This document discusses how messaging impacts sales and getting customers to do something different. It notes that conversations are the main way value is communicated to customers. However, only 14% of messaging from salespeople actually promotes commercial impact. The document advocates aligning messages with customer buying visions and desired outcomes rather than just selling products. It provides examples of reframing customer problems and challenges to their status quo. It encourages developing an integrated messaging system with defined messages, tools, and skills to deliver customized conversations to customers.

1. Getting Your
Customers to
Do Something
Different
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2. “Conversations are the medium where
the bulk of your value is communicated”
53%
Field Interactions’ Impact on Decisions

3. “Conversations are the medium where
the bulk of your value is communicated”
11-13%
Sales calls add value according to executives

4. Messaging Matters

5. Messaging Matters
Biggest Inhibitors to Achieving Quota
24.3 26
21.4
16
13.3
Insufficient Poor Sales Skills Too Many Information Gap Inability to
Leads Products to Know (Industry, Communicate
Solution, Etc.) Value Messages
Source: SiriusDecisions PMM Survey

6. Messaging Matters

7. Malcolm Gladwell

8. Scientist for Tipping Point
Morton M. Grodzins

9. Malcolm Gladwell

10. Scientist for Deliberate Practice
Dr. K. Anders Ericsson

11. Messaging Matters

12. Failure to create impact
Only 14% of
messaging
14% salespeople
promote creates
commercial impact
86%
Relevant to
Your
Prospect
Unique to You

13. Your new biggest competitor
You
They don’t see enough reason to
do something different
20-60%
Status Quo
Sales Bake-off
Call
Them

14. 65 % 35 %
Buying Vision Bake-Off
-3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3
Status Quo Identify Define Identify Review Make
Threatened New Needs Solution Viable Vendors Approaches Decision
“Why Change?” “Why Us”
Your Desired Outcomes Why our company and
are at-risk and here’s offerings are better
how you can fix that than the competition
SELL THE PROBLEM SELL THE PRODUCT

15. Your new conversations
You
Challenge Re- Align
Assumptions Define Solution
20-60%
Needs
St
Status Quo
Sales Bake-off
Call
Them

16. Buying Vision Creation “Solution” Selling
Customer Status Quo Customer
Outcome Outcome Outcome Salespeople “Play 20 Questions”
at Risk at Risk at Risk
?
Pre-Determine Executive-Level Outcomes ?? ? ? ? ?
?
? ?
Threat Threat Threat ?? ? ? ? ?
Problem Problem Problem ? ? ? ? ?
Miss Miss Miss
Reveal threats, risks, problems and missed Wait to hear a couple keywords and
opportunities that put each outcome at risk then jump into prepared products
and need to be solved presentation and competitive matrix
Your Your Your
Solution Solution Solution
Align strengths of products, services,
programs to solve the re-defined needs
and “engineer“ desired outcomes

17. Do you have a music problem?

18. I don’t have a music problem!

19. Maybe a 10 CD changer?

20. 1000 songs in your pocket

21. …I DID HAVE A MUSIC PROBLEM!

22. Messaging Matters

23. You need a messaging system
Customer Conversations
Messages Tools Skills
DEVELOP DEPLOY DELIVER
MARKETING SALES
Integrated
Approach

24. On purpose vs. by accident

25. I2Y

26. Who do you want to be?
Messaging Matters

27. Where to Learn More
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