We never have enough marketing materials for the different industries and business units. We have a generic brochure and presentation, but neither addresses the unique needs of our market segments. How do I approach management to convince them to give us better materials? –McKenzi in Boise, Idaho
Answer:
Preparation and participation are primary components for success in any endeavor. Schedule a working lunch or breakfast with your sales colleagues. Ask management to join. The goal is to establish a strategic plan to increase sales and reduce the cycle time. A win-win objective for sales and management is the perfect starting point.
Spend time ahead to organize your thoughts and notes. Begin the meeting by restating the goal, then map the market segments and buyer roles. Get everyone’s buy-in and reach consensus, then tackle the core of the project. For each market segment subset (for example: Market A, Buyer Role 1), think like the buyer. What do they need, want, or lack? How do your products or services provide a solution? Why is it a good fit? Reframe your offering to match the buyer’s need and answer how you will appeal to the specific buyer motivations.
Once you have mapped your market segments and subset buyer roles, you will clearly discern unique positions your product or service fills. It really helps to white board your results so everyone can visualize the big picture. By working as a team to brainstorm and work to your conclusions, everyone is on the same page. Together, you have identified how to position your company in the various markets.
The next step is crucial: You must act upon the vision. Incorporate into your strategy the avenues of outreach and methods of engagement. Leverage your existing generic materials to create easy customized variations. Utilize your marketing team, CRM templates, or a tool like Canva.
The process to identify your market segments and subset buyer roles will enable you to effectively target your prospects. Working through the activity as a team illuminates the need for specific messaging to capture the customer’s attention, speaking directly to their needs, wants, and motivations. You management team will come away with valuable insight and clarity on how to generate more sales and build the business.
Lynn Whitbeck is the co-founder and President of Petite2Queen. She is focused on identifying and evaluating opportunities for women at work, helping them define their personal roadmap. She dedicates herself to delivering tools and insights, embracing visualization of the big picture, and identifying and implementing the minutiae of detail. Lynn aims to share lessons learned along her journey and enable positive uplift for women.