Hit the Mark: New Mfg & Distribution Research Opportunity
New Launch: The Alexander Group’s 2020 manufacturing and distribution sales research is now open.
Research will cover go-to-customer strategies, market and best practice insights, as well as sales performance benchmark metrics based on executive interviews and sales force data collection from 80+ participant organizations. The research will explore six executive imperatives, as identified by key leaders in the manufacturing and distribution space.
Adapt to Evolving Customer Preferences and the Digitally Influenced Buyer Journey
A fundamental shift in information channels has changed customer expectations. The research will explore how sales and marketing leaders drive awareness through increased investment and better segment coverage, and how organizations streamline channel coordination and handoffs for a more seamless customer experience.
Integrate Marketing, Sales and Service to Leverage Innovative Revenue Models
As the buyer journey becomes more complex through customized solutions and frequently changing requirements, sales organizations are increasingly leaning on marketing and service to drive revenue growth. The research will investigate how leading organizations are reconfiguring their leadership structures and coverage models (i.e., sales, marketing and service roles) to better integrate across departments.
Optimize Go-to-Market Approach for New and Strategic Offerings
For sustainable growth, manufacturers and distributors must drive revenue from new and strategic products. Many companies are now selling and servicing software-enabled products and connected systems (e.g., XaaS, IoT). As they evolve, they must balance core product focus with the need for innovation and diversification. The research will explore what roles leading companies are investing in to enable innovation sales (i.e., specialists), as well as sales compensation levers (e.g., focused measures) they are using to drive focus on strategic products.
Evolve Direct and Indirect Channel Strategies
As manufacturers and distributors collaborate with channel partners and suppliers in new and different ways, they must continuously adapt their commercial models to drive efficiency, scale and effective communication. Increasingly, companies are utilizing inside sales, key/strategic account managers and technical overlays in direct channels. The research will explore key channel options available to organizations and their implications for revenue growth, as well as the impact of digital investments on partner enablement and information sharing.
Align Talent and Sales Compensation to Growth Strategy
As the manufacturing and distribution industries evolve, they require new talent. Legacy sales forces must upgrade and upskill to meet customer expectations. High turnover rates and a competitive labor market complicate matters. To attract and retain top sales talent, organizations must offer compelling culture, development and training, career path, and compensation. Additionally, companies must fill and deploy key and emerging non-core sales roles, including product/vertical specialists and new digital roles.
Invest in Revenue Operations to Manage Complex Selling Models
There are basic operations and enablement functions that all sales organizations must have in some form: segmentation, account planning, quota setting and payouts. One key differentiator among sales forces is the degree of formalization and centralization of Revenue and Sales Ops teams to own and execute these functions. The research will investigate how leading organizations are structuring their ops teams (i.e., charter/strategy, investments, technology, roles) to manage and optimize complex revenue models.
What is the best way to see if your manufacturing or distribution firm is hitting the mark? Compare your business processes and performance metrics to that of your competition. Set the rules for winning by joining Alexander Group’s Manufacturing & Distribution Industry Trends Research.
Participation is complimentary and confidential. All participants will receive a customized benchmarking comparison as part of the research findings along with an in-depth report of industry trends and developments.
Signing up is easy! Simply click here and complete the form. A manufacturing and distribution program manager will then be in touch to discuss the next steps.
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