Copyright July 2008 John R. Castle Organizing your proposal1 Organizing Your Proposal: as simple as ABC Adapted from John Zagula & Richard Tong “ The Marketing

Copyright July 2008 John R. Castle

Organizing your proposal 1

Organizing Your Proposal: as simple as ABC

Adapted from

John Zagula & Richard Tong

“The Marketing Playbook”



For an example of planning, read “Making Mount Rushmore”.

http://www.ohranger.com/mount-rushmore/making-mount-rushmore

Mt Rushmore

created 1927-1941

By Gutzon Borglum



Agenda

• Planning Basics/Before You Start– “Three Cs”

• Positioning Your Company– The Why: “ABCs”– The How: “XYZs”– The What: “P>B>F”

• Some Tips (MUST, R3)• Recap



What to Know: Three Cs

What and How They

Buy

What and How They

Buy

Priorities/ ObstaclesPriorities/ Obstacles

Critical NeedsCritical Needs

How They Make Money

Threats/ Opportunities

Next Moves

How We Make Money

Strengths/Weaknesses

Product/Partnership

Futures

Know the Customer

Know the Competition

Know Your Competency

Their Business

YourAnalysis

Their Strategy



The Why: ABC sSetting up a desired future your target can easily relate to

AMost important,problem we can

all agree on



A: What is the most important problem

that you propose to solve?

State as a situation that everyone knows and

can agree on.



ABC: American Express

A. We have a big base of cardholders who want more services.

B. Wouldn’t it be great if customers could buy more things with a credit card.

C. We will add more vendors who provide an expanded list of cardholder benefits



The Why: ABC sSetting up a desired future your target can easily relate to

AMost important,problem we can

all agree on

BDesired solution,Possible but not

yet achieved



B: Wouldn’t it be great if ….

(then describe the outcomeyou expect to create)









The Why: ABCsHighlight the primary obstacle to getting there (from A to B), and …

AToday’s Situation,

Limitations we can all agree on

BDesirable Future,Possible but not

yet achieved

Describe the Gap, that could be filled, if only…

What we will do.

C



C: My Company has a product/processto eliminate the problem and

achieve the outcome.

(state what you have done tosatisfy the customer’s

obvious need. )









ABC: VISA/MASTERCARD

A. Amex has a big base of cardholders who want more services.


C. We will attract more vendors by reducing the fees they have to pay when customers use our card



BC

Breche de Rolande, Pyrenees Mtns

A



The How: XYZ s

Describe HOW you fill that gap• Category Definition:

“We are the only X company/product/solution”

• Target Customer:

“That Solves Y customer problem”

• Competitive Differentiation: “In Z unique way”



Southwest Airlines XYZ

X: “short haul, low fare, high-frequency, point-to-point carrier “

Y: inexpensive travel to selected places

Z: “No Frills”, self-service

(A. Airline travel is too expensive and complicated.)



Agenda



• Some Tips (MUST, R3)• Recap



Features and functionality are necessary

Benefits are better

Proof is best

Canyonlands Natl Park

The WhatThe What

F<B<PF<B<P



Secret Sauce – give it a name

The What

Refuge Wallon, Pyrenees



Other Tests

MUST

M atters: relevant to your targetU nique: only you can provideS ustainable: believable/can’t be duplicatedT angible: easily understood, powerful

Fins, Arches Natl Park



R3: The Rule of ThreeNo more than three of anything

Features Benefits Proof points

Pacific Crest Trail, WA



Your Assignment



• Some Tips (MUST, R3)

Documents

Copyright July 2008 John R. Castle Organizing your proposal1 Organizing Your Proposal: as simple as ABC Adapted from John Zagula & Richard Tong “ The Marketing