B2B messaging – Using Triggers – 2

B2B, Business, differentiation, Marketing, messaging, persistence, single target market, Triggers

Yesterday I wrote about one of the best triggers that I have found in B@B messaging, when someone joins in a new role from outside the company in the executive position.

There are multiple other triggers that can be used based on the environment the company is operating in.

New regulation / compliances in the industry which everyone has to comply with especially if followed with a time limit
Going out / End of Life – of a license/regulation – again if there is a time limit it is even more critical
Entry of a new competitor in the market
Entry of a new technology
Impact of an event on a competitor and how it can apply to them
Global crisis and many more….

The reason I addressed the “new joinee trigger” as an independent post yesterday was because I have found that to be the most effective. With the above triggers the challenges are seen as more long term and people may not react to your messaging immediately.

Apart from the timing issue the other challenge is again related to targeting the right person in the organsiational matrix with the messaging for the above.

If you have been following my blog, I have given so many tactics for messaging whether its with dissonance or now with triggers or earlier with pain areas and aspiration areas.

The reason you have to test for so many different types of messaging is because you don’t know what kind of messaging will invoke a response from which prospect. You have to keep persisting with trying various options continuously.

So keep testing.

Till next time then

Carpe Diem!!!

Testing…more testing …and even more testing – Part II

Positioning, Product Management, segmentation, Testing

I wrote a post, a few days back, on this topic for identifying the right message, the correct strategy, the correct segment etc. with respect to marketing.

I was wondering if I was being too headstrong in insisting on this.

I just realised, that the nations who were able to bring Corona / Covid19 under control faster also relied on this. While keeping a safe distance and wearing a mask are the only deterrents to catching the Covid19, for the people who are involved in pandemic control, the only method was to test and see how the rate of growth of the pandemic was taking place.

The faster and higher the number of tests being done, the faster the identification of the possible infections , the quicker the response to isolate the people and quarantine them, thus reducing the opportunity for the virus to spread.

On the manufacturing floor also the higher the tests you do in the process, the lesser is the chance that the final product will have defects and will need to be scrapped.

When I visited Paris recently, I visited one of the perfumery companies and they showed us the process of launching a new perfume and how multiple tests had to be conducted to ensure that it did not react with people’s skin and the kind of audience reactions.

For releasing any vaccine they have to go through multiple rounds of tests.

So my rant that the only way to figure out what would succeed in the market is to test, then do more more tests and then even more tests, is actually a standard practice in all kinds of domains. I therefore don’t understand why people in marketing are averse to the idea of having a very serious process of testing their segmentation, niche, messaging etc.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!

B2B Messaging – sequences – Part II

differentiation, messaging, Positioning, Product Management, segmentation

In my last post on this topic, I had written why its important to follow a multi sequence strategy in B2B messaging because of the inertia that people have because of the organizational structures they work in.

I had also spoken about how to put a wedge of dissonance and work on that.

In the technology area which I specialize in, the other reasons for inertia are because people don’t know if the technology is just a passing fad or is it going to stay. So people want to see evidence that the technology you are talking about is getting adopted.

In addition to the above the next item is related to things on the “infrastructure ” a term popularized by Regis Mckenna in his book relationship marketing. This is quite an old book, so some of the technologies listed would seem obsolete, but if you are involved in technology marketing then the concepts listed are very worthwhile.

The “infrastructure ” would relate to things like do we have the skills and capabilities, will we be able to adapt it in our environment.

None of these things will change in a few messages that you send. You will need to keep driving the wedge deeper and deeper, you will need to share success stories to help reduce the fear and figure out ways to be in front of them when either something goes wrong or there’s a new boss who arrives and wants change to take place.

However because you are relentless in reaching out, you also become a fixture in their mind. I remember a customer who gave us a managed services order after more than a year of follow-up, telling me that she had got so used to seeing my letters on her table every month that she had to call me when they thought of outsourcing.

That’s when you take your opportunity and strike and do a fabulous job. As I mentioned in my last post also, it could take you sometimes more than a year to make things happen.

Needless to say, you can’t do this if you’re broad based in the beginning, because the economics and bandwidth both will be an issue. If you have identified a niche and then you do this, then its feasible otherwise its not viable.

Till next time.

Carpe Diem!!!

In marketing Less is More – quite often

differentiation, Marketing, messaging, Positioning, Product Management, Sales, segmentation

If you have been observing the posts I have been writing, in the last few weeks, you would have noticed one common traits.

I have been asking you to continuously reduce and sharpen your focus.

In the marketing focus I spoke about identifying a single niche which is small enough for the big players but large enough for you to focus. So we eliminated all the remaining markets/segments and isolated a minimum viable market to start. Once you become successful in one, then you can move to the next segment and so on.

In the B2B messaging that I have been speaking about in the last few days , again, I have insisted on you sending a message which cannot be made shorter for conveying the information or problem. Once you can start the conversation with the recipient, you then have enough time for discussing about the various services that you offer. But there are so many distractions and complexities in our lifes, that if your message will look even slightly complex people will ignore you.

Its very tempting to try and grab as much as possible in the market, to write as much as possible in your message, but that is the sure shot way to not get anywhere in marketing .

Like the master piece sculpture in the picture, if the artist had not chiseled away the unwanted stone, you would notice this sculpture. Similarly for your market remove all the things which reduce your focus.

In marketing , most of the times , Less is actually More.

Till next time.

Carpe Diem!!!