BB Marketing for Advanced Tech Firms
Transcription
BB Marketing for Advanced Tech Firms
B-B Marketing for Advanced Tech Firms Enterprise Chapter of Los Angeles AIAA Western Office 999 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 440 El Segundo, CA 90245 5 May 09 Dennis Wonica, Ph. D. LaserLight Networks Inc. 213-928-3822 dwonica@laserlightnetworks.com Outline Overview + Definition of Marketing Phases Strategy Tactics Operations Pricing Distribution & Sales Segmentation Forecasting Buyer-Seller Response E-Mail WEB 1.0 vs. 2.0 LATEST PROBLEMS & TRENDS Social Media 2 of 43 Motivation for Briefing Most ―Marketing‖ = Business to Consumer (B-C) Most high tech start-ups market and sell Business to Business (B-B) and/or Business to Government (B-G) methods different Odds of success higher for advanced tech startup selling B-B 90% of fastest growing private businesses sell B-B Higher prices Higher growth areas New, Unique, and Different products STAT Source: Scott Shane, The Illusions of Entrepreneurship, Yale Univ., 2008 © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 3 of 43 Adopting “Bigs” Best Practices Myth Bigs Smalls Hierarchies to handle processes Economy of advertising scale = high fixed costs, lower marginal costs Resources for distribution, sales, customer mgmt. Brand recognition Testing capabilities Hierarchies; different structures, bus. models High advertising cost per unit item Limited resources processes inefficient, ineffective, or nonexistent Build Brand from zero – takes time Very limited testing capability Determine strategy first, then adopt/adapt © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 4 of 43 Typical M&S Numbers Typical Costs for Industrial Products via Direct Sales Established Lead Percent of Generation Revenue Firms Marketing 60% 3.8% Sales 40% 11% M&S Total 15% As high as 30% STAT Source: Marketing Sherpa, New B-to-B Research; Business Technology Marketing Trends, July 2007 New firms might exceed 30% M&S © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 5 of 43 Marketing in Company Context PROTOTYPE Technology Portfolio FINISHED PRODUCT SUSTAINING ENG. NPD MARKET Resources Debt & Equity Debt & Equity STOP SALES $ $ $ COMMERCIALIZATION OPEN MARKET Tactical Marketing Strategic Marketing Technology Selection © 2009 Dennis Wonica Operational Marketing Product Launch LaserLight Networks Inc. DISTRIBUTION REVENUE 6 of 43 Definition of Marketing Phases STRATEGY TACTICS OPERATIONS Ideate, define, develop, evaluate & select projects for Commercialization Support design, development of specific product, prepare for Commercialization Distribution, Sales, Customer Relationship Mgmt., Servicing, Operations & Maintenance Transform Technologies via projects into products & service Determine product features for customer, refine plans, launch product Support Post Product Launch GOALS © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 7 of 43 Which Matters Most? Marketing vs. Sales Strategy Tactics Operations Answer: A Continuum No Strategy No Customer No Tactics No Sellable Product No Operations No Revenue © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 8 of 43 Phase Processes vs. Personnel Founders CTO, CFO, CMO Strategy Ideation/Concepts Identify Segments, Targets Position in Chain Competition Alliances, Mergers, Acquisitions, Partners Risks Model Financials Forecasts Rank, Select Tech for NPD Evaluate, select best portfolio Company level communications © 2009 Dennis Wonica Product Director Marketing Director Tactics Start Commercialization Translate Customer requirements into technical requirements [Market Req. Doc] Analyze Customer preferences for product Functions/Features Define Benefits Position product Prepare for Launch Define promotional methods Define distribution channels Refine forecasts Pricing LaserLight Networks Inc. Salespeople Administrative Accounting Operations Sales Admin/Collection Customer Relationship Mgmt Service, Maintenance, Repair, Support Distribution & partner mgmt. Maintain brand Manage product upgrades, performance, enhancements Feedback on trends Acquire field data 9 of 43 “You‟ve got to be careful if you don‟t know where you‟re going „cause you might not get there!” --- Yogi Berra STRATEGY Why You Need a Strategy Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where‖ – said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat. "– so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation. "Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough." © 2009 Dennis Wonica ? LaserLight Networks Inc. Research suggests innovators have 10% chance of starting with right strategy Source: C. Chistensen and S. Anthony, “How to be a Disrupter,” Forbes, Jan 2007 11 of 43 Segmentation Market Driven Incremental © 2009 Dennis Wonica RISK Technology Driven Evolutionary LaserLight Networks Inc. Revolutionary 12 of 43 Market Driven SELECT CRITERIA Common for B-B Geography Industry Dimension Behavior Benefits Economic State National Sector Regional World © 2009 Dennis Wonica Direct, distributor Cost VAR, Number OEM; factories, Performance Tech or employees, non-tech, “ilities” users brand loyalty LaserLight Networks Inc. Stage/ Timing Turnover, production process, Type/size Product Life Cycle of customers, Buying cycle, Patterns Organization Procedures; Centralized decentralized; Profiles of decision makers 13 of 43 Revolutionary: Create A Market High Risk Problem: No Data Exist No Comparable Products Old Customers Provide Bad Input New Customers Unreliable Identify and Prioritize Risks + Assumptions • Define Good Enough Solution to Problem, Need • Reverse Engineer Financials • Identify 50 Assumptions/Barriers Solution Outline: Poke It with a Stick Observe Reactions Learn as You Go for Little Expense Develop Strategy from Responses Validate Assumptions, Reduce Risks thru Experiments Assess, Shape Strategy for Best Chance of Success • Use Prototypes • Simulate Market Locally • Examine External Data • Research Market at Grassroots Level • Test, Test, Test • Change as Necessary • Enhance Understanding • Constantly Reduce Risks • Verify or Refute Assumptions Iterate, Continue Risk Reduction © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 14 of 43 Create A Market - Methods External Focus - Triangulate Talk to Sales People & Distributors Perform Customer Ethnography Talk to VCs, Consultants, Sector Experts Study Lead Users Examine Non-mainstream Fringes © 2009 Dennis Wonica Personal Interviews With Potential Customers Delphi Method LaserLight Networks Inc. 15 of 43 Evaluate Segments—Filters SEGMENTS 1. IDENTIFIABLE 2. DIFFERENT 3. ACTIONABLE 4. MEASURABLE 5. ACCESSIBLE 6. SIZEABLE 7. STABLE © 2009 Dennis Wonica 1. Responds differently to different tactics 2. Recognizable using common variables 3. Can you make a useful product for it 4. How large is it 5. Reachable through distribution/sales 6. Big enough to be profitable + ID purchasing authority 7. Roughly static over time period LaserLight Networks Inc. 16 of 43 Forecasting 17 of 43 Forecasting Financial Engineering Strategy includes Forecasting Feeds into pro forma statements External investors demand but discount projections Nail down Cost of Goods Sold because Revenue more difficult to estimate than Cost Forecasts are dynamic: Diffusion of Innovation Product Substitution Trends Complementary Disruption Changing Market Environment – Politics, Legal, Economic, etc © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 18 of 43 3 Sales Computation Methods Sales = [# Buyers x Quantity Purchased] x Market Share x Price Could Estimate Separately for Existing Market Must estimate Separately for New Market You Vs. Competitors Your Goal: 100% Chain Ratio (aka Chinese Market Method); Judgments Top Down Market Based Your Price per Unit Scenario Based Optimistic Bound & Converge Bottom Up Customer Based Most Likely Direct Sales Pessimistic © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 19 of 43 Competitor Analysis Rank Ordered Methods Other Competitors’ sales people Customers Speeches Reverse engineering Competitors’ reports Business publications Prof. reports (white papers) 10 K Reports Distributors & dealers Trade shows Government publications Company Insiders © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 20 of 43 Check Point If the numbers don‟t add up + timing is off, there is no point in proceeding STOP © 2009 Dennis Wonica Sufficient Target Size Revenue > Costs Niche Low Competition Timing LaserLight Networks Inc. 21 of 43 TACTICS Concept Testing Expose customer to single concept, get direct response (monadic testing) Accurate 80% of time within 20% range Data from: personal interviews, Web surveys, Email, panels, telephone, et al Useful as Bulk filter: Establish features before starting costly product dev. Level of interest, rough price vs. volume demand Execute at low cost, change rapidly, repeat Use Prototypes - evaluate fit vs. needs Source: L. Lodish, Pricing and Positioning for Entrepreneurial Marketers, March 30, 2005 in Knowledge@Wharton © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 23 of 43 Pricing Impacts Profit more than Cost or Volume Price factors Company Strategy Sales execution People Mgmt. Metrics, Records Gov’t Regulations Source: Profiting from Tough Times Ways Transactional Price Management can be used to create a competitive advantage during a recession Deloitte Consulting LLP September 2008 © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 24 of 43 Pricing Methods Price by Feature Value in Use Market Based Competition Price as Whole Product Target Price = Target Cost + Target Profit Technology, SOA, or Complex Product Cost & Technology Based Total Product Cost Cost + Acceptable Markup Lifetime Cost © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 25 of 43 Pricing Most new products + ALL revolutionary products use Market Based pricing Substitute product - know price range of competitor products + compare to your costs Plan to lower costs in future as commoditization sets in Unless you sell in sector with increasing returns (e.g., software) pricing depends on perceived differences in value Differences = benefits which come from features Aim for differentiation, price premium You sell benefits not features © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 26 of 43 OPERATIONS Direct Sales vs. Distributors Direct Sales Founders at Start; Your own employees Reseller – Distributor Sells your product as is Sells your product and bundles other products together to solve Value customer problems Added Value Added = Reseller or Relationships + Distributor Integrated Solutions or Systems May become a customer Sales Reps Commission/Contracts Bear own sales expenses © 2009 Dennis Wonica Majority of high-tech + almost all firms selling B-B use own direct sales force Limited customers + technical nature of product Complex product dictates multiple customer contacts Use Distributors depending on: Market size + locations Cost efficiency - fixed lower cost, higher variable costs Standard product CRM or O&M Needs Quality of distributor staff, capabilities in complementary areas LaserLight Networks Inc. 28 of 43 Customer Relationship Mgmt. New CRM = Customer Accountability Treat best customers well Fire worst customers Focus on Market Drivers – do not let: First big customer define your market direction and force you to over extend capacity Customers force you to a one off product Competitors force you to me too products Voice of Customer Track Interact Monitor Update Immerse © 2009 Dennis Wonica Survey customers regularly Survey after critical interaction Examine e-mails, calls, Blogs Obtain future needs Interact, visit LaserLight Networks Inc. 29 of 43 LATEST PROBLEMS & TRENDS Qualified Leads to Prospects 20% Inquiries to Qualified Leads 40% 12% Begin at the End—Sales Prospects to Sales Even for established, Best Practice firms selling B-B: Lead Conversion Rate 1%!!! Increase your odds: Create unique product Find select customers Focus on customer needs revolutionary if possible target niche Statistic Source: Marketing Sherpa, New B-to-B Research: Business Technology Marketing Trends, July 2007 © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 31 of 43 Top Problems TOP PROBLEMS RANK ORDERED M&S to Committees, Groups Competing for leads in rich media environment Company Size Avg. # Participants 100-500 501-1000 > 1000 7 14 21 Generating PR Creating perceived value Long sales cycles “Decider” involved @ $25K Threshold! Budget New marketing methods Source: Marketing Sherpa, New B-to-B Research: Business Technology Marketing Trends, July 2007 © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 32 of 43 Buyer Finds Seller 80% of Time PUSH SUPPLIER BUYER Now I’m ready to purchase And only when Buyer is ready to act Message SELLER NEEDS TO BE CONSTANTLY VISIBLE Smaller constant activity better than burst activity Traditional Direct Methods still important Brand helps visibility – but only a start Nurture prospective Buyers – keep educated & aware Operations (Sales) closes on Buyers ready to act, converts to Revenue © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 33 of 43 Sales Reality Match Message to Buyer Cycle Celebrate Follow Up Demo Webcast Bid/Quote E-Mails Buy THRESHOLD White Papers Evaluate & Decide Company Data Website ! Problem © 2009 Dennis Wonica Advocate Retain Consider 7-21 People Aware Search LaserLight Networks Inc. BUYER TIME 3-18 Months 34 of 43 MOSTLY TACTICS….. E-Mail Opening Rates Decreasing Use consistent address - most recipients report spam based on From field Design for common E-Mail Programs • Most B-B recipients use either Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes • For marketing messages, some use Yahoo = 25%; Hotmail = 20%; AOL = 18% Most decide to read message depending on Subject Line; skim contents of 4”x4” reading pane Include contact info as appropriate © 2009 Dennis Wonica Get to the point—summarize or use short sentence—link to Web Site LaserLight Networks Inc. 36 of 43 Monitor E-Mail Delivery Yahoo blocked both spam + legitimate e-mails from bulk senders on March 11 when it changed its inbound mail service Separate Transactional messages from Marketing messages Use dedicated IP address for Transactional messages Fed CAN SPAM Act: commercial E-mail must have opt out clause Does not apply to Transactional & Relationship E-Mail Authentication helps but don’t send too many messages Mail servers use rules looking for excessive bounced e-mails – clean your list Regular Certified (Goodmail Systems, et al) Certified Email Paper Suppression (Goodmail Systems) © 2009 Dennis Wonica ESPs provide reporting capabilities; request subscribers place your e-mail address onto their ―safe list‖ Provides services/tools to help your message get to inbox intact; software embedded into commercial spam filters used by large corporations; only accepts 10%-20% of applicants; $2.50 per thousand messages + $399 accreditation fee; need static IP address Provides electronic proof that e-mails were delivered and received; takes digital signature; $0.03 per message; available only to senders with good email reputations LaserLight Networks Inc. 37 of 43 Specific Modern Tactics Modern Tactics Engineers White Papers Webinars/Webcasts Telemarketing (includes cold call) Web Sites–Search Engines Podcasts Blogs & RSS feeds E-Mails (includes mobile) Decision Makers R A N K Vendor Sales Reps Online User Community Vendor Trade Shows, Conferences O Webcasts from Vendor R D E Webcasts from B2B Source R E B2B Trade Shows, D Conferences Source: Marketing Sherpa New B-to-B Research: Business Technology Marketing Trends, July 2007 and Business Content Study, March 2008 © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 38 of 43 Web 1.0 vs. 2.0 Tactics 1.0 1-way Communications 2.0 2-way Communications Standard E-Mail campaign Social networking Web page Basic info material, downloads Wikis Collaborative sites Search engine optimization Blogs, videos Webinar For 2.0 Tactics: Sales process shared by buyer & seller, more personal + more collaboration Connect through narratives, not benefit statements & feature lists © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 39 of 43 Media Shift On-Line Formats Increase © 2009 Dennis Wonica As Print Decreases LaserLight Networks Inc. 40 of 43 Social Media Similar Medium Paid (P) or Free (F) Jigsaw Both LinkedIn Both Twitter F Yammer F Facebook MySpace F Plaxo F Favorites for B-B sales: P F/Other © 2009 Dennis Wonica #1 = LinkedIn; managed data #2 = Hoover’s Twitter – mixed signals Mixed X 60% do not use after sign up Facebook - personal ZoomInfo open sources data mining; unmanaged data IEEE uses it Social Media may be good for: Hoover’s or OneSource ZoomInfo Targeted for Business? Sampling Surveys Data mining Specific real time data LaserLight Networks Inc. 41 of 43 Quick Takes TACTIC PRO CON E-Mail Widespread; easy to use Steadily decreasing opening rates: <25% Your Web Site Always available; basic info & data replaces salesperson to first order Work to keep relevant, current; work to gather lead & customer statistical data Vertical Search Engines (Ex: GlobalSpec) Focused on one sector; faster searches, more relevant to Buyer Google/Yahoo search algorithms better at present On Line Publications (Ex: Aviation Week) Quality pub highly useful for getting good leads; webinars, white papers, articles Publication for Audience or for Advertisers? On-Line Video (Ex: You-Tube) Product demos; useful for complex items or how to use; easily accessed by Buyer and Seller Customer may not view; how to track impact Virtual Events (Ex: Unisfair) Greatly reduced marketing & sales costs Need high speed connectivity or pay to get into Virtual Tradespace © 2009 Dennis Wonica LaserLight Networks Inc. 42 of 43 Summary Phased Strategy-Tactics-Operations approach Numbers important Forecasting Pricing Determine your Seller—Buyer response curve Direct Sales is top priority—not advertising, promotions, or distribution Find first few customers who actually buy Handle all Buyer questions, objections, doubts Transactional Sales: Buyer trusts product OLD Consultative Sales: NEW © 2009 Dennis Wonica Buyer trusts seller LaserLight Networks Inc. 43 of 43