Brand as a Sales Accelerator: Leveraging an Underutilized Asset

Transcription

1 Brand as a Sales Accelerator: Leveraging an Underutilized Asset May 21, 2013 Sponsored by: The Delve Group Produced and Presented by: The Outsourcing Institute

2 Today s Speakers Brenna Garratt The Delve Group CEO Nick Alexander The Delve Group Senior Associate

3 The Outsourcing Institute Located at outsourcing.com Over 70,000 Executive Members Globally Trends, Best Practices, Case Studies Training Through OI University Specialize in Low Cost Alternatives for Outsourcing Buyers Needing Assistance with RFP Development and/or Vendor Selection: Outsourcing RFP Builder Software Matchmaker Service Qualified Demand Generation Programs Outsourcing Jobs Opportunities and Recruiting Services Through CMS Inc. Local, Intimate and Interactive Outsourcing Road Show Sponsorship and New Business Development Opportunities & Programs For more information contact us at: or ext. 712

4 Poll Question #1 How many companies attending this call offer a truly unique offering to the market. How many are competing with companies that offer similar products and services? A. We have a unique offering, specialized expertise, or specific focus B. We are one of a few competitors some are pure-plays and others are larger firms with much broader offerings C. We compete with many similar companies 4

5 The World Through a Service Provider s Lens Increasingly difficult to stand out what were once key differentiators are now me-too fodder A sourcing advisor said he could not say how we are different from our rivals. What do you mean they don t know who we are? So do we! We do that too! Why didn t we know about that deal? It was perfect for us! The only way to win this opportunity is to lower our costs why is it still about cost? 5

6 Buyers are Looking for Efficient Ways to Select Providers Accenture Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Accenture BPO Services Global Capabilities? AccountantAnywhere EDS igate Global Solutions ACS Geller & Company PeopleSoft Full Service or Pure Infosys Technologies Play Provider? Ltd ADP Convergys Corporation Perot Systems Intelenet Global Services American Outsourcing Leading Group or Core3 Proprietary Rehmann IQ BackOffice Technology? Group BearingPoint SAP America Deloitte Touche Karvy Tohmatsu Global Services Limited Brigade Corporation Process Specific Satyam Keane Worldzen Expertise? Computer Services Ltd. Caliber Point Business Solutions EDS Tata Consultancy Services KPMG International Large Cap Gemini or Mid-Market Geller & Company Liberata Focused? Texoft PLC Capita Group Plc Genpact The BISYS Group Mellon Financial Corporation CGI Customized Group Inc. HCL Technologies vs. Oracle Standard Ltd. VSource Corporation Solution? Computer Sciences Corporation Hewitt Associates Wipro Technologies Outsource Partners (CSC) Business Hewlett Packard International, Company Inc. WNS Value? (OPI) Global Services Convergys Corporation Best-in-Class? HighRoads Xchanging Core3 IBM Global Services Zensar Technologies Ltd. 6

7 The World Through an Outsourcing Buyer s Lens Hyper-competition and too many choices. The outsourcing industry is more crowded than ever and buyers are continually challenged to differentiate one provider from another I have not heard of this provider. Maybe we should go with a known company? They are just like the others so let s ask them to match their pricing. All their products and services are the same. Even after our procurement process, there is still no clear standout provider. 7

8 Who is Defining What Your Company Stands for? If you don t define who you are your competitors and prospects will do it for you and chances are, they will get it wrong. 8

9 Poll Question #2 If you asked your executive leaders, sales force, and marketing team to explain your company s value proposition, would they all say the same thing? A. Executives and Sales would say the same thing B. Sales and Marketing would say the same thing C. Marketing and Executives would say the same thing D. Everybody would say something different 9

10 What we would like to discuss today Brand development is business development Consistency is vital throughout all communications written and verbal How brand awareness and storytelling are critical to the sales success Share an easy-to-use tool to help with all of the above Sales Battlecards 10 10

11 Sales start before your salesman calls A now-famous ad once showed a skeptical business person and a quote: I don t know who you are. I don t know your company. I don t know your company s product. I don t know what your company stands for. I don t know your company s customers. I don t know your company s record. I don t know your company s reputation. Now what was it you wanted to sell me? 11 11

12 Consistency Enables Brand to be a Sales Accelerator Successful brands are built by Identifying unique brand attributes Developing a differentiated market positioning and messaging Communicating consistently across all mediums When done successfully, consistent communications accelerate the sales process and empower your sales team to be more effective. Market Positioning & Messaging Accelerated Sales Cycle Sales Web PR 12 12

13 Why are Stories Important? People buy from people People remember stories Horace was one of the great Roman poets and a fantastic story teller But not everybody is a natural story teller like Horace which is where sales battlecards come in handy 13 13

14 Sales Battlecards 14 14

15 What are Sales Battlecards? A means to align your messaging and marketplace positioning with other outreach efforts A tool to ensure your sales force is equipped with what makes your company different from your competition To allow flexibility for each sales person s experiences all while keeping the conversation focused on your strengths 15

16 The Quest: What is Most Unique About Your Company? Unique Valued Table Stakes Closing the Deal Short List Market Player What expertise, experience, skills, capabilities, thoughtleadership, values, client management can only you claim? Must be prove-able. What messages are more valued to your prospect s needs? What will they use to narrow the potential field of choices? What are the pre-requisite claims needed to be in the office/work environment business? What messages does everyone claim? Robust brands address all levels of messaging expected and desired in the market 16 16

17 Component #1: What s Your Elevator Pitch? How would you most succinctly tell somebody what you do who would not be familiar with your business? No jargon use kitchen table English Don t try to explain everything Intrigue someone to ask more questions 17

18 Component #2: What s Your Value Proposition? What s the greatest value your clients receive by working with you? Focus on the aspects of your business that are most unique Be as objective as possible in terms of what it would be like to be a client of yours? What do you think makes you different/special? 18

19 Component #3: What s Are Your 3-5 Key Messages? If someone threw a basket of ping pong balls at you how many would you catch? No more than 3-5 messages! Key messages are core focal points about what you do and what clients can expect and (ideally) only things you can claim These messages should be relevant to your audiences as well as prove-able. You must be able to share how you have done this for others 19

20 Component #3: What s Are Your 3-5 Key Messages? Consider your competition when you determine these messages Do they claim them too? If so they are not your most unique messages Once determined and tested these messages become the foundational platform for your differentiation and marketplace positioning 20

21 Component #4: What Are Your Client s Pain Points? Put your client s shoes on what are their most pressing challenges and how can you help them? Having a clear understanding of their needs will enable you to craft the best solution for them based on your skills and capabilities. 21

22 Component #4: What Are Your Client s Pain Points? Having these pain points outlined also enables your organization to bundle its skills and expertise to create scalable solutions if you typically engage clients with similar needs. 22

23 Component #5: What s Your Core Expertise? You would be surprised how often an organization s core expertise gets buried within itself Keeping it top-of-mind and articulated in a consistent manner enables the prospects to recognize you for these skills and experience Over time you ll create your own demand for this expertise 23

24 Component #5: What s Your Core Expertise? This might seem like Sales 101 but many factors can cloud this fundamental information It s also critical to articulate it consistently 24

25 Component #6: Have Your Company Facts Handy This card is an extension of your core expertise but it s more tactical o o What services do you offer? What industries do you have deep expertise in? 25

26 Component #6: Have Your Company Facts Handy o o o Who are your marquee clients? What awards and recognition have you achieved? What certifications and other credentials do you have? 26

27 Component #7: Know How to Win Against the Competition Knowing who you are selling against is a critical ingredient Most companies have 3-5 core competitors They should know how to position their skills, capabilities and value relative to their usual suspects 27

28 Component #7: Know How to Win Against the Competition What makes you better/different than your competitors? 28

29 Sales Battlecards Summary Elevator Pitch Value Proposition 3-5 Key Messages Client Pain Points Your Core Expertise Company Facts Competitive Selling Points 29

30 When Should You Use Them? Before a sales call (like Flash Cards) While on an initial phone call with a prospect or influencer As a reference guide in written conversations To help other people tell your company s story and value In a RFP Executive Summary During the training process when onboarding new employees In marketing and communication materials 30

31 Developing Sales Battlecards Is an important exercise in objectivity Strategic positioning and messaging can be more powerful when the research is conducted by a third party because: You are very close to what you do; sometimes it takes an outsider to see what makes you special Clients, prospects, and partners can be candid when speaking with a third party We know the challenges of long, complex sales cycles especially in the outsourcing industry To learn about our strategic branding sales and marketing expertise and to download this presentation go to: www. 31

32 Brenna Garratt The Delve Group, Inc. 122 West 26 th Street, Suite 1204 New York, NY x16 www.

33 At Delve, we know the power a strong brand can have and how it can enable our clients to achieve measurable improvements in their business Our Core Strengths: Deep experience and relationships in the outsourcing/offshoring market Proven methodology to communicate clearly and simply what a business does and how it s unique amongst its competitors and alternatives Steeped knowledge of complex sales and marketing environments Enable our clients to know their strengths and to grow their business while communicating consistently internally and externally Track record of creating market leading brands 33

34 About The Delve Group: Client Snapshot 34