When I talk with business people about their business problems, I often ask for information about the company’s sales and marketing.  Such as current sales, details about sales prospecting and how the company markets products or services.  What I generally find among CEOs, company presidents and business owners is that they don’t have the information available to understand what is happening in their business.  All too often systems are not in place to collect information or data about sales and marketing programs.

To help analyze and maintain the well-being of your company on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly basis you need to develop specific, up-to-date sales and marketing reports.

For example:

Do you know how many sales were made last week and how many transactions? How many potential sales are currently working their way through the sales process?  And what stages each is at? Do you have detailed information on new customer sales versus current customer sales?  Do you know where your business is really coming from?  Which sales people are productive and which are not?  How many prospects are being converted to customers?  What are your marketing costs?  How much profit does your website generate? Is social marketing on Twitter, Facebook and other venues profitable?  If so, how?  What’s the ROI?  Is it measurable or intangible results?  How is your overall business tracking year-to-date?  How does this year’s sales compare to last year’s sales?  What’s your cash flow?

Lots of questions about sales and marketing that you, as the CEO, president or business owner, need to ask on a regular, consistent basis.  There are many more questions that can be asked specific to your business.  The questions about your sales and marketing campaigns are important to have answers to so you can understand not only what is happening in your business but how to plan for the future.  Sales and marketing reports will assist you in achieving your business goals, short term and long term.  The reports will help your company react to what is happening in the marketplace more quickly.  Discover trends.

Sales and marketing reports mean nothing if they are not completed properly, produced in a timely manner or contain helpful information to assess your business with.  They are also a waste of time if you are not going to review them regularly.  Reading the various sales and marketing reports your company generates is as important as checking your email.

There’s one other important aspect with sales and marketing reports:  Getting in action on what requires immediate attention; following through on a plan.  Bring attention to what needs improvement but also bring attention to any good news a report may contain.

Success comes from understanding the details of your business.  Get started today.

What sales and marketing reports do you find most useful in your business?