Solution MKTG - Bpma Final 2

Beyond Products: Solution Marketing
Steve Robins February 16, 2012
2009-2012 2011 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog
www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com
CBOND
competition company products yourself services limits
2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog
Beyond Products:
Solution Marketing
THE Solution Marketing Blog
What is it?
Whats Happening
Customers want it
But most customers cant do it on their own Apple, IBM and Chuck e Cheese sell it
Whats Needed
Help customers
Solutions make life easier

Technology is increasingly complex and customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise Each offers complete solutions to customers Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday package
Most tech companies claim to have it But none of them know what it is Sales thinks theyre selling it but theyre doing it without Marketing. It can be confusing
Seems like everyone sells solutions today
It = Solutions
Provide discipline, rigor, consistency best practices
But theres not a common definition

Many sales teams use the Solution Selling methodology But Solution Selling does not provide strategic guidance for Marketing Help Marketing to work with Sales Provide a solution methodology for Marketing Solution Marketing Blog, Group, Consulting
Theres little discipline around solutions
p4
What is it? Solutions is It.

Whats Happening
Customers want it
But most customers cant do it on their own Apple, IBM and Chuck e Cheese sell it
Whats Needed
Help customers
Solutions make life easier

Technology is increasingly complex and customers lack in-house resources, time, expertise Each offers complete solutions to customers Apple iPad ecosystem, IBM industry solutions, Chuck e Cheese birthday package Seems like everyone sells solutions today
Most tech companies claim to have it But none of them know what it is Sales thinks theyre selling it but theyre doing it without Marketing. It can be confusing
Provide discipline, rigor, consistency best practices
But theres not a common definition

Many sales teams use the Solution Selling methodology But Solution Selling does not provide strategic guidance for Marketing Help Marketing to work with Sales Provide a solution methodology for Marketing Solution Marketing Blog, Group, Consulting
Theres little discipline around solutions
p5
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, Top-rated solution marketing blog
Provide a solution methodology for Marketing Discipline, rigor, consistency best practices Help Marketing to work with Sales How: Solution Marketing Blog LinkedIn Group p6
Inbound Marketing Certified Professional

s.robins [at] SolutionMkt.com LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1 Twitter.com/SteveRobins SolutionMarketingBlog.com Slideshare.net/Steve_Robins
Solutions Everywhere
Device + Software + Content + Cloud
Device + Software + Content + Cloud
Kid food + Adult food + Entertainment + Activities + Party gifts

p7
Solutions Everywhere
p8
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
Beyond Products
The Solution Imperative
Typical Company Wants
Customer
Technology
Company
p11
What is a Solution Anyways?
solution
noun \s-l-shn\
General definition: a: an action or process of solving a problem b: an answer to a problem
solution
noun \s-l-shn\
Business definition: A complete and integrated offering that includes everything required to solve a customer problem
p12
Typical Customer Wants

Services
User
Technology
Customer --Pain Points
Process
Content/ Data
Complete Solution
Everything to solve the customers problem
p13
Complete Solution
User
Process
Content/ Data
User interfaces Training Support Process optimization Reengineering Workflow Content

Documents Images Video Music Books
Best practices Domain expertise
Integrated experiences ROI studies Security
Data External data sources Data security, data policies
Technology
Services
Hardware/ infrastructure Software platforms Applications
Complementary technologies Integrations Custom coding
Strategy Project management Risk management Custom coding
Integration services Communications services, hosting Support

p14
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
p15
Why It Matters
The Chasm Main Street The Solution Opportunity The Tornado
Relative % of Customers
Early Life
Bowling Alley
End of Life
Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Technology Visionaries Pragmatists Enthusiasts

Customers want technology and performance
Late Majority Conservatives
Laggards Skeptics
Time
Customers want solutions and convenience

Sources: E.M. Rogers, G. Moore
p16
Solution Marketing
Customer-Centric Marketing for Today
What is Solution Marketing?
solution marketing
noun \s-l-shn\mr-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.
p18
Solution Marketing Adds Value To Marketing, Sales and Product Management
Social Media
Field Enablement
Frictionless Sales
Marketing Support
Product Management
p19
The 4 Ps All About the Company

Build it and they will come
Product
Best channels for us to sell the product
Place
Company
Promotion
Outbound, interruption marketing
Price
Cost-plus; margin is king
p20
Solution Marketing All About the Customer

Strategy, Metrics Solution Product
How can I solve my problem?

How can I learn more about it?
Where can I find it?
Access Place
Customer --Company Pain Points
Education ProEngagement motion
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
Building Your Solution Marketing Strategy

Discovery Strategies for: Solutions Education & Engagement Value Access
360o Discovery
What markets and solutions should we target?
What will each solution do and include?
How will we educate and engage with potential users and buyers?
How will we incorporate and communicate value?
How would the user/buyer like to buy and use the solution?
Internal Revenue Current offerings Core competencies Solution maturity Sales-readiness
Opportunity External
Solution
Under-solved challenges Top market, solution opportunities Segment size Market drivers Competition
Solution Requirements Use cases Revenue Business challenges Industry/function trends Key components Buy vs build Testing
Persona Titles Business challenges Career goals Thought process
How to connect Hang-outs communication channels, pubs, trade shows, social media Industry jargon Influence levers (ex case studies?)
Users
Value Drivers
Value Access Before/after process Best channels Before/after Optimal role of challenge/gain VARs, SIs, direct sales, buying on Customers value contract drivers dollar impact Preferred delivery models Software? ROI SaaS? Business Purchasing habits, Process budget Outsourcing?
Access Needs
p23
360o Discovery
Portfolio Strategy What markets and solutions should we target? Solution Development What will each solution do and include? User Personas How will we educate and engage with potential users and buyers? Customer Value How will we incorporate and communicate value? Solution Access How would the user/buyer like to buy and use the solution?
Internal Revenue Current offerings Core competencies Solution maturity Sales-readiness
External Under-solved challenges Top market, solution opportunities Segment size Market drivers Competition
Solution Requirements Use cases Revenue Business challenges Industry/function trends Key components Buy vs build Testing
Persona Titles Business challenges Career goals Thought process
How to connect Hang-outs communication channels, pubs, trade shows, social media Industry jargon Influence levers (ex case studies?)
Value Access Before/after process Best channels Before/after Optimal role of challenge/gain VARs, SIs, direct sales, buying on Customers value contract drivers dollar impact Preferred delivery models Software? ROI SaaS? Business Purchasing habits, Process budget Outsourcing?
p24
Solution Needs Hierarchy

Intelligence: templates, rules etc
Mature
5
Components & 4 integrations
3
2 1
Business value Solution description what it does
Target audience and business problem

Less Mature
p25
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
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
PowerAdvocate Offers Complete Solutions

BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION
Products: SaaS solutions for procurement spend, cost, market, sourcing
Solution Assessment User
Services: Industry experts provide services to lower costs Data: Market-specific procurement data and analysis
Process
Content/Data Technology Services
Differentiator: industry-specific data

Education & Engagement: Message
$
Targeted Consistent/ True ValueDriven Relevant
Insured Agent Carrier Loss ratio
Jargon
p29
Education & Engagement: Strategy
Challenge & How to
Buy Now!
Market Education
Market Engagement
Demand Gen
Frictionless Sales
Field Enablement/ Sales
p30
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
Value-Based Pricing
Value = Benefit - TCO
Business Benefit ($)
Assume that vendor charges fair price for features provided
Lost revenue
Customer Benefit
Unneeded features
Customer Benefit
Price
A
High Value Lost software revenue
B
Fair Value Price matches benefit
Customer Benefit
Customer Benefit
Poor Value Unneeded features
Fair Value Price matches benefit
Solution use-case drives benefit and value

p33
Microsoft SharePoint Delivers Value with 50% of the features

BIZ CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULT
Share information with other people in the enterprise
BIZ CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
RESULT
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 Capossela Senior Vice President Information Worker Product Management Group , Microsoft NY Times 8/2/2009

Significant growth at expense of mainstream ECM vendors

Lesson: Customers gain value by buying only the features they need
E
Access Be flexible Provide seamless experience Enable frictionless sales Complete/close the sale quickly Ensure success thru the last mile
p37
A Cautionary Tale
Solution Marketing Failure

Solution
Dont give customers what they want
Education/Engagement
Blame your offerings 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

Convenient, inexpensive access to entertainment

Inexpensive
All-you-can-eat Video by mail New: streaming New pricing plans, July 2011: streaming vs. video by mail Focus on whats good for Netflix, not the customer

BIZ CHALLENGE
28
SOLUTION
New pricing plan July 2011
$263
RESULT
$944 $894 $844 $794 Revenue ($ Millions)
26 $238
Subscribers (Millions)
24
22 $155
$176
$744 $694
20
$107 $75 16 $69
$644 $113
18
$594
$544 $494
14 3/2010 6/2010 9/2010 12/2010 3/2011 6/2011 Revenue 9/2011 12/2011 Unique subcribers
Subscriber trend Stock price

Revenue trend
Sources: NetFlix, Google
Netflix Dictates Customer Access

Next Steps
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
Q&A
Services Strategy, Metrics
User
Solution Product
Technology
Customer --Pain Points
Process
Access Place
Customer --Company Pain Points
Education ProEngagement motion
Content/ Data
Price Value
Complete Solution
Solution Marketing
p46
Thank You
Steve Robins
Founder The Solution Marketing Blog
s.robins [at] SolutionMkt.com
LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1
Twitter.com/SteveRobins SolutionMarketingBlog.com Slideshare.net/Steve_Robins
p47
Take the Next Step
Saturday June 9, 2012

Microsoft NERD Cambridge
www.ProductCampBoston.org
Were hiring!
firstbest.com/ company-careers.htm
Solution Marketing Pros LinkedIn Group

linkedin.com/groups? gid=1826720

p48
Beyond Products:
Solution Marketing

Solution MKTG - Bpma Final 2

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Beyond Products: Solution Marketing

Steve Robins February 16, 2012

2009-2012 2011 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

THE Solution Marketing Blog

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Solutions make life easier

Seems like everyone sells solutions today

Provide discipline, rigor, consistency best practices

But theres not a common definition

Theres little discipline around solutions

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

What is it? Solutions is It.

Solutions make life easier

Provide discipline, rigor, consistency best practices

But theres not a common definition

Theres little discipline around solutions

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Founder, The Solution Marketing Blog, Top-rated solution marketing blog

Inbound Marketing Certified Professional

Device + Software + Content + Cloud

Device + Software + Content + Cloud

Kid food + Adult food + Entertainment + Activities + Party gifts

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Building your solution marketing strategy

A cautionary tale Next steps, Q&A

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Typical Company Wants

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

What is a Solution Anyways?

General definition: a: an action or process of solving a problem b: an answer to a problem

Typical Customer Wants

Customer --Pain Points

User interfaces Training Support Process optimization Reengineering Workflow Content

Best practices Domain expertise

Integrated experiences ROI studies Security

Data External data sources Data security, data policies

Hardware/ infrastructure Software platforms Applications

Complementary technologies Integrations Custom coding

Strategy Project management Risk management Custom coding

Integration services Communications services, hosting Support

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Technology Visionaries Pragmatists Enthusiasts

Late Majority Conservatives

Customers want solutions and convenience

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

What is Solution Marketing?

The process of defining, educating, and providing access

to complete and integrated solutions

by helping customers to solve their problems.

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Solution Marketing Adds Value To Marketing, Sales and Product Management

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

The 4 Ps All About the Company

Best channels for us to sell the product

Outbound, interruption marketing

Cost-plus; margin is king

2009-2012 Steve Robins, The Solution Marketing Blog

Solution Marketing All About the Customer

How can I solve my problem?