Interim management can be an effective tool for increasing revenue growth at a company. Can you give an example of when you have been hired in an interim marketing or sales management role in which you helped a company increase revenues?

Jeff Rogers, Principal, OneAccord

The client is a network security consulting firm, needing to transform its sales structure and culture from a product focused approach to a service based revenue stream.

Founded in the 1990’s, the market around the internet, hosting/outsourcing, security, along with the move from product to services was rapidly developing, with few standards. The client desired to build a significant regional presence, associated revenue stream, business processes & resulting
strong business valuation, with the intent to be acquired. The sales team was made up of 15-20 direct sales reps with little leadership, structure, or defined metrics.

The OneAccord Solution
OneAccord guided the organization through the design and implementation of a comprehensive sales and re-engineered organizational, created new roles, position definitions, metrics and recommendations for new compensation structures. OneAccord helped to define authority and accountability to revenue generation, define a sales strategy and assisted team members and management in execution.

Engagement Highlights

• Development of a comprehensive Revenue Generation Structure

• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

• Defined accountability to results

• Tools for measuring critical activity

• Field tested manual

• Internal sales training process

• Creation of an inside sales team partnered with a direct enterprise level group

• Channel Partnerships developed

• Improved revenue generation

Results
Over the 3 year project, moving from project based work to Interim Sales Leadership, there was a significant increase in the critical sales activities, including cold calls, building industry relationships, channel partnerships, and targeted account acquisition.

Jeff Rogers is founder of OneAccord, an interim executive company, that provides best in class interim sales and marketing leadership for companies all across the country.

Interim management executive, Richard Brune

In 2008 I was Interim VP of Sales for a Midwest company in the Gift Industry. I was brought in while they conducted a nationwide search for a permanent VP of Sales. The company ended 2007 down in sales and was starting 2008 in the same downward direction. As Interim VP of Sales I focused my efforts on reversing this trend. I identified several critical processes and procedures to implement to reverse the negative sales trend. By the end of March, 2008 their sales were +9.5% over the same period in 2007. The engagement was extended through the fall of 2008 as OneAccord focused on several other revenue generating opportunities after the permanent VP of Sales was hired.

Interim management executive, Richard Brune, is a sales and marketing professional with over 25 years of experience in building and managing some of America’s most recognizable consumer brands including Stanley Tools, Hartmann Luggage, REI Inc., Swiss Army Brands and licensed products with Eddie Bauer and Disney.

Interim Management Executive, Dale Hintz

SITUATION:
Truck and Commercial Vehicle Product Category had very negative quality reputation in marketplace and significantly lagged market share of automotive products. Internally low existing sales and persistent quality issues resulted in defeatist attitude about potential to improve. Sales people creatively avoided selling this segment of the product line – as they did not want to stake their personal reputation on a poor quality offering.

ACTION:
Research competitive products to bench mark key features that drive customer preference and product performance. Direct engineering activities to develop distinctive products that fit within manufacturing capabilities. Create internal business plan for increased sales and lower warranty costs would offset increased piece cost. Develop Training materials and Sales Support materials including brochures and magazine advertisements. Coordinate launch product through sales force and customer base. Built on momentum by communicating both internal and external success stories.

RESULT:
First year unit sales increase of 20%. Eliminate poor quality reputation in the marketplace on this visible product category. Field evidence and acceptance of superior quality occurred within 6 months of launch. Re-energized sales force to aggressively pursue sales opportunities with existing accounts and more importantly new accounts who were not open to prior discussions due to previous persistent quality issues.

Interim management executive, Dale Hintz, is a highly organized, strategic and creative executive with expertise in product research/development, price optimization, market segmentation and mapping brand strategies. He can be reached at 972.824.6923 or dallas(at)oneaccordpartners.com

Interim Management Executive, Paul Travis

Last year after speaking with a CEO of a company doing 8 figures per year, he realized I had been VP Marketing for a competitor of a company he had received news of an auction on — and engaged me for a few days in order to help him determine the potential value and an appropriate bit amount. So for under ten grand, he got serious “feet on the street” with eyes that had different “focal range” than his.

When that particular acquisition opportunity didn’t manifest, he expressed his appreciation for adding value without ramp-up time and said he wanted to launch a SERVICE business to complement his SOFTWARE offering. Unfortunately, given economic conditions, his management team was up to their eyeballs in alligators — so this new business opportunity would ALSO have been unable to contribute any revenue or profit to the corporate coffers.

He thus engaged me as an Interim VP New Business Development to explore the business and create it if indeed the opportunity were real. In a four-month timeframe, I:

• Scoped customer pain and tested the value proposition and price elasticity

• Created a brand with input from the legacy marketing department

• Developed interoperability arrangements with a JV partner to ramp fast

• Built a financial model demonstrating the opportunity to DOUBLING REVENUE

• Returned the business, packaged in a box, such that the existing team could run with it

Paul Travis is an interim marketing executive at OneAccord. Mr. Travis is based out of Seattle with 25 years of experience in high technology, marketing, and consulting. He can be reached at Paul.Travis(at)oneaccordpartners.com and at 206-910-2222.