Creating a Sales & Marketing 'Go to Market'...

"Yes of course we have one!" but...

Dig a bit deeper and it’s more theory than insight…

‘Analyst’ work on Total Addressable Market (TAM)
Statements, opinion and impressive ‘Thought Leadership’ about what ‘Buyers’ should want
A lot on ‘us’ and ‘our great solution’ = ‘pitches’ from Product Marketing & Marketing designed to impress

It may all 'look' and sound good but...

There’s a lack of clarity on the real ‘Sweet Spot’

Little or no insight from the perspective of an Influencer or Decision Maker
Lack of clarity on who the real Stakeholders are for influence and decision making & where they can be found
Little by way of storytelling that can both attract and engage potential buyers

“James was my first leader as I entered the start up world and I am sincerely glad he was.

Coming from a world of big corporates James introduced me to what it takes to create something out of nothing and feel empowered to quickly make decisions …moving forward fearless of failure.

If you are looking for a leader that can take nothing and turn it into something in a cool and relaxed style and bring everyone along the way then James really is a fantastic guy for the job”

Phil Sargeant – VP Sales EMEA

so it's time to start with something obvious...

The worthwhile initial theory

What Problems do we solve, for whom that… avert / mitigate Risks and Frustrations and thereby help individuals & organisations achieve their Aspirations, Goals and Objectives

and turn this into Stories

Business Stories have structure that demonstrates understanding, empathy and starts to build trust and interest…and remember who’s the hero in all this!

Determine the 'Sweet Spot'

The TAM is fine but with limited time and budget, focussing on where to get the best return for our Marketing $s comes down to prioritising the Organisations with the highest propensity to buy – what are their characteristics that can be filtered on and extracted from the Internet?

Investigate and know the Influencers and Decision Makers - The 'Persona'

Don’t forget. Businesses don’t buy, the people who work for them are the Buyers. B2B = P2Px’n’. Who are the Influencers and Decision Makers really and what are the stories that will resonate with them personally?

“James is one of the best strategic thinkers I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He approaches any challenge with clear thinking and with a firm focus on the objectives. He is unfettered by organisational blockers and silos. He is keen and quick to adopt and build on new ideas from others and is free and creative in his own thinking. He is extremely supportive and balances this with timely challenges. As a result of working closely with James over the last 10 years I have undoubtedly grown and been significantly more effective as an individual and a manager. If I had to choose anyone to assist me with a new business opportunity then James would be my first choice”

Sue White – Senior Management & Leadership Development Tutor – DDA Consulting International Ltd