Marketing technology services is difficult. Really, marketing ANY solution is difficult. Though, in my book, technology solutions are the most difficult. After all, they’re complicated, complicated and also normally hard to offer to clients. And also like all intangibles, solutions do not actually exist at all. At least not in the literal sense, like a “thing.” Instead, solutions exist only in the imaginations – as well as created agreements – of their developers.
Ahhh, however items
Products on the various other hand, have compound and also kind. They can be seen, touched, and also held. With products, little is entrusted to the creative imagination. Because of this items far simpler as well as much less risky than services to offer, sell as well as purchase.
Services vs. Item Mystery
For several technology companies solutions supply better revenues than items. Yet they are difficult to offer. Products are easy to sell however they’re much less lucrative. What a predicament.
But what if
Suppose it were in some way feasible to change a solution right into an item? After that you would certainly have the best of both globes. You would certainly have something very successful as well as easy to sell! Well, actually, it is possible to productize any service. And also I’ll reveal you exactly just how to do it. Essentially we’ll change our intangible service right into something substantial, real, as well as simple for clients to purchase.
One daily example of a productized solution
We’re all familiar with insurance policy. A life insurance policy policy, as an example, is a solution product. The representative supplies your policy papers in a sophisticated presentation instance with the policyholder’s name engraved on the cover. The total discussion enhances the sale as well as includes real value and also self-confidence psychological of the buyer. Typically, the much more substantial you make a solution offering (the much more product-like), the much easier it is for both salespeople to market and also customers to purchase. Customers want to know specifically what they’ll obtain when they purchase your service. Plus they require to acknowledge the worth of the service deliverables to their organization. Until you’ve demonstrated these 2 things your client will not commit to acquiring your service.
3 Steps to productize any kind of service
Turning any service into an easy-to-sell item really comes down to these three steps.
Action 1: Determine what issue your service REALLY addresses. Be really certain here. See to it you’re addressing an issue that your clients truly appreciate. This is likewise truly an advantage statement of exactly how you will certainly help the customer. Think exactly how you’ll make his/her life simpler, save/make cash or enhance company procedures, and so on. And also this is no time at all to trick on your own with “artificial advantages” that aren’t actually benefits in any way. Your listing of benefits ought to symbolize the utmost value the customer can intend to get by purchasing and using your service. Currently is additionally the time to think about what makes your solution special. To put it simply, exactly how does your service/product fix the client’s problem much better than any kind of competitive one? An Unique Marketing Proposition (USP) can be exclusive delivery techniques or methods, proprietary software program or devices or very trained workers.
Action 2: What will the customers get from your solution? What are the particular and concrete deliverables?
Every service has a deliverable, appropriate? When product packaging a service into an item the deliverable ought to preferably be concrete. The even more tangible you make the solution and the deliverables the less complicated it will be to market. Instances of concrete solution deliverables include: published searchings for records, documents, Audios and also video, internet sites, analyses as well as recommendations. The goal is to be able to leave something behind as proof that something was done and that the customer received worth. In my experience published reports are exceptional “service shipment artefacts.” Here’s why. People will usually leave them on their desk for a long time. So as a side-benefit you likewise wind up with an advertising and marketing billboard for your solution.
Step 3: Produce advertising, sales as well as training materials.
These materials serve 2 purposes. They give added substance to your service item, making it “really feel” concrete. Component of these products must be valuing guidelines for the main item along with any kind of add-ons. Your materials are also devices for your sales force to present the product and also inevitably close business. Efficient marketing materials are sales brochures, Service Item Descriptions, sites as well as examples of any physical deliverables.
