Beyond Products: Solution Marketing - BPMA Feb 16, 2012

4. What is “it”? What’s Happening What’s Needed • Customers want it • Solutions make life easier • But most customers • Technology is increasingly complex and • Help customers can’t do it on their own customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise • Apple, IBM and Chuck e • Each offers complete solutions to Cheese sell it customers… Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday • Most tech companies claim to have it package “It” = Solutions • Seems like everyone sells solutions today • Provide discipline, rigor, consistency – best practices • But none of them know • But there’s not a common definition what it is • Sales thinks they’re • Many sales teams use the Solution Selling • Help Marketing to work selling it… methodology with Sales • Provide a solution • …but they’re doing it • But Solution Selling does not provide methodology for without Marketing. strategic guidance for Marketing Marketing • It can be confusing • Solution Marketing Blog, • There’s little discipline around solutions Group, Consulting p4 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

5. What is “it”? Solutions is It. What’s Happening What’s Needed • Customers want it • Solutions make life easier • But most customers • Technology is increasingly complex and • Help customers can’t do it on their own customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise • Apple, IBM and Chuck e • Each offers complete solutions to Cheese sell it customers… Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday package • Provide discipline, rigor, consistency – best • Most tech companies • Seems like everyone sells solutions today practices claim to have it • But none of them know • But there’s not a common definition what it is • Sales thinks they’re • Many sales teams use the Solution Selling • Help Marketing to work selling it… methodology with Sales • Provide a solution • …but they’re doing it • But Solution Selling does not provide methodology for without Marketing. strategic guidance for Marketing Marketing • It can be confusing • Solution Marketing Blog, • There’s little discipline around solutions Group, Consulting p5 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

6. Steve Robins  10+ years in solution marketing – Expertise in solution, industry and product marketing – Experience: FirstBest Systems, Solution Marketing Strategies, EMC Documentum, KANA, The Yankee Group  Founder, The Solution Marketing Blog, • Provide a solution Top-rated solution marketing blog methodology for Marketing • Discipline, rigor,  Inbound Marketing Certified consistency – best Professional practices • Help Marketing to work with s.robins [at] SolutionMkt.com Sales LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1 • How: Twitter.com/SteveRobins • Solution Marketing Blog SolutionMarketingBlog.com Slideshare.net/Steve_Robins • LinkedIn Group p6 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

7. Solutions Everywhere Device Device Kid food + + + Software Software Adult food + + + Content Content Entertainment + + + Cloud Cloud Activities + Party gifts p7 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

9. Agenda  Introduction  Beyond products  Solution marketing – Solution – Education & engagement – Value – Access  Building your solution marketing strategy – Discovery – Strategies for solutions, education & engagement, value, access – Case studies  A cautionary tale  Next steps, Q&A p9 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

12. What is a Solution Anyways? so·lu·tion noun sə-ˈlü-shən General definition: a: an action or process of solving a problem b: an answer to a problem so·lu·tion noun sə-ˈlü-shən Business definition: A complete and integrated offering that includes everything required to solve a customer problem p12 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

13. Typical Customer Wants… Services User Tech- nology Process Customer --- Pain Points Content/ Data Complete Solution Everything to solve the customer’s problem p13 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

14. Complete Solution User • User interfaces • Best practices • Training • Domain expertise • Support Process • Process optimization • Integrated experiences • Reengineering • ROI studies • Workflow • Security Content/ • Content • Data Data  Documents • External data sources  Images • Data security, data policies  Video  Music  Books Technology • Hardware/ infrastructure • Complementary technologies • Software platforms • Integrations • Applications • Custom coding Services • Strategy • Integration services • Project management • Communications services, hosting • Risk management • Support • Custom coding p14 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

15. 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 don’t understand the technology  Mature markets p15 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

16. Why It Matters The Chasm Main Street Relative % of Customers The Solution Opportunity The Tornado End of Life Early Life Bowling Alley Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Late Majority Laggards Time Technology Visionaries Pragmatists Conservatives Skeptics Enthusiasts Customers want technology Customers want solutions and convenience and performance Sources: E.M. Rogers, G. Moore p16 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

18. What is Solution Marketing? so·lu·tion mar·ket·ing noun sə-ˈlü-shənˈmär-kə-tiŋ The process of defining, educating, and providing access to complete and integrated solutions that deliver value by helping customers to solve their problems. p18 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

19. Solution Marketing Adds Value To Marketing, Sales and Product Management Field Enablement Social Media Frictionless Sales Marketing Product Support Management p19 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

20. The 4 P’s – All About the Company “Build it and they will come” Product Best channels for us to sell Place Pro- the product motion Company Outbound, interruption marketing Price Cost-plus; margin is king p20 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

21. Solution Marketing – All About the Customer “How can I solve Strategy, Metrics my problem?” Solution Product “How can I “Where can Education Access Place Pro- learn more I find it?” Engagement Customer motion about it?” --- Company Pain Points Price Value “How will it help me and what is my total sacrifice to get this solution?” End-to-End Marketing for Today Customer-Focused Marketing p21 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

23. 360o Discovery What markets and What will each solution How will we educate and How will we incorporate How would the user/buyer solutions should we do and include? engage with potential and communicate value? like to buy and use the target? users and buyers? solution? Internal Solution Persona Value Access • Revenue Requirements • Titles • Before/after process • Best channels • Current offerings • Use cases • Business challenges • Before/after • Optimal role of • Core competencies • Revenue • Career goals challenge/gain VARs, SIs, direct sales, buying on • • Oppor- Solution maturity Sales-readiness • • Business challenges Solution Industry/function • Thought process Users • Value Customer’s value drivers - Access contract • Preferred delivery tunity External • trends Key components How to connect • “Hang-outs” – • Drivers dollar impact ROI Needs models… Software? • Purchasing habits, SaaS? Business • Under-solved • Buy vs build communication Process challenges • Testing channels, pubs, budget Outsourcing? • Top market, solution trade shows, social opportunities media • Segment size • Industry jargon • Market drivers • Influence levers (ex • Competition case studies?) p23 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

24. 360o Discovery Portfolio Solution User Customer Solution Strategy Development Personas Value Access What markets and What will each solution How will we educate and How will we incorporate How would the user/buyer solutions should we do and include? engage with potential and communicate value? like to buy and use the target? users and buyers? solution? Internal Solution Persona Value Access • Revenue Requirements • Titles • Before/after process • Best channels • Current offerings • Use cases • Business challenges • Before/after • Optimal role of • Core competencies • Revenue • Career goals challenge/gain VARs, SIs, direct • Solution maturity • Business challenges • Thought process • Customer’s value sales, buying on • Industry/function drivers - contract • Sales-readiness trends dollar impact • Preferred delivery How to connect models… Software? External • Key components • ROI • “Hang-outs” – SaaS? Business • Under-solved • Buy vs build communication • Purchasing habits, budget Process challenges • Testing channels, pubs, Outsourcing? • Top market, solution trade shows, social opportunities media • Segment size • Industry jargon • Market drivers • Influence levers (ex • Competition case studies?) p24 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

25. Solution Needs Hierarchy Intelligence: Mature templates, 5 rules etc Components & 4 integrations Business 3 value Solution description – 2 what it does Target audience and 1 business problem Less Mature p25 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

26. 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 p26 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

27. PowerAdvocate Offers Complete Solutions BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION  Business challenge: Optimize procurement in the energy sector (power plants)  Company challenge: Differentiate the company from larger players like Ariba © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

28. PowerAdvocate Offers Complete Solutions BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION  Products: SaaS solutions for procurement spend, cost, market, sourcing Solution Assessment User   Services: Industry experts Process  provide services to lower Content/Data  costs Technology   Data: Market-specific Services  procurement data and analysis Differentiator: industry-specific data © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

29. Education & Engagement: Message $ Insured Agent Carrier Loss ratio Consistent/ Value- Targeted True Driven Relevant Jargon p29 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

30. Education & Engagement: Strategy Challenge Buy & How to Now! Market Market Demand Frictionless Field Education Engagement Gen Sales Enablement/ Sales p30 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

31. Value = Benefit - Cost Value Benefits (Improvement)  Profit, expense, revenue drivers  New business  Time savings  Productivity improvement  Headcount reduction $Dollars  Soft benefits Total Cost of Ownership  External… – Software – Hardware – Services  Internal… © 2011 www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com – Training – Change management – Desktop upgrades – IT management p32 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

32. Value-Based Pricing Value = Benefit - TCO Assume that vendor charges fair price for features provided Business Benefit ($) Lost revenue Customer Benefit Unneeded features Customer Benefit Price Customer Customer Benefit Benefit A B C D High Value Fair Value Poor Value Fair Value Lost software Price matches Unneeded Price matches revenue benefit features benefit Solution use-case drives benefit and value p33 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

33. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Value with 50% of the features BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT Share information with other people in the enterprise © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

34. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Value with 50% of the features BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT “ We don’t claim we do everything. If we do 50 percent of the functions that these other companies do, but they’re the ones customers really want, that’s fine. ” The magic is that end users actually like to use the software. Chris Capossela Senior Vice President Information Worker Product Management Group , Microsoft NY Times 8/2/2009 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

35. Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Value with 50% of the features BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT Significant growth at expense of mainstream ECM vendors Lesson: Customers gain value by buying only the features they need E © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

36. Access  Be flexible  Provide seamless experience  Enable frictionless sales  Complete/close the sale quickly  Ensure success thru “the last mile” p37 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

38. Solution Marketing Failure  Solution – Don’t give customers what they want  Education/Engagement – Blame your offering’s failure on communication instead of admitting it was just a really bad idea  Value – Base your pricing on what works for you, not for customers – Nearly double prices for your best customers – Decrease customers’ perceived value of your solution  Access – Make it more difficult to do business with you – split your offering into 2 websites – Dis-incent customers from buying both of your services p39 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

40. Solution Marketing Failure BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT  Inexpensive  All-you-can-eat  Video by mail  New: streaming  New pricing plans, July 2011: streaming vs. video by mail  Focus on what’s good for Netflix, not the customer © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

41. Solution Marketing Failure BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT New pricing plan 28 July 2011 $944 $263 $894 26 $238 $844 Revenue ($ Millions) Subscribers (Millions) 24 $794 22 $176 $744 $155 20 $694 $107 $644 18 $113 $594 $75 16 $69 $544 14 $494 3/2010 6/2010 9/2010 12/2010 3/2011 6/2011 9/2011 12/2011 Unique subcribers Revenue Subscriber trend Revenue trend Stock price Sources: NetFlix, Google © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

44. Getting Started 1. Begin internal discovery 2. Know the customer 3. Define the business problem 4. Move from feature/benefit  business value 5. Think about solution completeness 6. Bonus: how are market/tech forces changing solution requirements? p45 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

45. Q&A Services Strategy, Metrics User Solution Product Tech- Education Access Place Pro- nology Process Engagement Customer Customer motion --- --- Company Pain Pain Points Points Content/ Data Price Value Complete Solution Solution Marketing p46 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

46. Thank You Steve Robins s.robins [at] SolutionMkt.com Founder LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1 The Solution Marketing Blog Twitter.com/SteveRobins SolutionMarketingBlog.com Slideshare.net/Steve_Robins www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com p47 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

47. Take the Next Step Saturday June 9, 2012 We’re hiring! Microsoft NERD firstbest.com/ Cambridge company-careers.htm www.ProductCampBoston.org Solution Marketing Pros www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com LinkedIn Group THE linkedin.com/groups? Solution Marketing gid=1826720 Blog p48 © 2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com

Beyond Products: Solution Marketing - BPMA Feb 16, 2012

Beyond Products: Solution Marketing - BPMA Feb 16, 2012

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Beyond Products: Solution Marketing - BPMA Feb 16, 2012