Sales Kaizen Events are on the Map

I’ve been doing Sales Kaizen events for several years now (often without calling them by that name). They are an excellent way to focus everyone’s attention on how best to find, win, and keep customers. Salespeople really appreciate them, because they are used to training events where, often, nothing really changes.

Sales Kaizen Events – where great strides are made in front of everyone’s eyes – are usually quite a treat!

More than 260 people registered for last week’s teleseminar to learn how to conduct a Sales Kaizen event for their company. Well over 100 attended the call. In case you missed it, the replay is now up: www.saleskaizen.com. You can revisit the replay page at www.saleskaizen.com/seminar.aspx (although you have to opt in at the home page to get the handouts). There is now a short automated survey form at the end (you no longer have to send us an email to get the full handout).

Here are some of the great comments I received so far. My friend, Jay Bronec, who runs a technical training and consulting firm in the Chicago area, said:

“Excellent presentation….. I was too shy to answer the question why companies don’t do Sales Kaizen Events.  The answer is exactly why Deming was heard by Japanese Management and not American Management.  Japanese management was in Crisis (there is debate if Crisis translates in Chinese to Danger Opportunity), and therefore they had a basic survival instinct that allowed them to ask for help.”

Jay Bronec, Qualifine, Inc.

Here’s what Nedra Sadorf in Milwaukee said: 

“I thought you did a great job connecting to the “pain” (salespeople feel over-worked and under-appreciated; too little data to address effectively). The framework for applying the Kaizen was also solid, and understandable (an achievement in and of itself). It is certainly exciting to see such a positive response in the sales & marketing world to Kaizen and things six-sigma.”  

Nedra Sadorf, V.P. Consulting, Hunter Business Group

Incidentally, the way I got your attention, offered some valuable information, and secured your feedback through this event is a “best practice” lead-generation technique.

Many manufacturing Kaizen Events focus on known best practices such as set-up reduction, cellular manufacturing, or Kanban.

Direct Response Internet marketing lead generation is a great example of such a best practice you can apply in a Sales Kaizen Event. Since it can be automated via inexpensive systems and runs 24x7x365 once it is set up, it is probably something your organization should consider doing too!

Next: Tons of callers wanted to know more about the Sales Process Improvement Guidebook Series.

So, within a few days, I hope to have a great announcement for you.

Stay tuned!

Michael Webb

November 10, 2008