. The Random House dictionary defines a process as "a systematic series of actions directed to some end." This is clearly applicable to the desired result of sales. The fact that the desired result is often not achieved, or at least not consistently achieved, is usually due to the lack of appropriate process management.

Is your sales process producing the desired results? Is it doing it cost effectively? Is it getting better over time? Every process is perfectly constructed to achieve the results it does. So, if you aren't happy with the results of your sales process (or if you think they could be better, or cost less to obtain), maybe it's time for a sales process redesign.

How do you go about redesigning a sales process? We recommend a "classic" process redesign approach. By that we mean:

• Map your existing (or "as is") process. Identify the discontinuities between your sales process and your customers' buying process (for a more in-depth discussion of matching your sales process to the customers' buying process, read for the first time, or re-read, Are You Creating Customers Or Just Selling)
• Redesign your sales process to mirror your customers' buying process(es) with an eye towards using the most efficient methods possible.
• Identify the in-process measurements you are going to use to manage the new process.
• Develop an implementation plan.
• Implement the new process.
• Monitor results and continuously improve.

Sounds easy. It isn't. Obstacles include:

• Truly understanding your customers' buying process(es).
• Finding more efficient ways to meet the needs of that (those) buying
  process(es).
• Making sure your process is effective at meeting the customers' buying process needs even when it can't be as efficient as you'd like.
• Dealing with the change issues a new process brings.

As we all know, doing more of what your currently doing, is only going to get you what you are already getting. If you want different results, you are going to have to do things differently.

If you want, we can help you, as we have helped others, redesign your sales process to match your customers' buying process while increasing efficiency and effectiveness. It's what we do to help you build and sustain your competitive advantage. Be in touch if we can answer questions or provide assistance.