preparing sales to sell a new solution - solutions...

Preparing Sales to Sell a New Solution

An ISA Marketing & Sales Community Webinar January 31, 2012

Presented By:

Matt Leary, Principal Solutions Insights, Inc.

with Dr. Peter Martin Vice President

Invensys Operations Management

International Society of Automation

2

Setting the global standard in automation

Books, Transactions,

Magazines, Blogs Provide Education

And Training

Technical Conferences And Symposia

30,000 members globally

Create and Set Standards

3

Theme: Innovation in Automation

•  September 11-13, 2013, The W Hotel, New Orleans, LA Pre-conference workshops: $195 Two day conference registration: $445 member/$595 non-member Early bird registration available until June 1st

•  New in 2013: —  Social media: Special “no distractions” track —  Unconference: Working group discussions on hot topics selected by attendees at

the beginning of the conference

•  Who attends: Marketing, Biz Dev, Sales, Product Managers, Business Owners

•  Why Attend? —  Learn new strategies and tactics that can be put to use right away —  Collaborate and network with peers in the industry —  Insider look at local manufacturing operation during group tour

8th Annual ISA Marketing & Sales Summit http://marketingsalessummit.com

© 2012 Solutions Insights. All Rights Reserved. 4

Topics for Today

●  The concept of “launch” ●  The importance of involving sales ●  5 essentials for ensuring sales adoption and

action ●  Sales Launch Case Study:Getting Sales to

Focus on Business Value at Invensys ●  Closing thoughts ● Q&A


What do we mean when we say “launch”?

To set in motion

To float

To send forth, catapult, or release

To start on a course

To burst out or plunge boldly into action

To propel with force

To involve totally and enthusiastically


Why do we launch a product or a solution in the marketplace?

● Generate interest ●  Educate the market ●  Create media “buzz” ● Generate inquiries –

current and new customers

●  Create brand awareness ●  Upstage competitors ●  Control the message ● Others?


Why do we launch a product or a solution to sales?

●  Generate interest ●  Inform and educate ●  Create internal “buzz” ●  Encourage customer re-

engagement ●  Reinforce competitive

positioning ●  Control the message ●  Create enthusiasm and

momentum ●  Others?


Because of their complexity, solutions require even more attention be paid to the sales launch

Solutions Definition A combination of products, services, and intellectual property focused on a customer business problem or opportunity that drives measurable

business value and can be significantly standardized.

Product Solution Implication for Sales

Easy to describe Difficult to describe Comprehensive yet easy-to-understand descriptions required

Easy to demonstrate Difficult to demonstrate Need for strong examples, use cases, references, simulation models

Few customer stakeholders involved

Many customer stakeholders involved

Preparation with new skills for different conversations

Relatively short sales cycle Relatively longer sales cycle Continuous coaching and reinforcement

Differences Between Products and Solutions


Five elements are essential to ensuring sales adoption and enthusiasm for a new solution


Essential #1: Sales Ready Strategy

• Coordinate with sales prior to formal launch Good

• Involve sales in the testing and validation of the solution

Better

• Top-to-bottom alignment with sales around focus, content and priorities

Best

•  Sales previews •  Sales-only launch events

•  Sales council review •  Sales-led top account

reviews

• Sales input into customer research, solutions design

• Sales involvement at major decision points in process


Essential #2: Content that matters

• Core information on the offer and markets Good

• Specific information about buyers and their needs

Better

• Detailed content that walks sales through the selling process

Best

•  Roadmaps, solution details •  Market overview •  Segment details

•  Typical decision-makers •  Persona-based needs

analysis •  Objections and answers

•  Descriptions and tactics for each sales stage

•  Account planning tools


Essential #3: Assets that “wow”

• Materials and formats that are easy to consume

Good

• Cover all appropriate markets, segments and decision-makers

Better

• Targets and delivers specific information and support when it’s needed

Best

•  Customer-ready value props •  ROI calculators •  Customer references

•  If/then decision trees •  Value props for specific

markets •  Role-play tools by persona

•  Proposal templates •  Playbooks •  Selling tools and guides


Essential #4: Communication, Training and Certification

• Build and communicate a clear solutions rollout plan

Good

• Train key players to be advocates and trainers

Better

• Create experts Best

•  Clear goals and targets •  References ,key contacts

and resources

•  Sales Manager/ Channel Manager training

•  SE/SA sales training

•  Sales, SE, Channel and Partner certification

•  Tools/expectations for ongoing coaching and reinforcement


Essential #5: Support and Follow-up

• An easy-to-use way for sales to give feedback

Good

• Multiple feedback channels Better

• Continuous two-way communications Best

•  Email or web portal •  Internal surveys •  Feedback forwarding process

•  Interviews with early adopters •  Frequent publication and follow

up via FAQs or “best practices”

•  “Hero” profiles and recognition •  Presentations by early

adopters at sales meetings

© 2009 Invensys. All Rights Reserved. The names, logos, and taglines identifying the products and services of Invensys are proprietary marks of Invensys or its subsidiaries. All third party trademarks and service marks are the proprietary marks of their respective owners.

Getting Sales to Focus on Business Value in a Commodity Business

Peter G. Martin PhD Invensys Operations Management January 2013

Background on organization

© Invensys, February 2011

• Invensys • Combination of automation technology companies

• Traditionally focused on feature-function-benefit-proof

• Sales • Product technology/project focused

• Target client – engineering and purchasing

• Automation market segments • Aggressive commodity cycles

• High business value improvement potential

Background on Role of the Solution

$

Time

ROI

Measurable Performance Improvement

(BVS)

Reduce Lifecycle Cost

(ECS)

Somewhat Measured

Not Measured

Invensys Internal Critical Challenges

•  Overcoming technology-project-product focus

•  Conservative Engineering Perspective

•  Accepting multi-vendor solutions

•  Delivery capability (IT infrastructure)

•  Technology development

•  Multiple company mindset & organization

•  Leadership changes

•  Selling – Channels

Different Buyers – Different Imperatives

Executive Client

(profitability)

Technical Portfolio Products

Technical Client

(technology, risk, cost)

Measurable Business Value Improvement Solution

Operational Excellence Solutions

Technological Advantage, Low Price

Enterprise Control System

RFQ (solution)

What we have learned

• Measure of value must align to accounting •  KPIs are not well accepted by accounting

• Must be auditable for validity

• Business solution selling requires consultative approach •  Executive level relationship development

•  Consulting - identify, design and value solutions

•  Difficult for a single sales person to perform in both roles •  Organizational behavior is difficult to overcome

•  Business value solutions – Corporate and Divisional Executives

•  Products/projects - Technologists


Closing thoughts…

●  Involve sales as early as possible in your solution development process

●  Enable sales to sell business value, not products ●  Think beyond enablement – to “mastery” ●  Provide the content they need, when they need it ●  Understand how your tools are used and design them

accordingly ●  Be disciplined about certification, coaching and follow

up ●  Create ongoing two-way communication to improve not

only the solution but also the launch process and tools


Questions?


Thanks for joining us!

Check back at marketingsalessummit.com/blog/

for a copy of the presentation

More information about ISA Sales & Marketing at marketingsalessummit.com

Peter Martin - [email protected] Matt Leary – [email protected]

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