2. 2
Brief Bio, Marlene E. Eeg
• 25 Years Experience in Sales & Marketing Management and
Business Consulting, focus on Instrumentation, Controls,
Enterprise and Manufacturing Software
– ERP & Manufacturing Solutions Manager at BDO Seidman LLP.
– Industry Sales Manager for Rockwell Automation
– MES Industry Business Developer for Siemens
– VP Sales & Strategic Alliances Sequence Software
• Currently Consulting with various software
providers to increase business development
and sales results.
• Continue to work with C-Level Manufacturers and Automation
Providers recommending leading technology and software
solutions for improving processes and profits …
translation, I do maintain a sales quota and sell every day!
3. Presentation Outline
Why, What, How … Vertical Industry Selling & Team Collaboration
Improve Your “Go To Market’ Teams with Collaboration
For Increased Success in Vertical Industry Selling
• Business Case For Vertical Industry Selling
• View the Collaborative Selling Approach
• Best Practices and Models
• Traditional Approaches to Selling + Collaboration
• Vertical Industry Selling + Collaboration Examples
Goal today is to understand how to be more successful
with Vertical Industry sales pursuits …
which is not just for large organizations!
3
4. Growth In Vertical Industry Selling
• Organizing Your Marketing and Sales Teams Toward Vertical
Industry Selling is NOT NEW!
– Large organizations and niche product companies
have been doing this for years
– SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, Rockwell, Siemens, and many others have very
strategic to elaborate plans; tight integration between Marketing, Sales,
Development and Delivery Service Teams
– Customers are seeking out more
industry-specific expertise and solutions
from their providers …
leading edge solutions, more value
4
5. Why Vertical Industry Selling
• Differentiate by Industry to Add Value and Reduce
Competition
– Position your company with specific solutions and industry expertise to
increase value to customers … and profits to you!
– Articulate industry-specific product capabilities to separate you from the
general competition in your product sector
– Build a larger customer base in a specific industry to gain top supplier
or preferred supplier position
• Improve Marketing Results
– More cost effective from “Lead generation to
Satisfied Customer” with increased Sales
– Electronic marketing tools enable focused industry campaigns
(database sources, prospect profiling and contact alignment)
– SFA and BI systems enable tracking and analysis of metrics on both
marketing activities and sales results
5
6. Why Vertical Industry Selling
• Increase Sales Effectiveness
– Shorten sales process with laser focus sales strategy and increased
wins
– Easier to sell value to vertical industry
with solutions, expertise, and experience
to match
– Strengthen customer relationships and
develop longer-term loyalty
– Possible increased profits based on industry
demands and less competition
– Build confidence and success with industry „team‟ collaboration
6
7. Develop A Collaborative Approach
With Your “Go To Market” Team
• It‟s More than Just Marketing
• Does NOT have to be dedicated teams of people
• NOT just for large organizations
• More technology and processes available (CRM, PDM, PLM, PM systems)
• DOES require
– Process Framework for Industry Selling
– Communication and Joint Planning
– Support By Executive Management
with Corporate Goals
– Vertical Industry Pursuit Plan Involving
– Marketing
– Product Development
– Sales
– Technical Services
7
8. Good Collaboration Example?
8
Product Development
has designed the best
products on the market!
They should be able to
sell our stuff!
Our Sales Numbers and
Forecasts are down. Are
we using our new sales
framework on the new
lead program we set up?
How about we try to
work TOGETHER
toward one goal …
building satisfied
customers!
… I think NOT!
9. Better Vertical Selling Collaboration?
9
MARKETING
The new ad campaign is looking
good. Does Sales have enough
new leads in the pipeline for our
key industries? Or, do we need to
supplement this with some
additional programs?
DELIVERY SERVICES
One of our Technical Support will
be speaking at ISA. Can we bring
any materials back to on the
Pharmaceutical focus?
Competition? Key customers we
should look for?
ENGINEERING
The Product Deign team is
working on next year’s new
development. Do we have a
list of which customers we
want to talk with to get their
input? Do we have a
consensus with Management
on which market(s) we want
to focus?
SALES
Our installation at
ABC Company was
very well received by
their senior
management.
They’re a leader in
our #1 target
industry and we
have the opportunity
to do a case study
with them now.
Can we set up a
marketing and
technical team to
discuss their
application?
… Yes!
10. Vertical Industry Collaboration Planning
Functional Group Alignment
10
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Sales
Delivery
Services
Support
Engineering
Product Dev
How Well Do Your Functional Groups Work as a Team?
11. Vertical Industry Collaboration Planning
• Marketing + Product Development Alignment
– Usually good collaboration exists, based on combined efforts with
market research, product development, new product launch
– Trends moving from „generic‟ products
to unique „versions‟ with specific features
for industry users
– Share customer information
and seek input from
key customers on target
industries
11
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Engineering
Product
Dev
12. Vertical Industry Collaboration Planning
• Marketing + Sales Alignment
– Common „silos‟, not always aligned properly for Vertical Industry Selling
– Needs clear messaging (industry + your product value language)
for target industries; not just published collateral, but sales letters,
proposals, presentations, etc., with industry knowledge to illustrate
expertise
– Develop lead generation and marketing programs to support industry
sales goals
– Clearly defined metrics
to track progress and industry costs
– Work with customers and associations
to participate in industry events
12
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Sales
13. Vertical Industry Collaboration Planning
• Sales Team + Technical Pre-Sales, Implementation &
Delivery Alignment
– Change your „generic‟ Sales Process to
include Industry-specific messaging,
strategy and tactics
– Expand Industry knowledge for Sales
to understand Industry applications and
requirements?
– Review Sales process to leverage Industry
or Technical Service people to add value
to Industry discussions
13
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Sales
Delivery
Services
Support
14. Vertical Industry Selling Best Practices
• Organization Models
• Examples of Collaboration and Integrated Activities
– Marketing
– Sales
– Delivery Services
14
15. Common Organizational Models
15
Large Enterprise
Sales Organization
DIRECT
SALES TEAM
Geographic,
Products
VERTICAL
INDUSTRY
TEAMS
IN-DIRECT
Rep Channel
Distributors
Partners
• Industry Sales Developers
• Industry Consultants
• Applications Engineers
• Marketing Rep
• Customer Success Team
(Delivery & Support
Services)
FOOD
AUTOMOTIVE
AEROSPACE
LIFE SCIENCES
ELECTRONICS
CORPORATE
MARKETING
TECHNICAL
SERVICES
• Pre-Sales
• Engineering
• Installation
• Training
• Support
BEVERFAGES
Traditional Departmental Organization
Integrated
Vertical Teams
16. Vertical Industry Collaboration Planning
• Assign 1-2 industry assignments to individuals to create
Industry Teams
– Choose industries with similar regulatory or process requirements
– Food, Beverage, Life Sciences (FDA, Batch Processes)
– Military, Aerospace, Contract Manufacturing,
Automotive (Discrete Processes, ISO Compliance)
– Review knowledgebase, develop Industry
training plan (as needed)
– Apply Industry-specific messaging from
lead response through customer delivery materials
& activities
– Engage Industry technical or marketing people
in critical steps in the sales process to
strengthen position as provider with Industry expertise
16
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Sales
Delivery
Services
Support
Engineering
Product Dev
17. Common Organizational Models
SMB Sales
Organization
DIRECT
SALES TEAM
Geographic,
Products
IN-DIRECT
Rep Channel
Distributors
Partners
FOOD, BEVERAGE
AUTOMOTIVE
AEROSPACE
LIFE SCIENCES
ELECTRONICS
MARKETING
TECHNICAL
SERVICES
• Pre-Sales
• Engineering
• Installation
• Training
• Support
Traditional Departmental
Organization,
Assignments to Industry
Larry
Mary
Jill
Bill
PreSales Joan
Engineering
Installation
Training Gene
Support
Similar
Processes,
Regulatory
Requirements,
Industry Events
Discrete,
Common
Manufacturing
Challenges,
Compliance
Issues
18. Learn More About Your Industry
• Learn the Language and Landscape of your Industry
– What are the industry trends?
– Who are the leading business giants?
– Which of your general competitors has similar industry focus?
And, what can you do to further differentiate from that competitor?
• What Business Process Standards and Metrics Are Used?
– General Manufacturing ISA S95, Six Sigma, Performance Metrics
– Process Industries ISA S88 Batch Control
– Discrete Manufacturing ISO 9001
– Aerospace SAE International
– Automotive SAE International
18
19. Standards, Business Models
• What Are the Regulatory/Compliance Requirements or
Industry Standards?
– Food, Beverage FDA
– Life Sciences FDA, DEA
– Meat USDA
– Automotive US & EPA
– Aerospace, Defense US – EPA
• What Functional Area(s) Does Your Product/Service Impact?
– Design Engineering Compliance Documentation
– Product Sourcing Tracking, Tracing Source Materials
– Manufacturing Genealogy of Products Produced
– Packaging Labeling Requirements
19
20. Vertical Industry Selling Examples
• Marketing & Website Presence
– Vertical Industry Selling may start with Marketing
– Look at websites of other companies to view their „industry focus‟ and
related Marketing materials
– What‟s under the Marketing message?
– Standard product information, or Industry focus solutions?
– Do support materials support the Industry focus?
– Is literature and technical information generic, or Industry specific?
– What Industry experience and activities are described?
– Industry-specific customer references? Case Studies? Association
Participation?
20
21. 21
SMB Companies Market to Verticals
Website Example – Good Vertical Industry Focus
Northwest Analytical, Inc.
Quality Information Systems
and Analytics
• Quality data collection,
management and reporting.
• SPC and Process Capability
Analytics
• Integrates with other
enterprise systems such as
MES and ERP to deliver
process based analytics
throughout company.
• Strategic focus on selected verticals with strong capabilities and experience to
differentiate from other competitors
22. 22
SMB Companies Market to Verticals
Website Example – Good Vertical Industry Focus
• Increased value to customers with increased expertise and capabilities
• Within industry reference selling increases marketing and sales efficiency.
• Developed vertical market collaboration with publications, websites, pundits, etc.
• Gained partnerships with industry specific enterprise software companies.
Northwest Analytical, Inc.
Quality Information Systems
and Analytics.
23. SMB Companies Market to Verticals
Website Example – Good Vertical Industry Focus
23
FFD Inc.
Sequence Software
• Electronic Work Instructions
for Manufacturing
• Point Solution for General
Manufacturing
• Now Offers Industry Solution
and Expertise Where Standard
Work Regulatory Compliance Is
Key to Customer Success
• Orient marketing by both Vertical Industry AND Enterprise or SMB Company
• Offers standard, small-user version of product at lower cost to SMB‟s
• Enterprise customers can select multi-plant, multi-server versions
24. SMB Companies Market to Verticals
Website Example – Good Vertical Industry Focus
24
FFD Inc.
Sequence Software
• Changed marketing, sales approach and delivery processes slightly
• Increased size of projects and average sale 50-75%
• Expanded customers in single industry, enabling more effective sales pursuits
• Increased value to customers with increased expertise and capabilities
• Now have stronger „go to market‟ plan overall
25. Vertical Selling Starts with Vertical Marketing
• A Growing Escalation of Vertical Focus in last 20 years
– 1990‟s Industry Leaders of Various Products
– Early 2000‟s Automation Products Companies
– 2005 + Enterprise Software Companies
– Current Most Major Companies, Products & Services
• Use of SIC Codes and Third Party Database Sources to Profile
Specific Target Prospects
25
SAMPLE - BUSINESS SIC, CATEGORY AND SEGMENTS
20 FOOD AND KINDRED PRODUCTS
203 CANNED, FROZEN, AND PRESERVED FRUITS, VEGETABLES, SPECIAL
2032 CANNED SPECIALTIES
2033 CANNED FRUITS, VEGETABLES, PRESERVES, JAMS, JELLIES
2034 DRIED AND DEHYDRATED FRUITS, VEGETABLES, SOUP MIXES
2035 PICKLED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, VEGETABLE SAUCES,
SEASONINGS,
2037 FROZEN FRUITS, FRUIT JUICES, AND VEGETABLES
2038 FROZEN SPECIALTIES, NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED
37 TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT
372 AIRCRAFT AND PARTS
3721 AIRCRAFT
3724 AIRCRAFT ENGINES AND ENGINE PARTS
3728 AIRCRAFT PARTS AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT,
Prospect List and Profile Sources:
… Hoovers ... InfoUSA.com
… experian.com … star-list.com
… corptech.com … goleads.com
… dmdatabases.com
Get target profiles of prospects by SIC and
… size business revenue
… number of employees
… number of plant locations
… market position
Other options
26. Lead Generation
From Marketing Lead … to Sales Pursuit
26
• How Are Your Leads Processed to the Sales Team?
• Generic Contact Information?
• Additional Industry-Specific Info?
Date xxxxxx Lead Source xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Name xxxxxxxx Title xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Company xxxxxxxxxxxx Address xxxxxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx
Telephone xxx – xxx – xxxx Ext xxxx
Email xxxxxxxxxxxxx @ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Requested Info xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
SIC / Industry Food Industry Segment Frozen Foods
Annual Revenue $52M Employees 1200
Additional Locations 11 processing plants
C-Level Telephone
John Doe, President, CEO xxx xxx xxxx
Wm Smith, VP Operations xxx xxx xxxx
Joe Brown, Engineering Manager xxx xxx xxxx
Previous Leads Jenny O‟Brien, Engineering xxx xxx xxxx
27. A New Lead … Now What?
27
• Marketing Can Identify Industry leads …
• But are your Selling & Delivery Teams similarly focused
on Verticals in their processes?
• A Process for Industry-Specific Leads?
• Identified Best Practices for Industry Selling?
• Sales Tools and Collateral
• A Tracking System for
Measuring Results
28. Evolution of Selling
• Numerous Changes in the Last 30+ Years in How We Sell
– Organization Changes and New Models
– Direct Sales, Reps, Resell Channels, System Integrators, Business
Partners, Technology Partners …
– Synchronization with Marketing Planning and Activities
– New Roles in Sales Process
– Presales, Consulting, Application Engineer, Business Developer,
Account Manager, Vertical Industry Manager, Demo King/Queen …
– New Technology and Tools
– CRM and SFA technology supports lead tracking, account
management, partner development, vertical industry
pursuits, and multi-person collaboration
– Strategies and Customer Tactics
– Large Accounts, SMB, Vertical Focus, Purchase/Lease
– Sales Process and Methodologies
– Never-ending list of new selling approaches and styles
28
29. Sales Process Example
Step Activity Leader
1 Response to Initial New
Lead/Inquiry
Sales
2 Initial Discovery &
Qualification
Discussion
Sales
3 Provide Additional
Information
Sales
4 + Further Discovery,
Application Discussions
Sales + ?
5 + Requirements
Definition
Sales + ?
6 + Presentation, Demo Sales + ?
7 + Proposal/Pricing Sales
8 Customer Reference Sales
9 Close Sales 29
Very Basic Sales Process
30. Sales Process Example
Step Activity Leader
1 Response to Initial New
Lead/Inquiry
Sales
2 Initial Discovery &
Qualification
Discussion
Sales
3 Provide Additional
Information
Sales
4 + Further Discovery,
Application Discussions
Sales + ?
5 + Requirements
Definition
Sales + ?
6 + Presentation, Demo Sales + ?
7 + Proposal/Pricing Sales
8 Customer Reference Sales
9 Close Sales 30
Very Basic Sales Process
Possible Changes
• Did marketing send a generic response or industry specific
response?
• Is this industry source of this lead known?
• Do you quickly discuss their industry & related industry issues?
• Establish your experience in their industry?
• Suggest your website with more industry information?
• Based on account size, opportunity, individual role, offer to
arrange a telecon with your „industry‟ expert to discuss this further
with you/them
• Provide more industry specific info (case study, white paper,
industry brochure, etc)
• Provide a industry bio(s) of individual(s) who may be involved
• Possible discussion with your industry expert (Marketing, Pre-
Sales, Engineering, as you determine)
• May be typical to engage a technical resource here, but does
your Functional Requirements Spec focus or reference industry
issues? Simple presentation change, templates for industries
• Is your proposal a standard non-industry format?
• Include your services plan with description of industry focus
• Are you providing references in the same industry?
• If a site visit, are you coordinating this to match industry issues,
similar customer (non-compete) but orchestrating the flow and
discussion on that site visit? Industry specialist accompany?
• Can you leverage your technical support in the closing?
31. Which Sales Process or Methodology
Do You Use?
• Inspirational, Motivational Classics
– Og Mandino, Dale Carnegie,
Zig Zigler, Tom Hopkins, Denis Waitley
• Conceptual, Spin, Key & Major Account,
Solution, Vito, Consultative
Selling
– Larry Wilson, Neil Rackham,
Anthony Parinello, Michael Bosworth, Mack Hanan
• Visionary, Value-Based Selling
– Barbara Geraghty, Tom Reilly,
J. Nicholas DeBonis, Eric Balinski,
Phil Allen
All are good processes with proven success; determine which one(s)
match your business, product, sales team & industry.
31
32. Sales Process is Important,
Flexible Framework is Better
• “Flexible” Framework Methods Prove Successful. Support
Vertical Industry Selling
– Neil Rackham, Peter Scott-Morgan,
Marc Miller & Jason M. Sinkovitz
• “Rules of the Game”
– Organizational change reading, transition to „collaborative‟ team
performance philosophy
• “Rethinking the Sales Force”
– “One-size fits all” approach to selling is outdated; rather, three distinct
selling modes (transactional, consultative, enterprise) used separately or in
combination to match your business model and industry; all based on
creating value, breaking down internal silos
• “Selling Is Dead”
– Fasted pace business environment inhibits „traditional‟ selling techniques;
customers are more sophisticated; transform your sales team to
“businesspeople who sell”
32
33. Keys To Vertical Industry Selling Success
• Use a repeatable „framework‟ with benchmarks, critical
decision points, points of engagement for industry resources,
and consistent communication in your sales process
• Planning and Communication is critical to collaboration with
Sales, Marketing, Pre-Sales and Delivery teams for Vertical
Industry Selling to work successfully
Let’s take a look
at More examples!
33
34. Vertical Industry Selling
Recommendations On Sales Materials
34
• Whether your lead response is via email or direct mail, do
NOT send a standard „form‟ response
• Rather, acknowledge their Industry along with
– Your experience in their Industry
– Reference your website (if there‟s a vertical presence)
– Describe knowledge of business issues
– Mention awareness of regulatory or compliance requirements
– Any Associations or Industry events you may be both aligned
35. Turn a Standard Letter
Into a Vertical Industry Introduction
35
Differentiators
Acknowledge Industry
Industry Business Issues
Industry Regulatory
Compliance Alignment
Performance Results,
Sell Value
Industry Events
36. Turn A Quote …
Into An Industry Solution Agreement
• Simple Price Quote
– Product Information
– Model #‟s
– Pricing
– Terms
36
• Industry-Specific Proposal Agreement
– Describe Prospect‟s Business Issues
– Desire for Change,
Improvements
– Reference Industry
Requirements or
Compliance Needs and Alignment with
Your Product/Solution
– Define Project Scope, Goals
– Describe Service and Support from
Industry Specialists
– Overall summary with timeframe,
deliverables and picture of how this
project will be done
– Mutual Agreement DocumentNeed Collaboration with
Delivery Teams
37. Order to Delivery Collaboration
• Detailed Proposal Becomes “Game Plan” Specific to
Customer and Project Requirements
– Hardware/Software Requirements
– Installation/Training Outline
– Any Important Sequence of Events
• Establishes Customer Readiness
• Sets Expectation for
Successful Delivery
37
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Sales
Delivery
Services
Support
Engineering
Product
Dev
38. Post-Sale Collaboration
• Continuing feedback from Delivery Services & Support
Teams to Sales and Engineering/Product Development
is critical to continuing success overall
– Product design and use information shared
with both Sales & Engineering/Product Dev
– Customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction
shared with Sales & Marketing
38
Vertical
Industry
Sales Goals
Marketing
Sales
Delivery
Services
Support
Engineering
Product
Dev
39. Summary Best Practices
• Industry-specific messaging is not just for Marketing
– Extend with all Sales Materials, Demonstrations, Project Plans and
Delivery Documentation
– Demonstrate your industry experience to your prospects early and at
critical points to add value to the customer experience (and your Sales
process)
– Use reference customers from the related Industry, rather than
geographical region … obvious? Amazing how often I see references
poorly used and site visits arranged without the proper planning.
• Whatever sales process your Salespeople use, define a
framework with consistent “points of entry” where you engage
your industry experts
• Plan and communicate sales pursuits as a collaborative team
for better results
39
40. Questions & Answers
Marlene Eeg, Tempo Resources
temporesources@earthlink.net
Toll free 877.207.3801
Thank you for attending.
Feel free to contact me to continue this discussion.
40
41. Glossary
• CRM Customer Resource Management
• DEA Drug Enforcement Administration
• EPA Environmental Protection Association
• ERP Enterprise Resource Planning
• FDA Federal Drug Administration
• ISA Instrumentation Society America
• MES Manufacturing Enterprise Systems
• MESA Manufacturing Enterprise Society America
• SAE Society Automotive Engineers
• SFA Sales Force Automation
• SIC Standard Industry Code
• SMB Small Medium Businesses
• SME Society Manufacturing Engineers
• SPC Statistical Process Control
• USDA United States Dept Agriculture 41
