► Rising field inventory - On surface your marketing strategy looks good. Monthly sales numbers are met, growth rate appears on track, and then sale figures drop off a cliff. What happen? A closer look finds field inventory trending up. This is a bad sign. Bloated field inventory wreaks total havoc within organization. This false demand disturbs MRP balance, incorrectly states growth rates, and usually requires months to clear. The soft costs associated with this problem are staggering.

Product should not be considered sold just because it is placed in your distributor's inventory. Product isn't sold until a customer buys and then wants to buy again. Many companies believe their marketing strategy is working because distributors are placing orders. Distributors place orders for a variety of reasons. Special volume discounts, end-of-month rebates, fear of losing line, aggressive regional sales people, etc. motivate distributors to place orders - sometimes taking more inventory then their selling rate dictates. Objectively tracking field inventory levels, and ensuring they these levels match regional or local demand is important. If field inventory is building your marketing strategy is in trouble.

► Customer confusion - Two points to consider: 1) your customers don't understand why your product or service is better than your competitor - forcing your customer to immediately think price and commodity for your offering; or 2) your customers don't realize depth of your product or service - in some cases buying one solution from you and another from your competitor when you could easily supply both. Either of these scenarios indicates you marketing strategy (message) is not working. And that means lost business, and lower market share.

► Fault lies with sales force - whipping sales force harder, in longer term, won't gain market share and create leadership. Marketing is supposed to create opportunity for sales. If each week produces ‘wood-shed' discussions with sales people because they don't meet sales objectives, you should be looking at marketing strategy.

Don't delay. Honestly review your marking strategy on a continual basis and you will greatly increase your success factor.

Frank Williams is a marketer. With many post graduate courses in management, leadership, marketing and technology to his credit, Williams is a widely respected speaker, author and technologist. He has significant knowledge in marketing strategies and is the founder and CEO of Global Marketing, Inc. - a leader in business, marketing and sales consulting