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Introduction to Solution Marketing Steve Robins June 21, 2012

Solution Marketing Course - Boston Startup School

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  • 1. Introduction to Solution Marketing Steve Robins June 21, 2012

2. Introductions 3. A Few Questions What is a solution? What is solution marketing? Why do you think solution marketing matters? 4. CBOND competitioncompany products yourself serviceslimits 5. Beyond SolutionProducts: Marketing 6. What is it? Whats Happening Whats Needed Customers want it Solutions make life easier But most customers cant Technology is increasingly complex and Help customersdo it on their own customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise Apple, IBM and Chuck e Each offers complete solutions to customersCheese sell it Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday package Provide discipline, rigor, Most tech companies claimto have it It = Solutions Seems like everyone sells solutions today consistency best practices But none of them know But theres not a common definitionwhat it is Sales thinks theyre selling Many sales teams use the Solution Selling Help Marketing to workitmethodology with Sales Provide a solution but theyre doing it But Solution Selling does not provide strategic methodology forwithout Marketing. guidance for MarketingMarketing It can be confusing Solution Marketing Blog, Theres little discipline around solutions Group, Consulting 7. What is it? Solutions is It. Whats Happening Whats Needed Customers want it Solutions make life easier But most customers cant Technology is increasingly complex and Help customersdo it on their own customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise Apple, IBM and Chuck e Each offers complete solutions to customersCheese sell it Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday package Provide discipline, rigor, Most tech companies claim Seems like everyone sells solutions today consistency bestto have it practices But none of them know But theres not a common definitionwhat it is Sales thinks theyre selling Many sales teams use the Solution Selling Help Marketing to workitmethodology with Sales Provide a solution but theyre doing it But Solution Selling does not provide strategic methodology forwithout Marketing. guidance for MarketingMarketing It can be confusing Solution Marketing Blog, Theres little discipline around solutions Group, Consulting 8. Steve Robins Senior Director of Marketing, FirstBestSystems Founder, The Solution Marketing Blog,Top-rated solution marketing blog 10+ years in solution marketing Expertise in solution, industry and product marketing Provide a solution methodology for Marketing Experience: FirstBest Systems, Solution Marketing Strategies, EMC Documentum, KANA, Discipline, rigor, The Yankee Groupconsistency best practices Inbound Marketing CertifiedProfessional Help Marketing to work with Sales How: Solution Marketing LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1Blog @SteveRobins LinkedIn Group SolutionMarketingBlog.com 9. What if I wish ! 10. Solutions Everywhere 11. Agenda Introductions Beyond products Exercise #1: is it a solution? Solution marketing Solution Education & engagement Value Access Building your solution marketing strategy Customer visibility Discovery Strategies for solutions, education & engagement, value, access Exercise #2: solution marketing fail Conclusion, Q&A Hands-On Exercise #3: sell me your solution Exercise #4: field test your solution 12. Beyond Products The Solution Imperative 13. Typical Company WantsCustomerTech- nology Company 14. What is a Solution Anyways?solution nouns-l-shnGeneral definition:a: an action or process of solving a problemb: an answer to a problemsolutionnoun s-l-shnBusiness definition:A complete and integratedoffering that includes everythingrequired to solve a customerproblem 15. Typical Customer WantsServicesUserTech- nology ProcessCustomer ---Pain PointsContent/ Data Complete SolutionEverything to solve the customers problem 16. Complete SolutionUser User interfaces Best practices Training Domain expertise SupportProcess Process optimization Integrated experiences Reengineering ROI studies Workflow SecurityContent/ Content DataData Documents External data sources Images Data security, data policies Video Music BooksTechnology Hardware/ infrastructure Complementary technologies Software platforms Integrations Applications Custom codingServices Strategy Integration services Project management Communications services, hosting Risk management Support Custom coding 17. Why Solutions? Increasing complexity of technology Limited in-house IT to support systems Avoid in-house/SI build or integration Business users drive tech decisions but dont understand the technology Mature markets 18. Why It Matters The ChasmMain StreetRelative % of Customers The Solution Opportunity The TornadoEnd of Life Early Life Bowling Alley Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Late MajorityLaggardsTime Technology Visionaries PragmatistsConservativesSkeptics EnthusiastsCustomers want technologyCustomers want solutions and convenience and performance Sources: E.M. Rogers, G. Moore 19. Exercise #1 20. Solution ScorecardDimensionRating CommentsCompleteness People/users, fit to needs Process Content/Information Technology: Hardware and software Services & supportStrategy Differentiated offering unique in market Partners: includes tech, apps, and content Partner-friendly business model (win-win)Total 21. HP TouchPad Apple iPad Microsoft Surface KindleFire 22. 23. Solution Marketing Customer-CentricMarketing for Today 24. What is Solution Marketing?solution marketingnouns-l-shnmr-k-ti The process of defining, educating, and providing access to complete and integrated solutions that deliver value by helping customers to solve their problems. 25. Solution Marketing Adds Value To Marketing, Sales and Product ManagementField Enablement Social Media Frictionless SalesMarketing Product SupportManagement 26. The 4 Ps All About the CompanyBuild it andthey will come ProductBest channelsfor us to sell Place Pro-the product motionCompany Outbound, interruption marketingPriceCost-plus;margin is king 27. Solution Marketing All About the CustomerHow can I solveStrategy, Metricsmy problem?SolutionProductHow can I Where can EducationAccess PlacePro-learn more I find it? EngagementCustomer motion about it? ---CompanyPain Points Price ValueHow will it help me andwhat is my total sacrificeto get this solution?End-to-End Marketing for TodayCustomer-Focused Marketing 28. Solution Strategy General strategy: Target markets/functions, solutions Solution maturity Partner Buy vs build Completeness: Platform > Framework > Templates > Application Portfolio management Revenue goals Cross-functional team Metrics for success Cross-functional alignment, organizational support Development/engineering/product management Channel/SI partners Marketing Sales Support Services 29. PowerAdvocate Offers Complete SolutionsBIZ CHALLENGESOLUTION Business challenge: Optimize procurement in the energy sector (power plants)Company challenge: Differentiate the company from larger players like Ariba 30. PowerAdvocate Offers CompleteSolutionsBIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION Products: SaaS solutions forprocurementspend, cost, market, sourcingSolution Assessment Services: Industry expertsUser provide services to lower Processcosts Content/Data Technology Data: Market-specific Services procurement data andanalysisDifferentiator: industry-specific data 31. Education & Engagement: Message $ InsuredAgent CarrierLoss ratio Consistent/ Value-TargetedTrue Driven Relevant Jargon 32. Education & Engagement:StrategyChallengeBuy& How to Now! Market Market Demand FrictionlessFieldEducation Engagement GenSalesEnablement/Sales 33. Value = Benefit - Cost ValueBenefits (Improvement) Profit, expense, revenue drivers New business Time savings Productivity improvement Headcount reduction$Dollars Soft benefitsTotal Cost of Ownership External Software Hardware Services Internal 2011 www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com Training Change management Desktop upgrades IT management 34. Value-Based Pricing Value = Benefit - TCOAssume that vendor charges fair pricefor features providedBusiness Benefit ($)Lost revenue Customer Benefit Unneeded features Customer BenefitPrice CustomerCustomer Benefit BenefitA BCD High Value Fair Value Poor ValueFair Value Lost softwarePrice matchesUnneededPrice matches revenuebenefitfeaturesbenefitSolution use-case drives benefit and value 35. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Value with 50% of the featuresBIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULTShare information with other peoplein the enterprise 36. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Valuewith 50% of the featuresBIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTIONRESULT We dont claim we do everything. If we do 50 percent of the functions that these other companies do, but theyre the ones customers really want, thats fine. The magic is that end users actually like to use the software.Chris CaposselaSenior Vice PresidentInformation Worker Product Management Group , Microsoft NY Times 8/2/2009 37. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Valuewith 50% of the featuresBIZ CHALLENGESOLUTION RESULT Significant growth at expense of mainstream ECM vendors Lesson: Customers gain value by buying only the features they need E 38. Access Be flexible Provide seamless experience Enable frictionless sales Complete/close the sale quickly Ensure success thru the last mile 39. Building Your Solution Marketing Strategy Discovery Strategies for:SolutionsEducation & EngagementValue Access 40. ListeningCustomerVisibility Totality Customer Perspective 360 Degree360 Discovery Solution Marketing Price 41. o360 DiscoveryPortfolioUser & BuyerCustomerSolution SolutionStrategyPersonasValueAccess DevelopmentWhat markets andHow will we educate and How will we incorporate How would the user/buyer What will each solutionsolutions should weengage with potentialand communicate value? like to buy and use the do and include? target? users and buyers? solution?InternalPersona Value Access Solution Revenue Titles Before/after process Best channelsRequirements Current offerings Business challenges Before/after Optimal role of Revenue Core competencies Career goalschallenge/gain VARs, SIs, directopportunity Solution maturity Thought process Customers value sales, buying onUse casesdrivers -contractBusiness challenges Sales-readinessdollar impact Preferred deliveryIndustry/functionHow to connect models Software?External ROI trends Hang-outs SaaS (Software as a Under-solvedcommunication Purchasing habits, Key componentsbudget Service)? Businesschallengeschannels, pubs,Process Buy vs build Top market, solutiontrade shows, socialOutsourcing?Testingopportunities media Requirements for Segment size Industry jargoncustomer success Market drivers Influence levers (ex Competition case studies?) 42. Solution Needs HierarchyIntelligence: Mature templates,5rules etc Components &4 integrations Business 3valueSolution description 2what it doesTarget audience and1business problemLessMature 43. Key Participants in the Buying Decision Strategist IT Innovation Manager/Business owner DeveloperIdentifies problem/need Business analyst User How will this improveSpecs and evaluates Manages projects efficiency and Whats the best system How will this help to do effectivenesswe should use?my job better?Functional VPApproves budgetDelegates detailsConsultantWill this improve my Advises company and bottom line? recommends new strategiesHow does compare to other options? 44. Personas General Persona #1: The VP/Director of MarketingTypical title VP/Director of MarketingAbout meDepartment MarketingBackground/ Matured through the ranks of marketingexperience LeaderPersonality Aggressive Lead large teamWhat Im thinkingDay-to-day job Manage budget Build and execute marketing strategy Create and maintain a strong brand that generates interestTop business goals Generate leadsChallenges Doing it all within a limited budget Clear ROISolution needs Easy to use Competitively priced 45. Exercise #2 46. Solution Marketing FailureBIZ CHALLENGESOLUTION RESULT $1,09439 $99434 Subscribers (Millions)Revenue ($ Millions) $894 $23829 $263 $176$794$15524 $107$115$694 $113$75 $6919 $59414 $494Mar 10Jun 10 Sep 10 Dec 10 Mar 11 Jun 11Sep 11 Dec 11 Mar 12 Subscriber trendRevenue trend Unique subcribersRevenue Stock priceSources: NetFlix, Google 47. 48. Next Steps 49. Ensure AlignmentThroughout the Extended EnterpriseSuppliers/ Back Front Customers PartnersOffice Office Tech, SIManufacturingMarketing Partners Engineering Sales Service Goal: Customers get what they were promised How Do You Achieve This? Consistent messages across entire company and ecosystem Sales longer sales cycles; solution training; specialized sales teams Support from engineering/product management, services, tech support, consulting teams Executive support 50. Getting Started1. Begin internal discovery2. Know the customer3. Define the business problem4. Move from feature/benefit businessvalue5. Think about solution completeness6. Bonus: how are market/tech forceschanging solution requirements? 51. Q&AServices Strategy, Metrics UserSolution Product Tech- EducationAccess Place Pro-nology ProcessEngagement CustomerCustomer motion--- --- Company PainPainPointsPoints Content/ DataPriceValueComplete SolutionSolution Marketing 52. Thank YouLinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1 St ev e r o b i ns Twitter.com/SteveRobins SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING SolutionMarketingBlog.comFirstBest Systemswww.firstbest.comwww.SolutionMarketingBlog.com 53. Take the Next StepSolution Marketing Pros www.SolutionMarketingBlog.comLinkedIn GroupTHElinkedin.com/groups?Solution Marketing gid=1826720 Blog 54. Beyond SolutionProducts: Marketing