■Nowgotoyoursalespeopleandtapintowhattheyknowaboutthemarketplace—becauseideallyyoursalesforcewillknowwhat'shappeninginyourcustomers'businesses.Askyoursalespeopleleadingquestions:
Whatareourcustomerslookingforfromtheirsuppliers?
Howdoourcustomersmakepurchasedecisions?
Whatareourcustomers'evolvingneeds?
Howdoyougoaboutcommunicatingwhatyouobserveaboutourcustomerstoyourmanagers?
Howcanwestrengthentheconnectionsbetweenthosewhopro-duceourproductsandthosewhoareoutinthefield?
Inwhatwayscanoursalesforcebecomeanassetourcustomerscanusetoincreasetheirownrevenues?
Howdoyouactuallygoabouthelpingourcustomersfindnewopportunitiesforgrowth?
Doourcustomersfeellikewearesupplyingthemwithfreshandinnovativeideasthatwillhelpthemsucceedagainsttheircompetitors?
Howcanwebetterintegrateoursalesforcewithourcustomer'sorganizations?
■Finally,lookforandidentifynewbusinessopportunities—byfindingnewcustomerneeds.Thesemustbedefinedinenoughdetailsothatproductsandservicescanbedevelopedthatwillbothsatisfythecustomer'sneedandgenerateaprofit.Thisistheveryessenceofupstreammarketing.Itwillbepartanalysisandpartintuitiontocomeupwithnewproductsthatfillcustomerneeds.
Mostcompaniesaregoodatpromotingthewell-establishedsolutionseffectivelybutweakatidentifyingwhatcustomersactuallywantanddevelopingnewproduct/serviceofferingsthatdowhat'srequired.Thisisthecriticalskillifanorganizationistosucceedingrowingitsrevenues.