Marketing Strategies That Enable Sales Force Success

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Marketing StrategiesThat Enable SalesForce
Success

• Juliann M. Grant, Vice President
• Telesian Technology Inc.
• julianng_at_telesian.com
• 978-681-1600

Scott Sommer, Automation Technology
Manager Jacobs Engineering Scott.Sommer_at_jacobs.com
[phone]
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Todays Approach

• Pre-Sales Strategies (Juliann)
• Post-Sales Strategies (Scott)
• Goal Use this information next week when you get
  back to the office

Between Marketing Sales
Build a Bridge
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The Approach

• Pre-Sales Strategies
• Post-Sales Strategies
• Goal Use this information next week when you get
  back to the office

Between Marketing Sales
Build a Bridge
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The Problem

• Sales spends 40 time preparing customer-facing
  deliverables
• Less than 50 use materials created by marketing
• 10-20 create compelling materials that are
  consistent with corporate messaging
• 85 of a companys brand image is determined by
  direct interaction between sales and customers
• What the heck are they using??
• CMO Council Closing the Gap, August 2008

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More problems

• Lack of common language/dialog
• Lack of processes or systems
• Siloed operations
• Ineffective reporting, organizational structures
• Leaves Marketing in the Darkand all we hear is
  ..

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According to CMO Council

• Marketing must power both the go-to-market
  process and every step of the lead generation,
  qualification, closing, and account reactivation
  cycle to truly be an effective partner with sales
  to drive growth and performance

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The Bottom Line

• Marketing operates at 50,000 feet
• Focus on lead generation, brand visibility
• Need to learn how to maximize every sales
  opportunity
• Overcome Conflicts, Build Cohesion

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Dissecting Pre-Sales
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Marketings Gotta Get New Shades

• Take off rose-colored glasses
• Get into the trenches
• Dont leave it all up to the channel to succeed
• Increase direct contact with your market
• Put yourself in buyers shoes
• Avoid show up and throw up style
• Eliminate Thud factor

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Market Strategically, Sell Tactically

• Aligning messages, programs, tools around
  motivating needs, business challenges
• Urgent, important, useful
• Address Customer lifecycle needs
• Pre-Sales Choosing to be a customer
• Post-Sales A Customer Experience

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Sales Has A Process

• Does Marketing know what that is?
• If yes, how do you use that information?

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A Typical Sales Process
Gather Requirements
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Marketing Has a Buying Process

• Understand how purchases get made for your
  products/services
• Put yourself in the Buyers shoes
• How do they feel?
• Excitement, fear, cognitive dissonance
• What do they need to know?
• How can you help them?
• What information do you have to help?

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The Buying Process Stages
Awareness
Interest
Your Universe
Evaluation
Confidence
Close
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Benefits of Buying Process Map

• Keeps pace with sales complexity
• Puts the focus on the buyer
• Increases sales velocity
• Remove obstacles in sales cycle
• Creates a framework when developing messages and
  tools
• Identifies gaps to support complex selling

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Messages Change Subtly

• Early Stages
• Bond with buyer thoughts
• Sorting process, information gathering
• Stand out messages why you are different
• Mid-Stages
• Setting evaluation criteria
• Competitive positioning
• How are your solutions better
• Late Stages to Purchase
• Implementation Questions
• Successful projects and timelines
• Mitigating perceived risk

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Buying Process and Sales Process
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Awareness Inside a Buyers Mind

• I Have A Need Information Gathering
• Search engines
• Attend seminars, shows
• Analyst reports
• Read articles
• Talk to colleagues
• Which potential companies should I consider
• What requirements do I need for RFP/scope
• I need to sort through all these web sites

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Awareness Marketing ActivitiesBe where your
buyer is looking

• Develop materials/programs that help a buyer
  understand why you are different than other
  vendors
• Influence RFPs with your differentiators
• Programs SEO, PPC, Events, PR, e-Marketing,
  Direct Mail, Advertising
• Tools Educational material, How-Tos, Buying
  Guides, White Papers, Telemarketing scripts, New
  Prospect Kits

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How This Helps Sales

• Set up sales for success
• Build qualified pipelines
• More opportunities
• Materials and programs set the initial story
  for your company
• Attend as many early stage
• sales cycle meetings as possible!

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Supporting the Sales Cycle
Awareness
Gather Requirements
Interest
RFP/Scope of Work
Your Universe
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Interest Inside A Buyers Mind

• How do I evaluate this product or service?
• Who are the best people to help me with this?
• Heres the website of company X, but it doesnt
  tell me..
• Who has the most experience with my kind of
  company?
• Which person seems genuinely interested in
  helping me understand this?

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Interest Marketing ActivitiesDemonstrate
expertise

• Help sales uncover needs to qualify
• Uncovering problems
• Conversations that build
• relationship and trust
• Lead by example
• Programs Events, Advertising, e-Marketing, Web
  Site, Blogs, Social Media
• Tools Case studies by industry/application,
  Interviewing tools, Industry Issues Sheet, Buying
  Team Needs Map, DVDs, Podcasts

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How This Helps Sales

• Increase consistency of message
• Builds preference
• Identifies unique differentiators for each
  market/function
• Generate A-HA moments between sales and prospect
• Help buyers identify things that they did not
  think of
• Builds trust and foundation for relationship or

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Winning the Evaluation
Awareness
Gather Requirements
Interest
RFP/Scope of Work
Evaluate
Test/Demo
Your Universe
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Evaluation Inside A Buyers Mind

• What are the pros and cons between Company X, Y,
  and Z
• Vendor Grading
• Who did a better job, who worked in the whole
  scenario
• What were the cool features
• What excites me the most about products X, Y, an
  Z?
• What features can I live without?
• Whats the risk to choosing company X?

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Evaluation Marketing ActivitiesPrepare for Hand
to Hand Combat

• How is your product/service better than the
  others
• Competitor positioning
• Lay competitor traps
• Anticipate incoming grenades
• Programs Competitor database, e-Newsletters,
  Blogs, Social media
• Tools Comparison charts, PPTs, winning stories,
  smoking demos, case studies, F/A/B charts

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How This Helps Sales

• Fizzles out competitor traps
• Communicates why your products are better
• Clearly articulates features, benefits
• Overcomes obstacles
• Demonstrates full comprehension of prospect needs

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Creating Confidence
Awareness
Gather Requirements
Interest
RFP/Scope of Work
Evaluate
Test/Demo
Confidence
Your Universe
Negotiation
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Confidence In A Buyers Mind

• Just about everyone in is involved in
  this project now
• More influencers engaged
• We really like company X
• But, we have some concerns about being a
  customer long term
• I want to feel confident about my recommendation
• This would be a good resume builder

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Confidence Marketing Activities

• Tools and materials that communicate stability,
  low risk, demonstrated successes, proven
  implementation methods, quality training
• Special Packages and Pricing Bundles
• Programs PR, Analyst Relations, Customer
  Reference Programs
• Tools Articles, analyst and investor reports,
  press releases, annual reports, customer
  references, case studies, Podcasts, executive
  blogs

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How this Helps Sales

• Helps sales set expectations about next steps
• Have resources at the ready to respond to client
  wish lists
• References
• Implementation methods, processes, and schedules
• Sample customer newsletters
• Partner materials/contacts

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The Close
Awareness
Gather Requirements
Interest
RFP/Scope of Work
Evaluation
Test/Demo
Your Universe
Confidence
Negotiation
Close
Approval
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The Close In a Buyers Mind

• How does your client really feel?

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Close Marketing Activities

• Establish what its like to be a customer
• Programs Executive Briefings, Invites to User
  Group Meetings, Executive Blogs, Social Media
  Groups
• Tools Annual reports, ROI calculator, corporate
  fact sheet, analyst endorsements, articles,
  positive press, project schedule, help desk,
  service accolades

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How this helps Sales

• Goal Sign a contract
• Creates a memorable buying experience
• Sets expectations
• Gently guides the customer through the
  negotiations
• Improves message consistency

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Learn from the best

• Hang out with a few of your best sales people
• Listen to their questions and communication style
• Get underlying thought processes Why did you ask
  that question
• Prepare observations of these experiences into a
  sales tool
• Podcast interviews

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Discover how are tools being used

• Go to meetings and listen to the delivery of the
  message
• Introduction of materials what, when, how is it
  packaged
• Map out your tools to buying process
• Make adjustments according to your sales
  experiences

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Mapping Your Tools Programs
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Measuring Your Effectiveness

• Ask yourself these questions
• Where does it fit in buying process?
• Do the messages address the concerns of this
  stage?
• Do they overcome obstacles or create them?
• How will this help move the prospect to the next
  stage?

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Questions?