In the previous post, we talked about how B2B services firms and creative firms need to productize some of their services to make selling and buying easier.
When we work with creative firms, for example, we drive their team crazy with this productizing stuff. (How can you productize creativity, they ask.) But because marketers solve problems, creative firms need to sell solutions.
And when we work with our consulting or business services clients on their sales approach, we coach them on how not to say things like, “We’re a consulting firm.” Or, “We’re an IT managed services firm.” It’s just too broad for decision makers to be able to quickly take in how it will solve their particular problems.
Let’s say that you’re a marketing agency and one of your specialties is providing content marketing. You can’t just approach companies and say, “We offer content marketing services. Is this a current challenge of yours?”
What they’ll say: “We’re handing this all in-house.” What they’re thinking: “Sounds expensive. Sounds complicated. I don’t have time to figure this out.”
Your buyers are looking for the Staples’ Easy Button when it comes to solving their problems.
And that is why productizing some of your offerings does the trick. In the above scenario, you can:
- Develop content marketing service packages at different price points
- Name these service packages
- Develop a sell sheet on each
You can offer them different “turnkey solutions” that makes it easier for them to understand and easier to buy.
This still leaves the door wide open for your other services and other “non-productized” or customized things that you do.
The important thing to remember is that your targeted decision makers are overworked and time-starved. Give them clear, easy to understand options so all they have to do is say, “I’ll pick Option B!”