The below process is the outline that Sales Managers should follow to communicate sales presentation needs to Sales Ops/Marketing and Product & Sourcing (if new product is involved).
- Minimum of 3 weeks before the meeting date – sales managers to send a detailed email to Marketing and Product & Sourcing (if new product is involved) regarding the meeting. This email should include:
- Customer name, including buyers names
- Meeting date
- Categories or products being reviewed, in detail
- Samples needed
- Any specific presentation instructions, ie: format, presentation order, breakdown by buyer, etc.
- Date that samples and presentations have to arrive by
- Shipping instructions
- Email to Sales Ops should go to group email for that division:
- OT-Marketing@advantus.com for Ottlite
- COPMarketing@advantus.com for COP/Bluelounge
- MRC-Marketing@advantus.com for Mercury/Seward
- CH-Marketing@advantus.com for Craft & Hobby
- FL-Marketing@advantus.com for Floating Luxuries
- If Product & Sourcing is needed for new products being presented Sales Managers should also include in the email the Product & Sourcing Specialist(s) involved based on the product categories being presented
- Sales Ops Specialist will add the sales opportunity to the Opportunity Dashboard in Netsuite and and update the opportunity with information provided by sales (Please see link below for open opportunities in Netsuite as examples)
- No later than 2 days from sending the email (preferably next day) – Sales Ops Specialist to set a conference call with Sales Manager, Sales Ops/Marketing Team and Product Specialist (if necessary) to review the email instructions and answer any questions anyone might have. At this time, Marketing and Product & Sourcing may also recommend additional products (cross sell opportunities, products in development, etc.) to be included in the meeting/review. Sales Manager should have approved pricing from the Division Head ready for the meeting for new products or approved custom pricing for the specific opportunity.
- Meeting recap – within 2-3 days after the meeting, Sales Managers to send a detailed meeting recap, with action items to follow up on.
- Sales Ops Specialist to update the opportunity tracker from recap and continue to update/track until the opportunity is closed, marking it as won with the items selected or closed, lost with information as to why