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Positioning: An Important Way to Differentiate Your Brand

Posted on November 3, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

SaaS companies are no longer unique and most of these companies have lots of SaaS competitors with similar services, This makes it difficult to break out and get attention.

Getting attention is similar to the problem in the ‘70s and ‘80s when getting through the media noise almost impossible. Marketing ROIs were getting expensive. Then, JackTrout wrote a book about “Positioning.” The idea of positioning is to find and take a unique position in the customer’s mind. For example, there were many car rental companies at that time, all fighting each other. Hertz was the acknowledged leader. Avis realized that service was an essential outcome people wanted, so they positioned themselves as being #2, so “We Try Harder,” which propelled them into number 2 and above the crowd.

Many SaaS companies are facing that same competitive environment today. Therefore it’s time to take a look at your competitive position.

In an article by Yasmine de Aranda, from Martet8, she stated you have to ask the key question, “Why should a prospect choose you over the competitors”? You need a compelling reason for them to buy from you. Remember, they don’t care about your awesome company until they care about what you can do for them.

The following are some questions you need to create your positioning statement.

1 What data collection and monitoring procedures have you designed to help you get and analyze customer information? Don’t rely on your instincts to generalizations. You will need this data to help you test, adjust and validate your assumptions as you create your positioning statement.

2 Get a detailed understanding of your customers and the outcomes they want. What different outcomes do they want? Have they tried alternative solutions? What concerns do they have? With this kind of data, you can begin to profile the customers you want.

3 Look at your competitors through your customer’s eyes. Look at both competitors and indirect competitors. Look at their positioning and strategy. What outcomes, if any, are they touting?

4 Measure your positioning strategy by sales results. For example, the number of leads per month, the number of qualified leads per month, the time to close, churn rate changes, the average cost to acquire customers and average lifetime value.

Don’t just write down the answers. Ask your customers for the answers. The right position will get you increased responses and conversions, a shorter buying cycle, higher retention, and scalability.

Customer-Centered: How Can I Help You?

Posted on November 1, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

In today’s world, most people realize that you must put the customer first, not the product. ?

But does that mean that you accept everything the customer tells you? NO,

But it doesn’t hurt to be customer-centered and ask how can I help you.

According to David Stucer, in a Sales & Marketing article, you believe the customer when

he is talking about his issues. You do want to pay attention when they tell you their needs

when they tell you what’s broken in their lives, when they tell you why where they are hurting?

A customer comes to you or wants to do business with you because he wants you to solve his problem.

Therefore you have to show him how you can solve his problem or issue.

As David would say: “We hear you, we can help you, here is how.”

This is easier said than done, however. You can grasp the problem conceptually,

but most people have difficulty conceptualizing the solution.

Make it easy for them to see how you can solve the problem,

People often jump to talking about their company and their product or services.

That’s certainly not customer-centric. The customer doesn’t want to hear about your business;

they want to hear about how you are going to solve their problem.

You will get a better reception if you focus on how your business can help him improve his business,

As David would say, “People are far less concerned with doing business with an awesome company

then they are about whether the company can solve their problem”,

What you want to do is consistently tell the story in every media,

about how you solved this problem and that problem related to their problem, market, or industry.

Jim Zitek/Harbor Capital Group

https://https://harborcapitalgroupinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Braintopview-1.jpg.com

Customer-Centered: How Can I Help You?

Posted on November 1, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

In today’s world, most people realize that you have to put the customer, not the product first. But, does that mean that you accept everything the customer tells you? NO,

According to David Stucer, in a Sales & Marketing article, you believe the customer when he is talking about his issues. You do want to pay attention when they tell you their needs when they tell you what’s broken in their lives. And when they say why where they are hurting?

The reason a customer comes to you or wants to do business with you is that he wants you to solve his problem. Therefore you have to show him how you can solve his problem or issue. As David would say: “we hear you, we can help you; here is how.”

Solving the problem is easier said than done, however. You can grasp the problem conceptually, but most people have difficulty conceptualizing the solution. Make it easy for them to see how you can solve the problem,

Most often, people jump to talking about their company and their product or services. That’s undoubtedly not customer-centric. The customer doesn’t want to hear about your business; he wants to hear about how you are going to solve his problem.

The wrong way to go about it is to put the spotlight on your company. The longer you talk about your company, the less time you have to listen and speak to them about their problem, And there is a good chance that after a short time they will stop listening and turn you off,

You will get a better reception if you focus on how your business can help him improve his business, As David would say, “People are far less concerned with doing business with an awesome company then they are about whether the company can solve their problem”, You will also begin to build a relationship with that client,

That’s customer marketing, getting the attention of people who have a need you can meet.

How Empathy Improves Marketing Results

Posted on November 1, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

We have the technology to reach massive audiences. But, this technology also gets in the way of connecting with those audiences. Potential customers know when the purpose is to help the salesperson rather than help them solve a problem or meet their needs. Empathy is critical to all sales. People make decisions using emotions, not just logic.

From an article by Brian Carrol in Sales & Marketing, he explains that sending email after email through an automated system, most get deleted. To get the recipient to read them, you have to address their emotional side (needs, wants, desires).

How do you get empathy? First, you have to shift your mindset to focus on the customers. Then, you can focus on various tactics to enlist empathy and develop a relationship with the customer.

To shift your mindset, don’t let your biases get in the way.

Put customers at the center of your focus. Don’t treat them like sale leads, treat them like humans who have a problem, need, or opportunity.

Analytics and machine learning are insightful and make us smarter, but customers are getting smarter also. They can tell the difference. And remember relationships don’t scale.

Also, you have to keep reminding yourself that you are not the target audience. Keep your biases in check, Have you done enough research on your clients to know what they think, what their mindset and preferences are?

Then, you can implement an empathy-based approach to your marketing.

You have the answers, so listen carefully to the questions (why did they reply? what did they respond to?) and be sure to help them get a solution to their problem. The key is to listen.

Don’t use all your time telling them what you do, tell them what they want to hear, give them answers. This information also allows you to begin building a relationship with the customer.

In the book “The Passion Conversation,” the authors talk about how marketing problems are people problems and how marketing materials are communications tools can lead to word of mouth advertising, But, this approach takes more time than an automated response.

But, relationships don’t scale, and if the information is not relevant, they will unsubscribe.

How To Lead Your Audience Through Your Presentation

Posted on October 30, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

You are now ready to shift to your left brain and put the clusters you identified in a sequence and logical flow. You need to develop a pathway to determine the best order to present the clusters in your presentation.

Here is the problem you are facing. If you read something and you don’t understand it, you can go back to the book, find the material and reread it. When you are presenting, listeners can’t do that, so if they miss something, they have to start thinking and stop listening or interrupt you or give up. None of these options are acceptable.

Therefore, you have to become the navigator for your audience, make it easy for them. To do this, you have put these segments into a logical sequence to create a lucid and persuasive presentation. These techniques are called Flow Structures, and there re 16 of them to cover various types of presentations.

I can’t go through them all in this brief blog, but they are available on our platform or in Jerry Weissman’s book, “Presenting To Win.” They range from the simple like modular or chronological to issues/answers to rhetorical questions.

The flow structure you should use is the one that best fits your situation, your style, and helps tell your story. Remember, the mission is to get to Point B, the call for action. It’s more important that you select one or two flow structures to use. Not choosing a flow structure risks that your presentation rambles along, confusing the audience.

Before choosing, ask these four questions:

What is your Point B?
Who is your audience, and what’s in it for them (what benefits)?
What are the main clusters you need to address?
Why have you organized the clusters the way you have?

Are You Open To New Ideas?

Posted on October 22, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

Since the industrial revolution, the business model of companies has been to build a “hit” product and then sell as many units as possible. The more product you sold, the more you reduced fixed costs (the factory was key), so you could compete on margin and maximize profits. The goal was profits this quarter and this year.

In Tien Tzuo’s book, “Subscribed,” he outlines how everything has changed since the internet, the cloud, and the platform.

Now, we can have a direct relationship with the customer, and consequently, the business model must change as well. Today, we have to start with the needs and wants of customers and create a service that delivers ongoing value to those customers.

Companies need to turn customers into subscribers and develop recurring revenues rather than a one time or occasional buy. Financial attitudes have changed, as well. Because of scalability, rather than quarterly or yearly profits being the measure (looking backward), today’s financials are forward-looking. Use “profits” to scale the business and focus on growth.

Customers have changed also. Today’s digital customers are also moving from products to services. They want to buy what the product does when they need it, not necessarily the product. They prefer outcomes over ownership. Think Uber. About 30 percent of millennials do not own a car but use Uber. Even Catipiller has a subscription option.

This internet-of-things (IoT) or Subscriber Economy is just beginning. If you want to be successful at it, you have to start with the customer, not the product,

How To Begin Preparing Your Story For Presentation

Posted on October 18, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

Anyone who has sat through a presentation knows what a data dump is. The presenter goes on and on in infinite detail until you want to cry or check your email. However, there is a time you will want to do a data dump, and its when you are preparing your story for a presentation.

Jerry Weissman, the author of “Presenting To Win,” has better use for all of this data. Instead of using it in your presentation, get out your whiteboard and set up a brainstorming session, and do your data dump there. You want to identify as much pertinent data as you can so you can create a story that will get your audience to yes.

First, start with the significant points that need to be covered. Then the supporting data for these significant points and connect the supporting data to the significant data points. When you run out of new data, you can begin to cluster the data around each major point.

You should end up with no more than 4 or 5 clusters for any presentation. Then evaluate and prioritize the data attached to each cluster. These four or five significant clusters and their supporting data form the basis and structure for your presentation. But, remember every point needs a benefit for the audience.

This approach will help keep your audiences off their cell phones.

Reverse How You Develop Your Business Model For Better Results

Posted on October 15, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

In contrast to the usual product development model, Steve Blank, in his book, “The Four Steps To The Epiphany,” describes his new approach to developing an efficient and effective path to developing a startup with a real chance of success.

The Customer-Centered Development Model

Most startups lack a process to create, develop, and validate their business. They start by developing the product first because they know its such a great idea. They don’t realize that there are millions of needs and wants in the market, and their view of a need may not match the market’s view of a need or a want.

If you are going to succeed, you can’t be founder-centered; you must be customer-centered.

His model has four steps:

Customer Discovery. Focuses on finding product-market fit by determining if the product solves the customer’s needs and wants.
Customer Validation: Develops a sales model that is repeatable.
Customer Creation: Creates and motivates end-user demand,
Company Building: The move from the learning phase to the business execution phase.

This model flips the “development model” on its head. Rather than developing the product and then finding the market, you do the opposite because it takes several iterations to get it right.. Plus, it’s a frugal way to find out if you have a viable, sellable product. It also keeps you from hiring sales, marketing, and other company development people too early.

Are you preparing your company to meet today’s customer Needs Wants?

How To Find The Structure And Flow Of Your Presentation

Posted on October 15, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

Therefore, you have to become the navigator for your audience, make it easy for them. To do this, you have to have a way to put these segments into a logical sequence to create a lucid and persuasive presentation. These techniques are called Flow Structures, and there re 16 of them to cover various types of presentations.

Following are the 16 flow structures identified by Jerry Weissman in his book, “Presenting To Win”.

Modular

A presentation using a modular flow structure means that each cluster within the story stands on its own, and the clusters are interchangeable. Examples would be a CFO making a presentation on the company’s financial results or a new product presentation on a product’s unique features. You do have to link the clusters together so the audience can follow along.

Chronological

The chronological flow structure connects your clusters along a specific timeline connecting time and change. The emphasis here is on the change that occurs or occurred.

Physical

The physical flow structure is organized around time and a physical place. For example, how and where and why a distribution company added 12 additional distribution facilities over the past year.

Spatial

The spacial flow structure organizes your clusters according to spatial dimensions. For example, describing something from the top-down or bottom-up or the inside out. Illustrations like concentric circles or a product cutaway can help clarify and tie this presentation together.

Problem/Solution

The problem/solution flow structure is very attractive because it has a natural, built-in benefit for its conclusion. Explain the problem and then spend more time talking about the solution. This flow structure is very popular.

Issues/Actions

The issues/action flow structure is similar to the problem/solution, but it is less harsh. Especially if the problem has to do with the company. Some industries don’t like talking about their problems and would rather talk about an issue and the action that leads to the solution.

Opportunity/Leverage

The opportunity/leverage flow structure is similar to problem/solution and issues/Actions but instead of a problem, you are talking about an opportunity and how you plan to exploit that opportunity.

Features.Benefits

The features/benefits flow structure explains the product or service features and the benefits these features deliver.

Case Study

The case study flow structure tells a story about how your company solved a problem or met a special need. It uses your clusters to explain and guide the story to its conclusion. The story needs to be a problem or opportunity that is important to the audience.

Argument/Fallacy

The Argument/Fallacy flow structure is for when you have to face a very skeptical crowd. Here you have to raise arguments against your case and rebut them by pointing out the fallacies or inaccuracies that underlie them. Only choose this strategy when the arguments against you are widespread.

Compare/Contrast

The compare/contrast flow structure is used to compare your company or product or program, etc. against others. Take a specific point and show why you or your product is superior. You have to be careful when using this flow structure because you will have to talk about the other company or its product. You al have to know your audience before using this structure, so you don’t offend people in the audience.

Matrix

The matric flow structure is familiar to most people. It is two-by-two or four-by-four boxes that compares two different issues or opportunities against each other. It can make a complicated topic easy to understand and visually easy to remember. For example, equity types vs. inflation expectations.

ParallelTracks

The parallel tracks flow structure is a complicated structure and is used to explain complicated issues like biochemistry more easily. It takes the matrix and then goes more in-depth into each matrix box to provide additional information.

Rhetorical Questions

The rhetorical questions flow structure takes the audience’s point of view, states their queries, and then answeres those questions. This flow structure is especially useful if you use issues that are on the minds of the audience rather than making up the questions yourself.

Numerical

The numerical flow structure is very familiar. The “ten reasons you should ….” This structure is easy to use, and the audience knows where you are in the presentation at all times, but it can be overused and not as exciting or suspenseful as other structures.

Conclusion

Before choosing, ask these four questions:

What is your Point B?
Who is your audience, and what’s in it for them (what benefits)?
What are the main clusters you need to address?
Why have you organized the clusters the way you have?

How To Start Preparing Your Story

Posted on October 15, 2019 by harborcapitalgroupinc

Anyone who has sat through a presentation knows what a data dump is. The presenter goes on an on in minute detail until you want to cry. During the presentation is not the time to use the data dump, but all this data is essential in preparing to tell your story.

Begin with a data dump in a brainstorming session

Jerry Weissman, the author of “Presenting To Win,” has better use for this data. Instead of using it in your presentation, set up a brainstorming session, and do your data dump there.

Preparation for your story begins with the data dump, and the way you arrive at the data dump is through a brainstorming session. Brainstorming is a process of free association, creativity, randomness, openness. It helps you consider all the information you think should be in the presentation without consideration of it being logical or valid.

Logic comes later when you sort, select, and eliminate data into a form that flows logically to help you get the audience from A to B.

Here are the good news and the bad news about getting the information we need. The right part of our brain thinks creatively, and the left part of our brain thinks analytically. Business people are mostly left brain or logical thinkers. So they want to apply logic immediately. But in brainstorming, we want the free flow of creative thinking, so we can get all the information needed to tell our story. We will sort the data out later.

Another point. The right side of the creative side of our brain controls language. The left side controls our written communication. So the brainstorming session has to be verbal because we are looking for creativity. Creating a presentation is a creative task.

How to manage the brainstorming session

Start with a blank whiteboard and draw frame. The frame is a concept developed by Jerry Weissman. On the outside of the frame, identify the outer limits of the brainstorming session.:

Point B. The objective of the presentation or the Call To Action
The audience, Their knowledge level and what they need to know to understand, believe, or act on what you will tell them
Benefits. All the audience benefits pertinent to the product or service
External Factors. This term refers to is information that could be positive or negative such as faster-growing market or a new competitor
Presentation Setting. Who is presenting, when, before or after who, where, audio-visuals available, etc.

Now you are ready for the brainstorming session itself.

The Brainstorming Session

On the whiteboard, draw the Frame described above. You can use colored markers for different groups of main points and different levels of ideas. The only rule is that every thought is acceptable at the time given. The idea of the brainstorming session is to identify significant or parent ideas and as many ideas as possible. One person’s “bad idea” may trigger a good idea from someone else.

Ideas should be free-flowing without structure and be whatever comes to mind. When a significant idea is expressed, write it on the whiteboard and circle it. When supporting ideas are given, also put them on the whiteboard and draw a circle around them. Then connect each one io the major idea. Going through the brainstorming process, you will see a panoramic view of the entire presentation.

When you finally run out of ideas, you can begin to use your brain’s logical side to organize, delete, rearrange, and add data. The next step is to put this data into a structure.

Begin clustering the data into a viable structure

Clustering is how you get from the data dump to a structure for the presentation. Clusters are the major parent ideas. Move the parents and data around if needed. However, it would be best if you reduced these parent ideas down to four or five clusters. Then evaluate and prioritize the data attached to each cluster. These four or five significant clusters and their supporting data form the basis for your presentation. Next, you want to think about the organization and the flow of this information for your presentation.