Customer focused messaging is the foundation of a common language.
Tip 1: Where to start? Consider a frame work which allows all 3 areas of Sales and Marketing Alignment to naturally grow together.
- A common language
- A common sales method
- How the customers make buying decisions
The foundation becomes messaging which allows customers to easily visualize how the capabilities of your products and services help them achieve their needs. It is not "About IT". It is about what "Buyers Can Achieve With IT".
Tip 2: Our clients have demonstrated the best place to begin is to use a list of features associated with a common group of products or services. Drill into these feature rich statements looking for those which help customers achieve their needs. Focusing on the features which address the most compelling needs, are unique, and deliver the most value.
The best experience in this exercise is with a smaller cross functional team of sales, marketing and subject matter experts. Look for the internal experts who understand in detail how the customer uses the products and services in their business to satisfy their needs. Use different teams as required based on the variety and quantity of product and service groupings within a company.
Tip 3: The objective is to craft Sales and Marketing Messaging which allow new and existing customers to visualize the business usage of the product or service. It is also important the messages resonate based on the title your sales people call on.
An example is a CFO or the VP Sales will have different needs, thus they will require different messaging. To assist with message creation, think about the metrics the feature can address. This will help lead to the business usage and needs. Then think about the business usage and craft a message which allows a prospect to visualize how the feature, (which is not listed in the message), will help them achieve their needs and impact the metrics.
Tip 4: Combine the visual messages with consultative based selling skills to help prospects develop a Vision of a Solution, based on value. This is achieved by having conversations with prospects and customers on how the product or service business usage will help them achieve their needs.
Consultative skills are used to help prospects and customers discuss their needs based on value. These skill sets also assist the individual in forming a Vision of a Solution in their mind as to how the capabilities being discussed with help them achieve their needs.
Tip 5: Customer focused messages create a common language used in the buy-sell cycle with customers and also between Sales and Marketing.
It is important to recall these messages are not directed at "generic" individuals. Make sure to craft them for the individual titles of the decision makers your sales people need to access during the buy-sell cycle.
Tip 6: Depending on the markets and industries covered, different variations of messages may certainly be required.
An example is different standards are required by pharmacy and cosmetic companies. Both require purity in many areas, however, the standards, and the terms used to describe the level of purity changes. Customer focused messaging needs to use common words spoken in their market, not internal technical jargon, and certainly not internal DUA's, (Don't use acronyms.) These messages do not resonate because of the words used. The messages resonate when a prospect can relate them to their individual business needs in their company and the market place they compete in.
Tip 7: Use the customer focused messages as building blocks in your sales and marketing tools. They can be used in all of the various demand generation, nurturing, prospecting and sales activities used throughout the buy-sell cycle.
With a solid list of customer messaging crafted to allow the individual to visualize usage, we are ready for the next step. Lining up the buy-sell cycle with the shifting concerns of how individuals make buying decisions. I will cover this in part 2. Whether the buyer-customer is making the buying decision themselves, or in a Buying Committee, we are still selling to individuals with individual compelling business needs.
About Vision Group: If you are looking for further ideas to improve your sales and marketing alignment, here is a 10,000 ft. view with charts and diagrams.
Our clients use consultative based sales and marketing aligned with how their customers buy. Focused on the shifting concerns of how individuals make buying decisions and their compelling business needs. This leads to the Best Buying Experience, the beginning of the Best Customer Experience.
Customers tell us we help train and educate their personnel on what their best do naturally. Using behaviorally correct skills during the buy sell cycle to connect and build trust. While using the power of story with visual messaging to help new and existing customers develop a Vision of a Solution based on value.
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