Copyright © Bruce Ian Rasmussen, 2006 A proven process to generate prospects for Microsoft solutions

Copyright © Bruce Ian Rasmussen, 2006

A proven process to generate prospects for Microsoft solutions


Objectives

• how to generate prospects ready for hand over to the sales team

• leverage Microsoft’s marketing activities and resources

• practical localised advice• 2007 Office system


Agenda

• process• planning a campaign• executing a campaign• practical advice

– events– telephone follow up– presentations– direct mail– involving Microsoft

• take home


An integrated marketing and sales process


Marketing and sales process

Which individuals?

Which job roles?

Which industries?

Suffering from Points of Pain we can address

Target list of individuals

Promote to and attract individuals

Ready to meet 1-1

Meeting booked

Meet prospect

Confirm buying influence

Confirm Point of Pain

Confirm influencers

Prospect agrees to take action

Understand business and personal wins

All buying influencers

Decision Maker agrees to Roadmap

Decision Maker agrees to Roadmap

Undertake Roadmap

All Buying Influencers on side

Agree solution

Demonstrate business value

Solution agreed; Influencers on side; Value/ROI agreed

Review draft proposal

Address buyer concerns

Verbal order

Written order

Written order received

Deploy

Activate

Payment received

Review success measures

Success measures achieved

PLANPLAN ATTRACTATTRACT ENGAGEENGAGE QUALIFYQUALIFY SOLVESOLVE CLOSECLOSE SERVICESERVICE LEVERAGELEVERAGE

Document reference site

Cross sell

Up sell

Documented reference site


Planning


Key planning questions

• what do we want to achieve?– additional $ margin

• how will we achieve this?– what value offering?– which target markets?– process to attract prospects– process to close prospects


Developing a value proposition

• what is a value proposition?– simple– advantages over costs– better than others

• why have a value proposition?– don’t sell products– consistency and clarity

VALUE PROPOSITION TEMPLATEVALUE PROPOSITION TEMPLATE

FOR (target customer)WHO (has a problem or

opportunity)THE (solution)PROVIDES (type of

solution)THAT (key benefits)UNLIKE (main

alternatives)BECAUSE (statement of

differentiation)


Sample value proposition

FOR Finance ManagersWHO are struggling to improve the speed

of financial reportingTHE 2007 Office system solution delivered

by Partner X

PROVIDES a cross company data gathering and reporting solution

THAT reduces the time taken to produce monthly reports by up to 25%

UNLIKE an open source solutionBECAUSE of our ability ability to launch business process and

business intelligence workflows from within our everyday working tools (ie Word, Excel, Outlook)


Different people value different outcomes…..


Segmentation and target markets


What do we do when we market?

TARGET MARKETTARGET MARKETMARKETING MIXMARKETING MIX

Product/Service Bundle

Price

Promote

Distribute (Place)


Approaches to segmentation

each segment has similar needs, but has needs different to other segments, each with a specific and identifiable competition, large enough to be profitable and operational

“Good” segmentation

we offer technology to anyone who wants to buy it

“Bad” segmentation


Questions to ask in choosing a segment

• What needs does this market segment have?

• What are the specific benefits we can provide?

• Can we clearly differentiate ourselves?

• Is this segment likely to be profitable?


Segmenting - the right organisational level

Implement

EvaluateSolutions

Initiate a Project

Pain Latent > Active

MeasureResults

Review Contracts

Negotiate and Sign Contracts

DefineBusiness Initiative

Understand Requirements

Define Objectives

Prove theConcept

Traditional FocusTraditional Focus

Non traditional Non traditional

Focus FocusPartner FocusPartner Focus


Attracting


Measurement – Leads Funnel

Target number of contacts for marketing activity

Estimated response rate (3-10%)

% converted to leads (approx 20%)

Sales Wins (NB: % based on historical closure rate)

3

Prospects

500

25

5


What works? (sample statistics)

Average Median High Low

Lead generation campaign

2.86% 1.49% 14.8% 0.009%

Top performing media

TelephoneDimensional

mailEmail

Direct mail

Average response

5.53% 5.28% 3.39% 1.86%

ROI 228 23 159 61

Source: DMA 2003 Response Rate Study


Which promotional tool?

Effectiveness

Efficiency

Low cost

per exposure

High cost

per exposure

Mass Advertising

Direct Mail

InternetTele Sales

SpecialisedSales Force

Sales Force


Choosing promotional tools

Types of Marketing Cost Reach Dialogue Easy to Measure

Effective-ness

Direct Mail Med Targeted 2-way High

PR Low Broad 1-way Low-Med

Advertising High Broad 1-way Low

Sales Promotion Med Low 2-way Med

Personal Selling High Low 2-way High

Online Marketing & Newsletters

Low Targeted 1-way Med

Telesales High Targeted 2-way High

Seminars/Events Low Targeted 2-way High

Trade Show Med-High Targeted 2-way Med

Trade Magazines Med Targeted 1-way Med


Best practice - different tools


Managing the Professional Services FirmDavid H. Maister

Free Press Paperbacks

Broadcasting - getting prospects to call you

• Best– Seminars (small scale)– Speeches at client industry

meetings– Articles in client-oriented

(trade) press– Proprietary research

• Middle– Community/civic activities– Networking with potential

referral sources– Newsletters

•“Clutching at straws”– Publicity– Brochures– Seminars (ballroom

scale)– Direct mail– Cold calls– Sponsorships– Advertising


Case Study


Our solution……..

Reducing the time, stress and cost associated with tender and RFP

responses…

…whilst at the same time dramatically improving the quality of the submission.

TENDERING PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMTENDERING PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM


Marketing Plan worksheet


Points of Pain within the prospect

Sales Manager

• stress - will it go in on time (no real ability to track progress)

• loss of sales resource• rushed job = poor quality = less sales

Marketing Manager • rushed job - poor brand image

Sales Person

• stress - can’t get the information I need from vendors

• can’t find the internal information I need• no visibility into who is available to help me

Technical Manager

• last minute requests for configuration, pricing, information

• sales team makes promises I don’t know about

Financial Manager

• unable to properly vet pricing and margin before response is submitted

CEO/Board Member

• no time to review document prior to submission• exposure to risk - pricing, contractual


Sample value proposition

FOR Sales Managers in the high value B2B space

WHO want to free up sales resource and improve their hit rate on tenders

THE Tender Process Improvement Program

PROVIDES a process and tools to improve the effectiveness of the RFP response process

THAT ensures improved sales with less hassle and riskUNLIKE current practicesBECAUSE of our unique sales workflow analysis process that

leads to improved business processes coupled with improved collaboration tools


Integrated Promotional Campaign worksheet


Our campaign

Invitation to seminarInvitation to seminar

Direct mail with offerDirect mail with offer

Follow up

telephone call

Follow up

telephone call

SeminarSeminar

Follow upFollow up

Hand off to salesHand off to sales

Follow up

telephone call

Follow up

telephone call

Hand off to salesHand off to sales

NEW PROSPECTS

EXISTING CUSTOMERS

ConfirmationConfirmation


Hosting An Event


Hosting an Event worksheets


Venues and preparation


Direct Mail – With Offer


Case study direct mail piece


Was It Worth It?


ROI calculator

Documents

Copyright © Bruce Ian Rasmussen, 2006 A proven process to generate prospects for Microsoft solutions