Crafting Wow Crafting Wow MessagingMessaging

2013 Executive Leadership ConferenceRichard Currier

The breakthrough rules:1. Real customers with clear, pressing needs2. Listen to customers to learn how to lead them3. Showcase theme-based problem-centric stories 4. Change the game to win5. Only leaders thrive

The “Must Do’s” for selling breakthroughs• Thought lead your market• Thought lead accounts• Obliterate obstacles

Wows/ Breakthroughs: Getting There

Message-based strategies define successThemes define how to open-up and then seize/ retain leadership of targeted markets

Message artifacts drive success•Communicating effectively: rich stories•Solving problems: “hook” and “trap” messages

The Critcal Role of Messaging

The Framework for Crafting Messages/ Action

MarketTargetingVision Market

TargetingPositioning

PositioningPackaging

PackagingPackagingExecution

Strategies

Long-term company strategy and marketplace position

Current competitor- and marketplace-focused strategies, tactics and messages[per product/product line/market]

High impactproblem-solving/revenue-drivingexecution

The Tale Telling of the Tale Driving Results

3 - 7+ Years 6 - 18+ month refresh cycle

BusinessStrategies

Programs

Transform Strategies to Action

Level 0 – problem context• Problem theme• Drive the sales cycle/account focus: solve this problem • Drive focus on urgency to drive action

Level 1 – benefit theme• The compelling customer promise• Grabs attention/builds empathy/sets the tone

Level 2 – differentiation theme• “What sets us apart from everyone else is …”• Drives leadership

Account entry/mass market messaging/executive selling

Level 3 – the secret sauces• Key differentiation enablers

avoid fluff, make it real• Defend positioning/set competitive traps

Level 4 – your solution • Prove the vision• Showcase the feature• Ace the checklist• Prove the assumptions/ ROI basis

The Message Structure

VisionMessageStructure

This Stuff Works!Michael Schmitt

E2open SVP Marketing & Prodct ManagementUndifferentiated, sluggish accelerated growth; IPO

RightNowConsultantSluggish growth/ low aura high growth; sold to Oracle

AribaSVP MarketingLegendary silicoln vallet turnaround; sold to SAP

JD EdwardsSVP Sale & MarketingFlat/ eroding leadership doubled revenue; sold to PeopleSoft

Increased Shareholder Value = $6 B!

Wow Messaging for Breakthroughs

Crafting Wow Crafting Wow MessagingMessaging

2013 Executive Leadership ConferenceRichard Currier