In B2B sales cycles, the customer-sales interaction is your most important marketing tool, where value is created and differentiation occurs. At the end of this hands-on seminar, you will walk away with a repeatable process for increasing marketing’s impact on selling.
Traditional messaging and marketing communications can fall short in helping customers understand and make decisions about our offerings. In fact surveys indicate that up to 90% of traditional marketing support materials are unused in the field, leaving critical customer conversations to chance. The problem is that messages are either too high-level and fail to speak to the customers’ challenges, or too low-level—filled with product features, complex specifications and conflicting value propositions. What’s needed is a messaging architecture that begins with the customer’s business issues, is vetted through sales, synchronized to the customer buying process, and produces content that can be used powerfully across marketing touchpoints —including customer-sales conversations.
Customer Message ManagementTM is the leading approach for creating differentiated customer value messages, and using that content consistently and powerfully in sales-ready marketing communications.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Build a Customer Message MapTM
Develop a messaging framework (strategy) for aligning marketing and sales.
2. Create Customer-Relevant Messaging
Structure the unstructured messaging process with a repeatable method and templates.
3. Write value messaging content based on the Message MapTM
Map your company’s products and “best answer” solutions to customer pain points.
4. Develop sales-coaching and customer-facing collaterals that map to the sales cycle
Discover the tools that drive and support the desired consultative best-selling practices.
5. Evaluate ways to embed customer messaging process into your organization
Launch your new messaging and tools in a way that ensures sales usefulness and adoption
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
TIM RIESTERER co-developed the Customer Message Management approach for creating more customer-relevant, sales-ready Marketing, Communications and Sales Support. He has lead Customer Message Management initiatives for world-class companies such as American Express, Manpower, Caterpillar, FedEx, ADP, AmerisourceBergen, HP, Mastercard and others.
Tim is the co-author of “Customer Message Management: Increasing Marketing’s Impact on Selling” (AMA/Thomson July 2006) and the SVP of Strategic Consulting and CMO for Corporate Visions Inc. He has 20+ years of experience in strategic consulting services, executive marketing and sales, advertising and communications with in-depth knowledge in message development and delivery methods.
Tim helped found and direct the AMA’s Marketing and Sales Alignment Forum, an industry consortium that produced web seminars, internet radio broadcasts, regional conferences, newsletters, and an online community. And, he also served as the co-host of the AMA’s internet radio show – “Marketing News Live.”