The document discusses the merging of marketing and sales funnels to enhance the effectiveness of inbound marketing strategies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding customer profiles and optimizing CRM systems to improve lead quality and engagement, ultimately driving better sales outcomes. The approach encourages data-driven decision-making and blending traditional and modern marketing methods to refine business management practices.

1. Merging Funnels
David.Beard@Sage.com
www.sagecrmsolutions.com

2. Sage - Global Vendor, Local Strategy
 Sage is a leading supplier of business management software and
services to over 6 m customers worldwide.
 From small start-ups to larger organisations, we make it easier for
companies to manage their business processes
 3rd business management software vendor (Total ERP Software Revenue Market
Share by Vendor, 2008 (Source: Gartner June 2009)
Global
£1.439Bn revenue - FY09
6 m customers world-wide
13,100 employees in 26 countries
27,000 resellers, 40,000
accountants

3. Merging Funnels
Alan.Joenn@CollierPickard.co.uk
www.collierpickard.co.uk/inbound-marketing.html

4. Experience is the
thing you acquire
shortly after the time
you first needed it!

5. Our marketing
• Web site
• AdWords
• Brochures
• Newsletter
• Trade shows
• Press releases
• Comparison site

6. Step into Inbound
• Research keywords
• Educational content
• Re-design web pages
• Nurturing campaigns
• Calls-to-action
• Start blogging
• Social media
• Start listening

7. The marketing funnel
• Get found 
• Engage 
• Nurture 
• Convert ?
… not as simple as we thought! x

8. The sales funnel
Example:
• Lead score = 99/100
• Qualified sales opportunity
• Pass to sales funnel 
-but-
• Lead discarded by sales
… wrong geography 

9. The ideal customer
• Traditional profile
• Geography
• Industry sector
• Spend pattern
• Recency
• Frequency
• Longevity
This doesn’t inform inbound marketing 

10. The ideal customer
• New buyer profile
• Research places
• News & RSS feeds
• Social presence
• Depth of profiling
• Special interest groups
• View or contribute?
This genuinely informs inbound marketing 

11. Analyse & optimise
• Buyer profile
Extended for inbound marketing
 informs social media activity
 informs keywords & content
 informs educational process
 inspires confidence
 improves SEO

12. One funnel
• Drop the demarcation
• Improve CRM profiling
• Develop relevant social presence
Improve attraction & engagement
Inspire confidence
• Pass warm leads to sales
• Improve close metrics

13. One funnel
• Add inbound marketing
 Improve lead quality
 Reduce marketing costs
• Driven by analytical CRM
• And continually optimised

14. Collier Pickard outcome
• Early adopter
• Identify what works
… and what doesn’t
• Publish guidance
• Improve effectiveness
-and-
• Embed inbound marketing into CRM culture

15. What works  What doesn’t 

16. Merging Funnels
Alan.Joenn@CollierPickard.co.uk
www.collierpickard.co.uk/inbound-marketing.html