Frequently Asked Questions
about the QMP Approach
What makes QMP and its approach different from any other marketing and sales consulting firms?
QMP is different in several substantive ways.
First, QMP emphasizes Foundational Marketing principles and uses the QMP Marketing & Sales Engine. This proven model integrates four critical “gears” of business success: Market Strategy, Business Development, Sales and Performance Excellence.
Each gear has been developed from empirical research and proven through years of field use. Each includes easy-to-use tools, systems and processes. As a result, strategies and initiatives produced from this process have a significantly higher probability of success and sustainability.
Secondly, QMP treats marketing through sales as an integrated, interdependent quality business process – assuring that investments spent in one area are not lost due to ineffectiveness in another.
Finally, QMP Associates are practical and highly experienced. They come with a sense of urgency to help you in a sleeves-rolled-up manner. They deal with your immediate challenges while putting in place the systems and tools to enable you to continue good strategic decision making down the road.
For which types of business is the QMP methodology effective?
QMP’s basic principles are applicable across all types of business — but QMP’s prime focus is the business-to-business arena with specialties in high tech, software, manufacturing, wholesale distribution and medical products and services.
What size company can benefit from this approach?
The principles of Foundational Marketing are applicable to companies ranging in size from start-up to billions in annual revenue. QMP Associates focus and experience, however, are with small (start-up) to mid-sized businesses with $250 Million in sales. These business units have the highest probability of rapid deployment and success with these principles.
Does a company need to have a Total Quality Management (TQM) or Lean program in place to benefit from QMP?
Simply, no. Requirements only include an openness and willingness to manage the marketing and sales function as a quality, disciplined business process and an executive commitment to see the transformation program through to success.
Regarding this free preliminary consultation, my company is remote from Portland, OR? Will you come to visit anyway?
Preliminary consultations for remote companies are held through a combined voice/internet meeting. QMP assignments have ranged across the US and Canada.
How can we be assured that our business will succeed with a QMP strategy and sales transformation program?
The first reason to believe in a successful outcome is our track record. The second is the fundamental real world science and experience on which the QMP process is based. Because of this empirical science basis, strategy development is a rather straight-forward exercise.
While the QMP strategy and sales process development steps are straight-forward, execution continually proves the biggest challenge with clients. QMP understands that challenge, and coaches your company’s management team through the deployment, training, personnel, and measurement issues commonly associated with such a change. This experienced coaching increases significantly the probability of success. To further assure client success, QMP offers a series of Value Assurance Programs.
What are the differences between a QMP Institute Workshop and an Executive Workout?
Workshops are usually one-day, open-enrollment standard programs open to the general public. They comprise either a QMP market strategy process or a QSP sales process. While there are elements of both sales and marketing principles in each program the emphasis is different. QMP market strategy workshops emphasize strategy and business development, while QSP workshops emphasize sales skills and sales process improvement. Workshops are regularly scheduled through The QMP Institute and other regional executive education venues.
Workouts are typically client-specific and involve the executive management team of a division or company. They not only train the team in the QMP market strategy creation and QSP sales processes, but also address and develop answers to the specific market strategy and sales challenges faced by the firm. Workouts are customized to the company situation and the specific challenges to be addressed. They are typically two-days in length.
How long does it take before a company realizes the impact of a QMP™ strategy or sales initiative?
Anywhere from 3 to 12 months. The timing and magnitude of the impact of a QMP initiative depends on several factors: 1) a company’s receptivity and commitment to deployment, 2) management willingness to set expectations, establish accountability and measure progress, and 3) the magnitude and gravity of the initial market issue.
Can we know about the extent of the challenge and likely prognosis going into an engagement?
Yes, in three ways. First, through the initial free consultation produces a preliminary “sketch” of the gaps and steps-to-improvement can be prepared. Secondly, by taking a simple self-assessment test. And thirdly, in order to achieve a more accurate assessment and prescription, the company may elect to engage QMP through a preliminary Marketing and Sales Effectiveness Audit and Analysis project.