A client-facing team (CFT) includes anyone in your organization who has some level of interaction with your clients and prospects. In most organizations the team spans departments: marketing, inside sales, outsides sales, customer service, and depending on your internal structure, quoting.

When you become aware of a problem in your business, it’s usually not long until you also realize it’s a symptom of a larger issue. If you decide to make some changes, it’s critical to look at the bigger picture: why you think change is warranted, what factors are behind how things are now, and what will happen if things stay the same over time. It’s complicated to disassemble and rebuild how you do things, and it might just feel easier to resign yourself to the status quo.

When Acadia was first starting, it was based on a remote employee model. I was not only a professional but a mother, wife, friend, and neighbor. Using my experience, I built Acadia realizing that at-home professionals, specifically women with children, had the potential to be a really valuable resource. Working remotely was mutually beneficial for both the employees and Acadia. While this model became very successful, collaboration was always a challenge. “I will never forget the day that Google Docs became available," I said, "it was a game changer for the way we could share information and collaborate.” New technologies have allowed for a greater level of communication, making it easier to grow and utilize talents from around the country. 

You’ve come to terms with the fact that you don’t have the bandwidth or capabilities to take on some of your company’s necessary marketing work.  So now what?  There are many marketing agencies that will claim to have the skills to help your company, but it's important to not just pick the first one you find. In this blog post, I'll expand on the most vital factors to keep in mind as you go through the marketing agency evaluation process.

It doesn’t matter what industry you're in - manufacturing, technical or industrial or something else - at some point, we all need to select software for our company. If you're looking to purchase or implement software, it's typically because you don’t yet have a system or you've outgrown your current software or manual processes. Whatever your case may be, there are many choices in the market today.

I just returned from a national sales conference in Florida. This particular conference brings together over 200 sales and marketing professionals who focus on helping businesses in the manufacturing, industrial and technology sectors. It's always a great opportunity to share best practices, hear from guest speakers and share in both the successes and challenges we all face helping clients develop business. Over the course of three days, we immersed ourselves in role-plays and workshops. Throughout it all, a number of messages resonated, especially as they pertain to the business development goals of my clients and prospective clients in manufacturing and industrial services. Here are my three main takeaways.