Six Sigma for Marketing and Sales

Many marketing and sales managers may be unfamiliar with Six Sigma and why it is important in marketing and sales. Here is a brief introduction to its terms and how it might apply in our world.

What is Six Sigma?Six Sigma is a disciplined methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company’s operational performance. It focuses on identifying and eliminating “defects” in business processes and has produced hundreds of millions of dollars in new profitability in a wide variety of industries.

What are examples of Six Sigma projects
in marketing and sales?
They may not sound all that different from other
projects you’ve heard of. Here are examples of successful Six Sigma projects done by companies in
the last year or two:
• Determining which customers are best ones
to target
• Developing sales best practices for direct and
channel partner sales
• Reducing errors and cost in literature fulfillment


How does Six Sigma apply in marketing
and sales?
Six Sigma can apply to any goal-directed work activity of an organization. The per-requisite is the
work needs to be well-organized and defined (objectives, activities, measurements). The first step of Six Sigma (Define) attempts to ensure this. In marketing, in sales, it means defining the basic value
proposition, market segmentation, and work flow
necessary for measurements to be meaningful and
reliable. Often, this improvement alone improves
results. After the basics are in place, the statistical
power of Six Sigma can be applied in depth.