Services Offered
Defining a "Solution"

"Solutions" is one of those slippery words that can mean anything and everything. In the context of B2B companies, however, the term has taken on a specific meaning.  A council of leading solutions marketing professionals, sponsored by ITSMA, developed the following definition:

"A solution is a combination of products, services, and intellectual property focused on a specific business problem that drives measurable business value."

While we like and agree with this definition, we believe that it's missing s few important elements, so here is our definition:

"A combination of products, services, and intellectual property focused on a specific business problem or opportunity that drives measurable business value and can be significantly standardized. The solutions components can be from either the vendor and one or more partners, and the solutions implementer can be the vendor, the partner, the customer itself, or a combination of the three."

It's a bit longer, and doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but we nevertheless have found that it clicks with both buyers and sellers given its emphasis on solving specific business problems with measurable business value.  Also, the value is determined by the amount of the solution that is delivered by each of the parties involved in creating the solution. Understood as such, the word "solution" can get beyond the hype and provide important direction to business strategy and operations.

Search our Website
Connect With Us

Solutions Marketing Success Model
Download Free Report

Solutions Marketing Blogs
Solutions Marketing LinkedIn Community

 

Recent Engagements

  • > Assisted a large IT solutions company to strengthen its messaging to the market
  • > Rebranded a non-profit organization in the economic development sector so that it reflects its new mission and services areas, including the development of real solutions
  • > Helped a large telecommunications firm redesign its customer reference program to integrate it across the company and ensure greater value to marketing, sales, and participating customers
  • > Built a much stronger key account planning program for a large systems integrator
  • > Trained the sales force of a large semi-conductor company on how to articulate the value of their solutions 
  • > Redesigned a marketing metrics system for a large software company to better understand their success in selling solutions
  • > Broke down the silos between Business Units of a large professional services company to allow for better communications and resources-sharing to be able to develop solutions

 

For more examples of our work:

Here's what our clients are saying about us...

> "SI can claim to have had a major impact on our success...they're very professional, dedicated, competent, and concerned."

> "(We've received) extensive benefits. We have undergone a major renaming and rebranding in a very short period of time, we've narrowed our business development focus and seen great results."

> "Our revenues grew by 50%."

> "They're great to work with."

> "We want and expect to work with Solutions Insights over the long term... hopefully we can continue to work together."

 

 

 

resources

   

 

 

Solutions Marketing Consulting Overview


Solutions Insights helps companies with solutions strategy, organization, marketing and sales. In other words, we help you figure out what sort of solutions business you want to build, how to build it, and then how to connect with customers and close the deal.

Solutions-Marketing-Services

 

Specific services include:

  • Strategic Alignment
    Aligning the organization around solutions strategy

    Most business units practice what child development specialists call “parallel play.” They’re preoccupied and content with their own activities, and pay little attention to the other units.     Our approach and tools focus on assessing the severity of organizational isolation, identifying specific opportunities and benefits for cross- business unit collaboration, and building a sturdy foundation for solutions-driven integration. 

    Learn more about Strategic Alignment services
     
  • Offering Distinction
    Developing and launching compelling new solutions

    The sad reality is that most so-called solutions struggle for a foothold in the market. Companies pay too little attention to the early stages of solutions development, resulting in offerings that sound just like the competitors’ and still miss the customer mark. Our approach and tools focus on creating disciplined development processes, highly-targeted value propositions, and effective launches that pave the way for sales success.

    Learn more about Offering Distinction services
      
  • Customer Connection
    Deepening connections with customers and prospects

    Too many marketing groups continue to pitch the features, functions, and benefits of individual products and services with little connection to the actual business challenges their prospects care about most. Our approach and tools focus on creating persuasive thought leadership and rich content that speaks to customer needs first, and provides ongoing lead development, nurturing, and social media initiatives that broaden and deepen essential connections.

    Learn more about Customer Connection services
     
  • Sales Acceleration
    Shortening the sales cycle for high-value solutions

    Product-oriented companies spend an enormous amount of time and energy training their sales teams to sell     the products that come off the line and are ready for sale. For solutions, salespeople need to be highly consultative, understanding how to balance customization with standardized features and characteristics. Our approach and tools focus on reorienting sales support, innovating with key accounts, and providing the highly focused training and coaching that underlie solutions selling success.

    Learn more about Sales Acceleration services