Build A Winning Solution Marketing Strategy

Build a Winning Solution
Marketing Strategy
Steve Robins
Principal
Solution Marketing Strategies
May 22, 2010
© Solution Marketing Strategies, 2010

Agenda
Introduction
– Solutions
– Solution marketing
Discovery/research
– Segmentation
– Personas
– Competition
Solution marketing strategy

– Solutions
– Education/engagement
– Value
– Access
Conclusion/Q&A
© 2010 p2
About This Presentation
Following are the slides presented at ProductCamp Boston

on May 22, 2010.
Check www.SolutionMarketingBlog.com for supplemental
material.
Join the Solution Marketing Community!
– Subscribe to the SolutionMarketingBlog (see “Subscribe” on the right):.
– Join Solution Marketing Pros on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=1826720 .
Questions? Please contact Steve Robins – see next slide

for contact details.
THANK YOU!
© 2010 p3
Steve Robins
Principal, Solution Marketing Strategies,

a strategic marketing consultancy
10+ years in solution marketing
Expertise in product, solution and industry marketing
Experience: EMC Documentum, KANA, The Yankee Group and more
Founder of the top-rated Solution Marketing Blog
Inbound Marketing Certified Professional
Let me know how I can help you
S.Robins [at] SolutionMKT [dot] com

LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1
@SteveRobins
SolutionMarketingBlog.com
SolutionMarketingStrategies.com www.barcamp.org/ProductCampBoston
© 2010 p4
What is a Solution Anyways?
© 2010 p5
Not A Solution to the Customer’s Problem
Product
© 2010 p6
Complete Solution to the Customer’s Problem
Solution
© 2010 p7
Definition
so·lu·tion mar·ket·ing. Noun.

The process of defining, educating,
and providing access to complete and
integrated solutions that deliver
customer value by helping customers
to solve their problems.
© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies
© 2010 p8
Research and Build Solution Marketing Strategy
Discovery
Discovery Strategy
Strategy
Market Solution
– Technology adoption curve – Solution maturity
– Segmentation – Solution portfolio, top solutions/use cases
Segment size
Growth Education & Engagement
Solution relevance – Message
– Personas/voice of the customer – Awareness, lead generation
Business goals/challenges – Social media/inbound marketing
Requirements – Sales enablement
– Competition, SWOT
Value
Company – ROI models
– Top industries, functions, use cases – Pricing
– Revenue trends
– Win/loss Access
– Core competencies (e.g., technical) – Channel enablement
© 2010 p9
Discovery

Solution
Technology Adoption Curve
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
© 2010 p11
Segmentation
Annual Growth Rate 2008-2009

Gov
Retail Software
Cons
Prod
Financial
Services
Manufacturing
Average Revenue/Account ($1000)

© 2010 p12
Segment Description
Segment Overview Segment Strategy

Segment Pharma/med device companies Recommended Regulatory submissions
solutions New drug discovery
Partner management
Solution Content management commonly Company value Lower the cost of drug development
maturity used prop Streamline processes
Extensive integration required Improve hit rate
Business Speed approvals Marketing Pubs: Bio

needs Speed drug discovery strategy Social media sites:
Shows: Bio, DIA Annual
Thought leadership: ECM ROI for NDA
Most important 21 CFR Part 11 compliance Sales Extensive training required to gain credibility
technical Regulatory publishing enablement Use industry experts
capabilities
Competition Liquent entrenched Channel System integrator

OpenText making inroads
SharePoint gaining
© 2010 p13
Personas
General Persona #1: The VP/Director of Marketing

Typical title VP/Director of Marketing
About me
Department Marketing
Background/experience Matured through the ranks of marketing
Leader
Personality
Aggressive
Lead large team
Day-to-day job Manage budget
What I’m thinking
Build and execute marketing strategy

Create and maintain a strong brand that generates interest
Top business goals
Generate leads
Challenges Doing it all within a limited budget
Clear ROI
Solution needs Easy to use
Competitively priced
© 2010 p14
Competition - Capabilities
Services
Completeness of Solution
Smaller B2B
Advance Competitors
d
Smaller-Mid B2B
Genera
l
NA Small-Large Consumer Small-Large Consumer

#1 #2 #3
Use Cases
© 2010 p15
Competition – Marketing Presence (Website)
Competitor Threat Score Offers the Solution Solution Case Use The Solution Solution Other Solution
Level (out of Solution? Mentione Page Studies Solution’s Capability Capability Solution Partners
10) d on ID’d for Jargon on #1 #2 Features
Home this Website
Page Solution
A Moderate 10 Y Y YY Y YY Y Y Y Y
B Moderate 8.5 Y YY Y N YY Y ? Y Y
C Moderate 8 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
D Moderate 7.5 Y YY Y N YY Y? ? Y Y
E High 7 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
F Moderate 7 Y Y Y N Y, barely Y N? Y Y
G Moderate 6.5 Y N Y Y Y Y Y N ?
H Moderate 3 N N N N Y, barely Y? Y Y N
© 2010 p16
Solution Marketing Strategy

Solution Marketing Strategy
Promotion
Product
P
Price
P The 4 P’s
P
Place

Derived from SIVA model, Chekitan & Dev
© 2010 p18
Solution Marketing Strategy - SEVA
The 4 P’s - updated
“Where can I learn more
Education about it?”
“How can I solve Solution Value “What is my

my problem?” SEVA total sacrifice
Solution Marketing
to get this
solution?”
Access
“Where can I find it?”
Solution Marketing answers 4 customer questions

Derived from SIVA model, Dev & Schultz
© 2010 p19
Solution
Technology Adoption Curve
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
© 2010 p20
Solution
Solution Maturity Model I: Technology

Platform
Tech Strategy >>> Strategy
Toolkit (BIY) Framework Application
Components Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Late Majority
Information/
Content
Content/data development provided P C/P
Content/data management
Process-specific:
– Partner technologies
Higher Level
Technologies
– UI’s/templates P P C/P
– Workflows/templates
– integrations
Partner technologies
Integration API’s
Platform
Technologies
Custom functionality API’s C C C C
Platform software
Strategy Services
Outsourced system admin
SaaS Services
Services
User Training C/P C/P C/P
Integration services
Development services
P Partner C Company Market Maturity Model © 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies
© 2010 p21
Solution
Solution Maturity Model II: Go-To-Market

Platform Toolkit (BIY) Framework Application
Tech Strategy >>> Strategy
Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Late Majority
Sales & Marketing Strategy
Applications described in terms of business C
benefit
Use cases focused around solving a C C C
Marketing business/industry problem
Message Product features C C
Platform performance C C
Platform capabilities C C C
Sell application that solves a problem C
Solution Selling - sell solution to a problem C C

(not fully out of box)
Sales
Strategy Sell product features C
Sell the vision C C
Find first customers C
P Partner C Company Market Maturity Model © 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies
© 2010 p22
Solution
Complete Solution to the Customer’s Problem

People
• User interfaces
Technology • Training
• Applications • Support
• Complementary • Best practices
technologies • Domain expertise
• Hardware and
infrastructure Process
• Custom coding • ROI studies
• Integration services Reengineering
• Process optimization –
efficiency,
Information/Content effectiveness
• Data
• Content, documents, Services
images • Strategy
• External data sources • Project management
• Data security • Risk management
• Data policies • Custom coding
• Integration services
© 2010 p23
Solution
Solution Portfolio
Oppor- Use Case Profile Business Challenge Solution Benefits Partners Revenue Potential
tunity
Less than $5 Fast
Reg Slow process ABC Company
#1 billion Less expensive to $5 mill/yr
submissions revenue Unreliable bcD Pharma
produce
Current tools Fast
Reg Top 100 insufficient Less expensive to
#2 produce
Fyer $2 mill/yr
publishing pharma Other tools don’t
work with our ECM
Expedited review by
Need to be able to regulators
Safety lock down Comply with Boron
#3 Plant safety documents archiving
$5 bill
departments Abacus
requirements
© 2010 p24
Solution Marketing Solution
Solution – Develop the Solution
Customer: “How can I solve my problem?”
Action - Develop the Solution!

– Product – enhancements required?
– Partner technologies
– Services – strategy, process reengineering, integration, training, support
– Beta – partners, prospects and customers
© 2010 p25
Solution Marketing Education
Education – Message
Customer: “Where can I learn more about it?”
Message – It’s About Relevance

– Use language the prospect understands…
Industry/function terms
Common business issues and challenges
Remember – this is all about how your solution solves their business problems
– Benefits: business-oriented rather than technical…
Higher profits, lower expense, higher revenue, better customer service, ensures compliance
© 2010 p26
Education - Tuning the Message
Technical
Message
GeekSpeak High Credible

“Shortens mortgage
cycle time”
“SOA architecture
enables integration
with legacy systems” Business
IT Mgr.
Business
Message
Low High
“Helps your
Janitor CFO
company”
“Increases
profitability”
Vague Low Does it exist?
© 2010 p27
Education – the “Solution Paradox”
Beware “the Solution Paradox” Dang

Customer
er
The customer wants out-of-box Expectations
offerings… Message
….but no one company can provide
Solution
everything out of the box
Even a fully integrated and “complete”
solution cannot possibly solve all of a
customer’s problems due to:
Ask:
Ask:
– Unique environments • • Does
Doesthethesolution
solutionmeet
meetcustomer
customerrequirements?
requirements?
– Specific industry requirements • • IsIsthe message backed up by the solution?
the message backed up by the solution?
© 2010 p28
Education – the “Solution Paradox”
Beware “the Solution Paradox”

Customer
The customer wants out-of-box Expectations
offerings… Message
….but no one company can provide Optimal
Solution
everything out of the box
Even a fully integrated and “complete”
solution cannot possibly solve all of a
customer’s problems due to:
Ask:
Ask:
– Unique environments • • Does
Doesthethesolution
solutionmeet
meetcustomer
customerrequirements?
requirements?
– Specific industry requirements • • IsIsthe message backed up by the solution?
the message backed up by the solution?
© 2010 p29
Education – Create a Dialog
Action – Create a Two-Way Dialog with the Market

– “Give customers the right information on the right subject at the right time on their
terms” *
– Enable prospects to find your solutions
– Enable market education
– Use Web 2.0 tools – Blogs, Podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
– Provide recent customer references, who are most likely to advocate *
Go beyond one-sided “push” promotion
* In the Mix (Marketing Management) (Dev & Schultz, 2005)
© 2010 p30
Education - Sales
SALES
– Sales training:
Solution selling methodology, consultative selling
Business problems, industry/functional issues
Business solutions
Company and solution messaging
Partner engagement models – system integrators, tech partners etc.
– Sales tools:
Collateral, references
ROI models and value tools
Pricing
© 2010 p31
Solution Marketing Value
Value
Customer: “What is my total sacrifice to get this solution?”
Value = Benefit - Cost

Research
– Identify and place value on significant customer purchase drivers *
– Common ROI models/”before-afters”
– Purchasing habits
– Budget trends
Action!
– Articulate value in terms of price, ROI, TCO
– Develop ROI assessments with consulting/system integrator partners
– Reference customers – value achieved
* In the Mix (Marketing Management) (Dev & Schultz, 2005)
© 2010 p32
Value
Value = Benefit - TCO
Value-Based Pricing
Assume that vendor charges fair price

for features provided
Business Benefit ($)
Lost revenue
Customer Benefit
Benefit Unneeded features
Customer Benefit
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

© 2010 p33
Solution Marketing Access
Access
Customer: “Where can I find it?”
Research
– Common purchasing channels?
– Do they prefer to buy through VAR’s? Through SI’s? Direct? On contract?
– Preferred delivery models… Software? SaaS? Business Process Outsourcing?
Action!
– Enable the customer to purchase the solution through the channels that they want
– New channels – beyond the traditional
– Marketer provides fastest, least-expensive access
– Successfully complete the sale
– Ensure customer success through “the last mile”
© 2010 p34
Ensure Alignment
Throughout the Extended Enterprise
Suppliers/ Back Front

Customers
Partners Office Office
Tech, SI Manufacturing Marketing
Partners Engineering Sales
Service
Goal: Customers get what they were promised

How Do You Achieve This?
– Consistent messages across entire company and ecosystem
– Sales – longer sales cycles; solution training; specialized sales teams
– Support from engineering/product management, services, tech support, consulting
teams
– Executive support
© 2010 p35
Conclusion
Discovery
Discovery Strategy
Strategy
Market Solution
– Technology adoption curve – Solution maturity
– Segmentation – Solution portfolio, top solutions/use cases
Segment size
Growth Education & Engagement
Solution relevance – Message
– Personas/voice of the customer – Awareness, lead generation
Business goals/challenges – Social media/inbound marketing
Requirements – Sales enablement
– Competition, SWOT
Value
Company – ROI models
– Top industries, functions, use cases – Pricing
– Revenue trends
– Win/loss Access
– Core competencies (e.g., technical) – Channel enablement
© 2010 p36
Bibliography
Dev, Chekitan S., and Don E. Schultz. 2005. “In the Mix” Marketing
Management 14, no. 1: 16-22. Business Source Premier,
EBSCOhost (accessed February 25, 2009).
© 2010 p37
Thank You
S.Robins [at] SolutionMKT [dot] com
Steve Robins
LinkedIn.com/in/SteveRobins1
Principal @SteveRobins
Solution Marketing Strategies SolutionMarketingBlog.com
SolutionMarketingStrategies.com
www.SolutionMarketingStrategies.com
© 2010 p38
Build a Winning Solution
Marketing Strategy
Steve Robins
Principal
Solution Marketing Strategies
May 22, 2010

Build A Winning Solution Marketing Strategy

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Build a Winning Solution

© Solution Marketing Strategies, 2010

Solution marketing strategy

Following are the slides presented at ProductCamp Boston

Questions? Please contact Steve Robins – see next slide

Principal, Solution Marketing Strategies,

Let me know how I can help you

S.Robins [at] SolutionMKT [dot] com

so·lu·tion mar·ket·ing. Noun.

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

© Solution Marketing Strategies, 2010

Technology Adoption Curve

The Chasm Main Street

The Solution Opportunity

Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Late Majority Laggards Time

Customers want technology Customers want solutions and convenience

Annual Growth Rate 2008-2009

Average Revenue/Account ($1000)

Segment Overview Segment Strategy

Business Speed approvals Marketing Pubs: Bio

Competition Liquent entrenched Channel System integrator

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

General Persona #1: The VP/Director of Marketing

Build and execute marketing strategy

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

NA Small-Large Consumer Small-Large Consumer

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

© Solution Marketing Strategies, 2010

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

“How can I solve Solution Value “What is my

“Where can I find it?”

Solution Marketing answers 4 customer questions

Technology Adoption Curve

The Chasm Main Street

The Solution Opportunity

Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority/ Late Majority Laggards Time

Customers want technology Customers want solutions and convenience

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Solution Maturity Model I: Technology

Components Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Late Majority

Solution Maturity Model II: Go-To-Market

Sell application that solves a problem C

Solution Selling - sell solution to a problem C C

Sell the vision C C

Find first customers C

P Partner C Company Market Maturity Model © 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Complete Solution to the Customer’s Problem

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Solution – Develop the Solution

Customer: “How can I solve my problem?”

Action - Develop the Solution!

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Customer: “Where can I learn more about it?”

Message – It’s About Relevance

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Education - Tuning the Message

GeekSpeak High Credible

Vague Low Does it exist?

© 2010 Solution Marketing Strategies

Education – the “Solution Paradox”

Customer: “Where can I learn more about it?”

Beware “the Solution Paradox” Dang