Customer Message Management : Increasing Marketing's Impact on Selling

by Riesterer, Tim; Emo, Diane

• ISBN13: 9780324313161
• ISBN10: 0324313160
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-13
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

In today's complex market, product advantage is fleeting. It is no longer what you sell, but how you sell it - meaning it is now vital to bridge the gap between sales and marketing. CUSTOMER MESSAGE MANAGEMENT does just that, eradicating the disconnect that for years has plagued the two departments and, in the process, increasing the effectiveness of both. With its thorough, practical coverage of CMM, this comprehensive guidebook gives readers invaluable insight into how to create effective brand, marketing, and sales messaging based on customer business roles and goals. It also equips readers with the skills to deliver those messages efficiently and effectively across all selling touch-points in a way that can be personalized for each prospect and customer. More than just creating customer-ready messages for the sales force to use, CMM helps companies discern how best to create messages, stimulate conversations, and continue customer dialogues that activate purchase intent.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
SECTION ONE: CMM IN PRINCIPLE: AN EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW	1	(54)
Chapter 1: What Is Customer Message Management?	2	(7)
It's All About the Customer Conversation	2	(1)
The Five Pressing Issues That Customer Message Management Solves	3	(4)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	7	(2)
Chapter 2: Is Marketing at Risk of Irrelevance to Sales?	9	(11)
Budget Bullseye	10	(2)
Sales Conversations Are Your #1 Branding Tool	12	(2)
Why CRM Came up Short	14	(2)
Why Branding Has Been a Failure: The Ongoing Struggle with Sameness	16	(3)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	19	(1)
Chapter 3: The Sales Frontline: Welcome to No Brand's Land	20	(9)
Escaping No Brand's Land	22	(2)
The Value Proposition Myth	24	(1)
Just-in-Time, Opportunity-Specific Learners	25	(3)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	28	(1)
Chapter 4: Principles of Customer Message Management	29	(15)
It's the Tough Stuff, not the Fluff Stuff	30	(1)
It's Not What You Sell, but How You Sell That Counts	31	(1)
Product Marketing Silos Are Holding Us Back	31	(2)
Aligning to the Customer Decision-Making Process	33	(1)
Example: How the Customer Problem (Goal) Approach Changes Everything	34	(1)
Example of Traditional Company Product-Centric Approach	34	(1)
Example of Proposed Customer Problem (Goal)-Centric Approach	35	(1)
Proactively Prescribing and Populating Best Answers to Customer Problems	36	(1)
CMM Message Map™: A Messaging Model to Help You	37	(2)
Sales-Ready Conversations, Presentations, and Documentation	39	(2)
Mapping to "Moments Of Truth"	41	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	42	(2)
Chapter 5: The Business Case for Customer Message Management	44	(11)
Where Dismal Gets Dangerous	45	(2)
Virtuous Versus Vicious Cycle	47	(2)
Compounding Benefits	49	(2)
Selling the New Stuff	51	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	52	(3)
SECTION TWO: CMM IN PROCESS: A TRAINING HANDBOOK	55	(78)
Chapter 6: Setting up a CMM Project Plan and Team	56	(16)
Are You Ready?	60	(1)
CMM Readiness Checklist	61	(1)
Priority: _______ We need to differentiate our real value versus competitors'	61	(1)
Priority: _______ We need to elevate from feature to solution selling	62	(1)
Priority: _______ We need to build sales-ready support and tools	62	(1)
Priority: _______ We need to improve performance of our sales reps/channels	62	(1)
Priority: _______ We need to create "one voice" to customers across touch-points	63	(1)
Refine the CMM Target	63	(1)
How Big Is the Elephant?	64	(1)
Roles, Tasks, and Preparation	65	(3)
CMM Metrics	68	(2)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	70	(2)
Chapter 7: Building a Message Map	72	(17)
Considerations for a Message Map	74	(1)
Company Goals Review: Where does the Company Want to Drive Revenue?	75	(2)
Go-to-Market Assessment: Which Channels will Communicate the Messages?	77	(2)
Solution Messaging Process: How will cross-silo messaging occur in your organization?	79	(2)
Sales Performance Audit: What level of messaging competency is needed to tell your story?	81	(3)
Interviewing Salespeople	84	(3)
Apply Decisions to Your Message Map	87	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	87	(2)
Chapter 8: Cross-Functional Messaging Workshop	89	(14)
Structure of the Messaging Workshop	90	(3)
The Workshop Process	93	(7)
Does it Have to be a Workshop?	100	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	101	(2)
Chapter 9: Message Development and Validation	103	(16)
Message Development	103	(4)
What Makes Good CMM Writing Great	107	(2)
CMM Conversation Roadmap™	109	(8)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	117	(2)
Chapter 10: Sales-Cycle-Relevant Deliverable Design	119	(14)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	130	(3)
SECTION THREE: CMM IN PRACTICE: ENTERPRISE DEPLOYMENT	133	(38)
Chapter 11: CMM Delivery: Ensuring Sales Adoption and Use	134	(8)
A CMM Technology Buyer's Guide	135	(2)
The Total CMM Technology Solution?	137	(4)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	141	(1)
Chapter 12: CMM Turns Commodities into Solutions	142	(8)
"So You're Saying I Have a Chance?"	142	(1)
Consider a "Big Idea" Conversation	143	(2)
Messaging Up Versus Messaging Down	145	(1)
Big Idea Messaging Templates	145	(3)
What Do Salespeople Say About Big Idea Messaging?	148	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	149	(1)
Chapter 13: CMM Fuels the Sales Training Process	150	(10)
What's Holding Us Back?	151	(1)
Training Challenges	152	(1)
A Process for Aligning Marketing, Messaging, and Sales Performance	153	(1)
Step One: Map the Sales Process	154	(1)
Sales Questions	155	(1)
Step Two: Link Performance Expectations to the Sales Process	156	(2)
Step Three: Create a Training Blueprint	158	(1)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	159	(1)
Chapter 14: CMM Across the Marketing Continuum	160	(11)
Case in Point: Staking out a Unique Brand Promise	162	(1)
CMM in a Brand-Building Campaign	163	(3)
Case in Point: Differentiating Yourself at Crowded Trade Shows	166	(2)
CMM in a Trade Show Setting	168	(2)
Key Chapter Take-Aways	170	(1)
Index	171