Don't Be Cool, Be Great

This is the story of a small high-tech services company in North America whose Marketing Department is challenged to create a "cool" image around its B2B services. Those services include: network maintenance, monitoring of critical systems, IT fixes, new user set-ups, procurement of hardware and software, and consulting work. They also offer a green service that is used to cut down on energy use and waste.

The company faces two major challenges: 1) potential customers don't see the value of IT services and 2) the company's pricing point is perceived as too expensive and not worth the value. The Marketing Department wants its audience to understand the value of outsourcing IT and to change its perception of the return on investment.

As always, I like to keep solutions as simple as possible to understand, and that may be part of this company's problem. Instead of trying to convince an audience we are cool and we offer value, we need to show the audience that partnering with us will save them money in the long-term and that we will provide them and their clients and customers with a great experience by maintaining their online presence and making that online presence not only reliable but a great experience for everyone to use, especially their clients and customers.

How do we get that message out? At the end of the day, we want to create a loyal customer base rather than one looking for a bargain. I would analyze our price points but I don't believe that is a long-term solution. Instead, I would focus on building solid relationships with my ideal customers. Here's a few ways to get that strategy moving forward:

• Identify the ideal client: Before we can communicate with our best clients, we have to know what they look like, both the business profile and the decision-maker's profiles. Who do they serve? What do their customers want and need? How would we rate their current IT services? What are their wants and needs? How do we meet their wants and needs? Can we save them money in the long-term? Are they interested in a green solution and how can we help them get noticed for their green efforts?
• Word of Mouth Marketing: This is key and should be the first step of any business trying to grow its customer base. I recommend that we get as many of our leaders out of the office as possible, as often as possible. Where should they go? They should go wherever their ideal customers are and begin building relationships with those customers to learn what they want and need. Networking is not about sales. It is about building a relationship around trust and credibility. It is about creating a brand image based on human touchpoints, not marketing materials. It is about being there for the potential client when they recognize that they need our services.
• Direct Mail Campaign: Direct mail continues to rank as one of our best vehicles for return on investment, when done correctly. Direct mail is not a post card, it is not a sales letter. It is a series of pieces communicated to the right person, at the right business, using a variety of tools, from our web site, to e-mail, to snail mail and telemarketing. The messages must be about the client, not about our business. It must be a message that resonates, inspires and motivates. And it is wise to be a message with an offer and an action point to take advantage of the offer that is clear and easy to use. When we create direct mail campaigns the goals, strategies and tactics are detailed and can take several pages, so I can't describe it here. However, I will repeat that to succeed, everything we say and do in this campaign must be about our customers, not about us. It is always about them, not us.

Obviously, there is much more to be done to get us where we need to be. Building brand and growing a business are a marathon, not a sprint. These two strategies are where I would begin.

Get more high-voltage ideas at BrandingWire.com. This month's marketing and branding experts on BrandingWire are:

Lewis Green

Martin Jelsema

Kevin Dugan

Valeria Maltoni

Steve Woodruff

Drew McLellan

Patrick Schaber

Gavin Heaton

Becky Carroll

Olivier Blanchard

Guest Experts this Month are:

Matt Dickman

Chris Brown

Cam Beck

Comments

[Drew McLellan]

Lew,

Amen on the know your ideal customer. That is one of the toughest lessons for a business owner/leader to learn.

I know that I've certainly been there and done that. Every time I forget the lesson, I re-learn the hard way.

Why is it easier to teach the lesson than remember the lesson??

Drew

[Valeria Maltoni]

Direct marketing still works. Especially in B2B. It was Drew who inspired me to go back to it several months ago with his book.

[Lewis Green]

Valeria,

Thank you for your comment. Direct mail frequently provides a solid solution for our clients, and it is cost-effective relative to other options.

[Lewis Green]

Drew,

I am with you. I give strong advice backed by research and experience to my clients. All too often I forget to take it myself.

[Martin]

Lewis: Yes, this is a company that needs to get back to basics and your suggestions will provide that mindset. I'd only add that building relationships, especially with customers, should be done at three different levels: corporate executive (ROI considerations), IT management (installation, planning and troubleshooting) and IT staff (making life easier). Also, for executive direct mail, nothing beats a high impact, 3D series of boxed mailers. I've used model railroad cars, one at a time, each related to a specific benefit/solution. Then, hand carry the engine in with the first interview. Martin

[Lewis Green]

Thanks Martin for adding some wonderful ideas to my recommendations. Very useful.

[Kevin Dugan]

Lewis - One of the first direct mail pieces should be pretty simple and straightforward along the lines of a customer satisfaction survey that can help fuel some of the much-needed reevaluation you are prescribing here. Get the customers "directly" involved in the changes you are making to show them you are listening!

Great stuff!

[Lewis Green]

Kevin,

Great idea. I might create several ways to execute your idea: Post surveys on my blog and web site, use my distribution opt-in list to e-mail a survey and then create a different survey and cover letter to potential customers using snail mail. In the latter I would reward all those who returned the survey with an hour or two of free consulting.