Stay the course. Use multiple levers. And, be different.
On February 19th, 2009, VP of Marketing, Tim Freestone and VP of Business Development, Dean Maire, participated in a round table discussion with about 60 Microsoft Solution Providers looking for strategies to build business in a down economy. The discussion, sponsored by the International Association of Certified Partners, netted out a few key takeaways:
Messaging: The market is flooded with messaging around a “lowering costs” and “saving money” value proposition. It’s a good message, and very important in this economy, but the key to being effective at marketing it is to figure a way to deliver the same core message, but differently. Instead of messaging how you’ll save them money, what about how you’ll make them money? I’d rather make money than save money, wouldn’t you? The two messages are one in the same, its just one is more appealing and is different than what everyone else is messaging. Good marketing stands out, it does not blend in.
Delivery: How can you deliver the message in a manner that makes an impact? Emails? Maybe. I wouldn’t discount them, but make sure they are different from the thousand “typical” email marketing executions that prospects are receiving. Direct mail? Yeah, but how can you do it differently? Imagine the impact of fedexing your offer to 100 highly targeted prospects vs. 1,000 broadly targeted prospects via a postcard with a regular ol’ stamp. Stay targeted. Events? Again, sure, but your competing for mind share in a fiercely competitive market. Take a look at what others are doing and try to do something different – stand out!
Consistency: Once the unique message and message delivery vehicles are defined, be
consistent. Push the message out continuously over a planned and coordinated period
of time. Stay the course. Use multiple levers. And again, be different.
Even in the current economic climate, there is just simply money that has to, and will be,
spent from IT budgets. There is just less of it. To succeed today System Integrators marketing message must look different than there competitors, they must market with a more targeted higher impact approach in mind, they must be consistent in their message, and they must be systematic and disciplined in the execution of that message.
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