Do you know your B2B customers' Elevator Rant?

The Customer Elevator Rant

Before you can have an effective marketing and communications strategy, you have to know what your customers are bitching about on the elevator when you’re not around.Bob LondonPresidentLondon, Ink LLCwww.londonink.com

In B2B marketing & sales, we often have the wrong perspective

My Elevator Pitch…Our “About Us” Section…Our Sales Proposal…

(c) London, Ink www.londonink.com

HEY, I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU: A BEAUTIFULLY FRAMED PICTURE!


Of me! It’s an awesome picture of me, your pal, Bob London!

It has an elegant, hand-carved, wooden frame!

Tell you what, I’ll even sign it.

Featuring my patented “casual-jacket-thrown-over-the-shoulder” pose


“UH, THANKS BOB…BUT I DON’T NEED (OR WANT) A PICTURE OF YOU.”

“What I’d Really Love to Have…”



Now that’s what I’m talking about.

WORLDWIDE HQ


In B2B Marketing & Sales, You Often Have the Wrong Perspective: Yours.


You Have a Quota Your Customer Has 2 – 3 Gigantic,

Burning Hot Priorities

You Have a Quota

Your Customer Has

2 – 3 Giganti

c, Burning

Hot Prioritie

s

Your marketing and sales approach needs to resonate on their terms,

not yours.


Sound obvious? Consider this:

Web Site Design/Dev, $100K Budget• % of Proposal Devoted to

Customer Perspectiveo Vendor 1: 20%o Vendor 2: 3%o Vendor 3: 5%

Custom Content/E-Newsletter, $70K Budget• % of Proposal Devoted to

Customer Perspectiveo Vendor 1: 6%o Vendor 2: 8%o Vendor 3: 3%

In a London, Ink study of 50 B2B proposals, the average amount of focus on customer perspective was just 7%, based on word count.


To shift your perspective and have an effective marketing and sales strategy…

You have to understand your Customers’ Elevator Rant.

What are they complaining about when you’re not around?

It might not be directly related to what you are selling.

What are their biggest challenges and priorities?

Understanding your Customers’ Elevator Rant helps improve every aspect of your marketing and sales mix.


How do I uncover my Customers’ Elevator Rant?

Try asking your customers


Engage 5 – 7 customers in a non-sales dialogue.

1. Their Perspective on Their Business• What are your top 3 business challenges next year?• What key initiatives have you prioritized to address those

challenges?2. Their Perspective on a Specific Functional Area• Does (industry) have a reputation?• What do you expect from a (functional area) provider?• What are (functional area) providers missing?

3. Their Perspective on Your Business (Connect the Dots)• How do your priorities and challenges relate to

(functional area)?• What would make you a customer for life?

The most valuable 45 minutes you will ever spend with your customer.

The best time to talk with customers is when you are not trying to sell them anything.


BUT WILL OUR CUSTOMERS ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF?


Since you asked…

redacted

redacted

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How many of you would like to have customers “for life”?

How many have actually asked your customers what it would take for them to become customers for life?


Technology Outsourcing Firm

1st Gen Message 2nd Gen Message Elevator RantWe keep you up and running!

We get to know your business!

“I need someone to help us make sense of big technology trends coming down the road, so we don’t get blindsided or miss an opportunity.”

New Revenue Opportunities New Positioning

New Service Offering


Business Intelligence (BI) Consulting Firm (Public Sector)

1st Gen Message 2nd Gen Message Elevator RantWe’re BI software experts!

We know the public sector.

“60% of BI software implementations fail to meet expectations. Tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

New Positioning


Data/Solutions Firm1st Gen Message 2nd Gen Message Elevator RantWe provide competitive intelligence in your industry.

Our solutions deliver competitive intelligence to your call centers.

“There are a thousand other ways we can use your data. So stop trying to sell me your existing solutions and start helping me figure out where else I can use your competitive intelligence. And don’t charge me for consulting hours.”

New Revenue Opportunity

New Service Offering


The customer’s answer to the “customer for life” question is usually their Elevator Rant.


HOW DO WE SHOW CUSTOMERS WE “GET” THEIR ELEVATOR RANT?


How do we show prospects that we “get” their Elevator Rant?

1. We write it down in our proposals.


Use the “Proposal Word Count Test”

# of Customer Focused Words in Proposal

Total # of Words in Proposal

= Customer Focus Quotient

Usually under 5%

Should be at least 25%


Your proposal should start where your last conversation left off.

• I heard your overall business challenges and priorities. (NOTE: This is not their pain point relative to what you are selling.)

• I accurately understand your requirements/pain.• Here’s our overall approach given your situation.• Here’s how we will address your requirements.• Here are some other ideas and recommendations to think

about.• Now, here’s some more about us.


Even the file name of your proposal sends a message

Customer-Focused

Vendor-Focused


How else can we show prospects that we “get” their Elevator Rant?

2. We reflect it on our Web site.


It’s Not All “About Us”

• We obsess over the “About Us” Section• Do we spend enough time on “About You”?

o Articulate their Elevator Ranto Describe how you address the Elevator Ranto Define our sweet spot in a way that resonateso Give examples/case studies!

Your goal should be for prospects to see themselves in your web site.


How else can we show prospects that we “get” their Elevator Rant?

3. We incorporate it into our elevator pitch.


Don’t focus your pitch on you or your service.

• What we are. (Quickly establish what bucket you fall into.)• Why people need us. (The Elevator Rant they can identify with.)• How we serve that need. (Your approach that addresses the

Elevator Rant.)


But we’re in a commodity business. It’s so transactional. It’s hard to differentiate. Everyone focuses on price.

• Then the Elevator Rant is even more critical. • It positions you as customer focused.• It can help differentiate your entire

marketing approach.


Summary

• Change your perspective from “About Us” to “About You.”• Understanding your Customers’ Elevator Rant is critical to

having a successful marketing and sales strategy.• The Elevator Rant isn’t hard to figure out. Just ask your

customers.• Do the “Proposal Word Count Test” today.• Talking to your customers when you’re not selling will yield

new revenue opportunities.


Thanks!Bob London www.londonink.comPresident [email protected], Ink LLC +1 240.994.7644