Good solutions matter, especially amid today’s complex shift to hybrid workplaces. But having the best solutions doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t market and sell them. To do that, you need the right message delivered in the right way.
The Mighty Message
Today’s marketing is filled with tools and tactics that marketers could only dream about just a few years ago, including AI, automation, predictive ads, and more. But as much as all of this is an asset when you’ve got the right message, it’s a liability when you’ve got the wrong one.
So what’s the right message? Let’s start with what it isn’t: today’s customers don’t want equipment specs and yet another promise of great service. Instead, they want stories. They want context. And most of all, they want something they can grab onto, something that makes them part of the story you’re telling.
If you really want to move the needle, getting the story right is as essential as getting it in front of customers. Here are some thoughts to guide you.
Know Yourself, Your Competitors and Your Audience
First, talk through your customers, competition, and capabilities. Get together with your team and really define who your customers are. Understand industry concentrations and why you’re successful there. Ask what your desired customers are seeking and why. Discuss how competition is attacking the market and where you win and lose.
Then examine how your capabilities stack up. Do you need to innovate with new product offerings or build a solution around a unique customer need? How about evaluating staff to meet the changing needs of a demanding new technology landscape?
This simple messaging exercise not only gives your marketing focus, differentiation, and a foundation to drive revenue, it actually calibrates your overall business strategy.
Put Your Words to Work
Once you have a messaging foundation in place, it’s time to think about how to use your story to drive outcomes. How can you connect with what prospects are struggling with right now? Here are a few examples we’ve seen bring new prospects to the table:
- Downsized offices – Develop affordable solutions that uniquely meet the needs of streamlined office environments.
- Hybrid offices – Bundle smaller MFPs with remote office technology to give companies an affordable path to mixed onsite/remote work.
- Solutions – Case studies and examples of how you’ve helped other customers solve for today’s problems have never been more important.
- As-a-service – Dealers offering all-inclusive as-a-service solutions have seen strong demand increases and profoundly impactful marketing results.
- The whole office – Marketing messages that reach the larger technology need with additional solutions or financing beyond the MFP lease have seen strong reception in many markets, leading to larger deals and stickier relationships with customers.
Drive Bottom Line Outcomes
Whatever messaging strategy you choose, it’s important to ensure your finance provider is included in the planning. Leading with payments in a time when budgets are under pressure will be foundational to continuing success. After you’ve explored all these areas, you’ll be ready to move on to topics like how AI could help you improve message timing and relevance. And when you do, you’ll be positioned for success because you have a message that connects with customer needs.
