Due to the rapid and uncontrolled nature of the COVID-19 (coronavirus), we have decided to postpone this course which was scheduled for March 23-24 in Solon, OH. Once there is a better understanding of this virus and its impact, we will reschedule this session..

OVERVIEW:

With a trend toward more customer-centric perspectives, many marketers are leading the charge to shift their portfolios from discrete products to more robust and impactful offerings that integrate services into real business-based solutions. Generating substantial revenue through a solutions strategy, however, requires fundamental changes in corporate culture, the offer development process, portfolio management, and customer relationship management

Building on the experience that the Instructor has with some of the world’s most influential B2B companies, the workshop will provide a hands-on immersion in the models and best practice examples of developing, marketing, and selling high-value B2B solutions.

RECOMMENDED FOR:

• Services and product developers and managers
• Marketers
• Sales and key account leaders
• Strategic planners
• BU leaders

FORMAT:

2-day interactive workshop using a mix of lectures, discussion, and case studies.

OBJECTIVE:

After completing this workshop you will able to:

• Strengthen the focus on solutions strategies and opportunities through organizational and cultural changes
• Ensure alignment with existing product capabilities and strategies
• Select, develop and launch new solutions
• Deepen connections with key customers and prospects around business-critical imperative and objectives
• Shift the marketing activities from “product push” to a more “solutions pull”
• Move a product-focused sales force to a more consultative, problem-solving relationship with its customer base

CONTENT:

This workshop address all of the factors involved in shifting from a pure product operations to a more customer-centric solutions strategy:

• Strategic Alignment
  • Defining solutions opportunities and priorities
  • Establishing solutions governance, organizational alignment, and metrics
  • Designing and implementing a change management/culture shift program
• Offering Distinction
  • Creating differentiated value propositions
  • Building cross-organizational and partner collaboration
• Customer Connection
  • Targeting priority segments and customers
  • Shifting from an outbound to an inbound communications model
  • Connecting with senior and executive-level buyers
  • Developing issue-based campaigns and leveraging social media
• Sales Enablement
  • Moving the sales force from transactional to consultative selling
  • Creating the right systems, tools, and training
  • Aligning metrics and compensation
• Account-Based Marketing and Selling
  • Integrating marketing and sales for key account planning
  • Customizing solutions for individual accounts
  • Crafting and implementing account-level campaigns
• Leveraging New Technologies
  • Using IoT as a solutions building block

SIMULATION GAME:

Students can participate in a unique simulation game that allows them to experience many of the major activities and decisions that a solutions marketing manager would be responsible for.

INSTRUCTOR:

Steve Hurley, Managing Director of Solutions Insights, Inc. specializes in helping medium-sized and large B2B organizations integrate diverse assets and capabilities to meet unique customer needs. As a leading expert on solutions, Steve has worked for the last 20 years with a wide range of B2B companies developing and implementing innovative methodologies and tools to better understand customer problems and opportunities, align internally to build and market true solutions, and re-skill sales forces to articulate the business value of their solutions for customers and prospects.

Along with his consulting work at Solutions Insights, Steve teaches an MBA course on Solutions Marketing at the Hult International Business School and Babson College.

Prior to establishing Solutions Insights, Steve was Vice President at ITSMA, the premier association for technology-based companies focused on marketing and selling services and solutions. Steve was a major contributor to ITSMA’s solutions publications and tools, including its Solutions Roadmap, competency assessment guide, and sales training curriculum. He also launched and led ITSMA’s Solutions Council, bringing together business and marketing executives from two dozen top technology firms to share best practices and explore new thinking in solutions.

Steve received his MBA from the Hult International Business School, formerly the Arthur D. Little School of Management, where he graduated summa cum laude. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in Canada.

HOTEL INFORMATION:

There are no hotel room blocks reserved for this event. Participants are free to book the hotel of their choice. A list of suggested hotels will be posted.