You know your strategy and now you need to build, nurture and maintain a pipeline.

Today’s analogy works well: marketing is strategic air cover, while sales is hand-to-hand combat. Marketing clears the area and creates the supply lines, alleviating expensive sales processes so your sales reps close deals quicker. A sales rep's time is a precious commodity. Marketing generates leads and moves those prospects through the qualification process quicker. Sales reps need time to nurture accounts attaining the ultimate goal, customer loyalty, the first and only call.

Maybe you want to sponsor a golf outing or a cocktail party. Maybe you want to wow your customers and prospects with a targeted, top-shelf promotion that has never been done before.

What activities should be done to move a prospect from cold, to warm to qualified? Is email a useful tool to “touch” your customers and prospects?

What technology is available that fits your corporate culture and budget, to help manage the sales process?

• Is there a big name company that needs targeted marketing in your vicinity and is willing to fund professional marketing efforts
  on your behalf?

Many times the answer is yes. Many companies never ask.