In my Microsoft Newsletter this week, I received the following enticement:
Find, Keep, and Grow Customer Relationships with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Start Your 30-Day Free Trial Today!
Today, businesses are asked to do more with less. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online delivers exceptional value because it combines your everyday Microsoft Office applications with powerful CRM software accessed over the Internet to rapidly improve marketing, boost sales, and enrich customer service interactions. Try it now for 30 days! (This is not an affiliate Link).
I am trying it this week but what I wanted to share is a piece of the collateral information, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Power Couple. In this PDF, MSN highlighted the Customer Decision Making Process aka Mirror Marketing( Your Marketing Funnel from your Customer’s Perspective.) but extended the concept to show the process from several other points of view.
I have always been an advocate of seeking Sales and Marketing’s response to each of the customer’s decision steps but MSN (they are selling software), highlighted the technology enabler and a team response to the Customer Value Stream process. This simple exercise utilizing a high level Value Stream Map can really get your individual departments on the same page!
In my recent work, I have been advocating breaking down the Sales Silo and making Sales a team effort. In most organizations, I have been met with strong resistance to this concept. Most sales people look at as another silly initiative and most internal people see sales as a vehicle to customer data. As a result, sales resist and rightfully so preventing themselves from becoming an extended clerk. However, the approach really should be about how to increase face time with the customer. The #1 enabler of increased sales.
Create your own sales team by reviewing who responds to your Customer’s Value Stream Map. Start having a few meetings, similar to a daily standup meeting which may not be feasible. I would recommend at first error in having the meeting to often, just cut them short. In a spirit of true collaboration, don’t automatically exclude your customer from the team. This concept really could increase face time!
Related Posts: Is your Value Stream Mapping backwards? Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or is it just a Marketing Funnel? The Pull in Lean Marketing Value Stream Marketing and the Indirect Marketing Concept Mirror Marketing eBook
In the book,Value Stream Mapping for Lean Development: A How-To Guide for Streamlining Time to Market
Drew goes on to conclude that future state mapping is not a brainstorming session. He likes to use a key ground rule of 70%. If the team believes that they have a 70% chance of implementing a particular idea in less than one year, it could be included as part of the future state. If it is longer, the entire improvement effort would suffer. These specific improvement efforts will be depicted in a value stream map by the use of a Kaizen Burst icon.
When considering how to use value stream mapping in the marketing process I think the seven questions provide an excellent base for walking through the process. You have to remember, you already have a current state map drawn. In essence what you are trying to do is to move not only current state to future state but from an internal perspective to an external perspective. Your customer should be determining your value stream.
Creating a value stream map does not have to be a difficult process. Many times, it is the degree of complexity that may or may not be required. The degree of complexity can often be determined by the tasks or the time span required in the process. In a podcast I had with Drew, he discussed this particular subject in detail.
A few nuggets from the e-book: “You could call Value Stream Mapping, the assessment and planning tool of lean practitioners.”
“Lean tools are used to teach the key principles of lean to value flow, pull, leveling, and perfection. But they are just tools.”
Drew was the guest on my podcast.
Value Stream Marketing
These webinars will discuss utilizing the Value Stream Marketing Concept and how to apply a Marketing Kanban to your marketing process.
Using Lean techniques not only improves the process, but can offer a substantial cost savings.
Each Participant will receive the E-Books
Value Stream Marketing & Marketing Kanban
Business901 will introduce the Value Stream Marketing Concept and develop a Marketing Kanban Program. We want our participants to learn how to utilize a Sales and Marketing Value Stream which is an entire different procedure than your typical Marketing Funnel.
Dager says, "This not another system building approach but rather an action orientated program that organizes and develops your marketing efforts into a customer driven process. We will take the Value Stream created and walk you through theory and into practice. I have not found a quicker and easier method from converting a stagnate and non-systematic marketing effort into a flood of increased sales. Not only will this method increase sales, but it will decrease your marketing cost in a relatively short period. The end result is a continuous improvement process to keep your marketing ahead of the competition.”
Implementing Value Stream Marketing is a complete 28-day program based specifically on addressing these issues:
- Lean Sigma Marketing Principles
- Creating a Current State Map
- Simplifying and removing waste in your marketing
- Controlling your Work in Process
- Creating a Customer Centric Budget
- Creating your Marketing Kanban
- Determining your Constraint
- Putting your Value Stream into Action
Program Structure and Agenda: During the first three sessions you will receive all the tools and training needed to design your individual 28-day marketing action plan. You will signed up to start on the 2nd Thursday and for the following 28 days. There is a limited number of seats.
Session 1: 60 minutes(Thursday@ 1:00PM)
Session 2: 60 minutes(Friday@ 1:00PM)
Session 3: 60 minutes(Monday@ 1:00PM)
Session 4, 5, 6: 45 minutes(Thursday@ 1:00PM)
In addition to the six live webinars and coaching sessions, the program includes:
- White papers and resources
- Website where participants can interact and find additional training resources
- Weekly email support between class sessions
- Review of individual marketing action plans with feedback
- All class sessions are recorded so participants who miss a session, or wish to review, may listen and review at their convenience.
About Joe Dager: Joe, the owner of Business901 is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Business901 is a progressive company providing direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma marketing and organized referral marketing. Joe provides practical, information-rich, immediately applicable direction that can have immediate impacts on the success of small and mid-sized businesses. His experience includes numerous start-ups, several turnarounds in variety of industries to include manufacturing, retail, and professional services to include marketing.
Reliable and Measurable Marketing!
: Lean, Marketing, Marketing-Funnel, Marketing-Hourglass 6 Sigma, Excel, Lean, Mapping, Six Sigma, Software, Value Stream
0 Comments.