How go your processes?

Processes, you ask? Which processes do you mean? The processes where we de-dupe our lists? Or the processes where we organize events? Or the processes where we process new leads? Yes - those processes. And the other processes, too, of course.

If you're a Marketer, what involvement have you had in the process flows defined in your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? Have you been involved in the sales methodology flow? Or the forecasting flow? Or the support and case management flow? Or the change request flow? Or the New Product Introduction flow?

These are a few of the major flows which affect the success of Marketing. While Marketing is known for its creativity, the real fact of the matter is that it is only successful if the processes are in place to attract new leads, to follow that lead all the way through a sale, to manage that sale through implementation and deployment, and then to ensure that the customer has a high customer satisfaction rating.

Why do I care, you ask?

Well where does your next testimonial come from? Or your next client reference? Or your next case study? Or your next whitepaper? Or your next word-of-mouth referral?

Processes are what turn great Marketing into brand leaders.

And while Excel and Email are great applications, they are not the bastions of process creation and tracking that we all seem to think they are.

With today's cost effective, software-as-a-service tools, like Salesforce.com, there really is no excuse to NOT invest in the infrastructure required to guarantee your corporate success. CRM does not have to be expensive or difficult. I'm telling you - if I can do it than so can you! Ask me and I'll share my experiences with you.

If you're Marketing is not embedded throughout all of the process flows, throughout every touch point your company has with the consumer, than you are NOT controlling your brand. It's that simple.

So what's holding you back? Are you scared? Are you a creative type that doesn't know how to do 'process'. Do you feel 'process' will stifle the creativity? If so, then it's time to get over it and truly compete. Otherwise, you'll be a second rate, unemployed Marketer who can brag about all of the creatives you've done but can't say a damn thing about the revenue you generated.

If you don't believe me then let me ask you this simple thing. What is the number one lead referral vehicle in the world? If you said 'word of mouth' then you are absolutely right. Any other answer and I suggest you go back to Marketing 101. If you don't believe me then I suggest you review my previous post where I use myself as my own focus group. See if you can relate to this real-world scenario. If you are calling one of your personal suppliers (your bank, your credit card company, the phone company, etc.) and you have an intuitive automated attendant followed by a wonderful interaction with a real person, are you not raving about that provider to all of your friends? Of course you are. And if the opposite has occurred, which is honestly more likely, where you have the experience from hell, are you not equally sharing that story with your friends? Of course you are. These experiences that you are personally having shape the very brand and reputation of the suppliers you use. Knowing this, shouldn't you as a responsible Marketer make the process flow, also known as the 'Customer Experience' an enjoyable experience? The answer, when you personalize the issue at hand here, is so very obvious.

So there you have it. Great marketing starts with great processes - and that's the truth.

Welcome to Marketing, folks, where process rules and creativity reigns. After all, with proper planning, you can have your cake and eat it too.