January, 2004Dear Technology Consultant:
NetKing, Inc. has as its singular mission the success of your business development efforts - using online and traditional marketing methods.
Microsoft CRM software is one of the most powerful software capabilities I know that is both in demand and at the same time not very well understood. Some misconceptions of the true practical value and potential ROI of Microsoft CRM software has created a CRM marketing opportunity for your technology consulting business, one that would be well served by promoting a Microsoft CRM Demo to prospects and clients.
Especially if you are a Microsoft Business Solutions Partner, marketing CRM solutions through a Microsoft CRM Demo should be an essential element of your overall marketing and sales strategy. And Mr. Gates' company will be very supportive of your Microsoft marketing efforts.
First, allow me to offer some high level perspectives on what your marketing programs should be all about. Then I have some specific ideas on how Nurture Marketing CRM and a Microsoft CRM Demo can boost your Microsoft CRM software and technology consulting sales.
Marketing is about building perceived value in your services. It is the entire set of tools you may use to differentiate yourself in the marketplace. Marketing is ongoing and persistent (I'm sure you've all heard the term "Guerilla" with respect to marketing - a perfect term).
Marketing is not selling. Selling is a one-time event when, or a short term process, through which you close on business. Marketing is how you prepare your customers to buy from you. It takes place over time. It is not a one time event, but it is what truly makes the one time sales event possible. Rarely if ever do you walk in to a customer and sell Microsoft CRM software on the spot, at a first meeting. If you are lucky enough to do so, it's simply because Microsoft has done your marketing for you.
Even more to the point, marketing is what allows you to make a good living instead of an ok one. Remember one thing - you are selling the value of your services, not a widget that's available in every store for $0.99. Unless someone has been prepped on that value, and believes it, why would that person pay you more than he would pay anybody else?
Marketing is the process through which you build credibility and trust, so that prospects and customers become happy to pay you more.
This may all sound a bit pedantic and high level and crazy, but let me tell you something, it's true. Have you ever gone out to buy a car? Of course you have... Did you buy the cheapest car you could find? Probably not. But why not? It ran well, didn't it? Did you think it might stop running well? Did you think that some other car that cost much more looked better? Or did you think that the car you bought, even though much more expensive, offered you the best value and service opportunity? Did you have more faith or trust in the car (or dealer, for that matter) that you selected? Think about the enormous amount of marketing, on the part of the car companies and/or the dealers, that took place before you were prepared to make your purchase decision.
Think about it. NOBODY wants to buy the cheapest car, and people very rarely do.
Furthermore, think about the fact that you don't buy a new car every day. In fact, you buy a car every couple of years perhaps. But that certainly doesn't stop the auto companies and dealers from marketing to you for those years. All they wanted to do was get in your head and communicate their message and value, so that when it came time for you to buy, they would be topmost in your mind in some respect.
Each probably had a differentiating marketing message - branding, performance, power, luxury, safety, price, value... In fact, they did not know what your buying decision would be based on. But each of the companies and dealers had a clear message that they attempted to fix indelibly in your mind, so that, for example, if "safety" was your priority concern, you'd go to Volvo or Subaru, and if "luxury" was foremost you'd go to Lexus or Mercedes, and if "convenience and service" was what counted most, you'd go to Harry's Chevy around the corner.
So in summary Marketing is the process through which you:
- Let people know you're out there and who you are.
- Differentiate yourself from your competitors.
- Communicate your unique and differentiating value.
- Fix your differentiation in the minds of prospects.
- Reinforce you message through regular communication.
- Prepare your prospect or customer to buy from you.
- Spike ideas to alert customers to unmet needs.
- Show that you actually care about your customer.
- Build credibility and trust in your services.
When your marketing does all of these things, or even some of them, it can not help but have the following results:
You will meet new prospects and gain new customers.
You generate sales that would otherwise have gone elsewhere.
You will attract prospects and customers to call you.
You will be paid a premium for your consulting services.
So what does this all mean for you, the Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) partner?
With the introduction of the new Microsoft CRM customer relationship management package, Microsoft CRM version 1.2, the company said it will extend availability of the software to all Microsoft resellers. In the past, only certified Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) partners were allowed to sell the Professional Edition of Microsoft CRM 1.0, limiting other distributors to the Standard Edition of the software. However, with the new release, all of Microsoft's resellers will be able to market both editions of the CRM software.
Microsoft also announced that it will offer volume-based discounts to customers that purchase large numbers of Microsoft CRM 1.2 licenses as well as other products such as Exchange and SQL Server software. As you know customers are required to run SQL Server in order to use Microsoft CRM.
While some have been concerned about the effect Microsoft's decision would have on pricing, industry analysts have generally approved of Microsoft's move, recognizing that it will get Microsoft's CRM products into more customers' hands. Gartner Group analyst Wendy Close was quoted as saying the new distribution strategy should give Microsoft greater ability to compete against other midmarket CRM providers.
Ms. Close acknowledged that some of the non-MBS resellers may at first struggle to provide adequate support for the CRM products due to their lack of experience with enterprise software. And Microsoft very certainly knows that MBS partners are in a better position to help users initiate business changes necessary to implement CRM effectively.
So now is the time for you to step in and leverage the advantage of your certification training and knowledge? WRONG!!! That's definitely not the idea. If you're not in there already, which you should be via Nurture Marketing, perhaps someone's beat you to the punch? Those using Nurture Marketing to persistently reinforce the value of their technology consulting services, in combination with Microsoft CRM software and a Microsoft CRM demo opportunity, may have already been invited in by ready to buy prospects and clients. Were you?
If you're the lowest cost provider of hardware, software and services, you probably wouldn't have gotten this far down on the page to be reading this, so here's the bottom line. CRM marketing and Microsoft CRM marketing should be a key component of your marketing strategy. Through regular communications with prospects and clients using the Nurture Marketing system, you will be doing Microsoft CRM demos regularly, and at their request. It's that simple.
Nurture Marketing is a well-defined process/system to support your Microsoft CRM marketing strategy - this combination is truly a case where "1+1" can "=3" in terms of marketing Microsoft CRM sales results. It can lead to a growing pool of "ready to buy" people who come to you for their technology needs or for a Microsoft CRM demo.
The notion of "nurture marketing" was created by Jim Cecil, who learned that 70% of business-to-business customer defections are due to a perceived indifference on the part of services vendors.
Jim's system stops that perceived indifference in its tracks. The heart of the matter here is repetitive and strategic communications with your clients and with new prospects.
Furthermore, for a small technology consulting firm, Nurture Marketing can be extremely affordable. It can be used to implement both online and offline marketing communications.
I urge you take a look at this simple, yet often overlooked approach at Jim's site, where you will find everything from in-depth personal consulting for your firm, to books and articles that you can use to implement Nurture Marketing on your own.
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NetKing has tremendous expertise in ways to efficiently and effectively market your business, and for your business and web site to rise to the top on the Internet - instead of its being virtually lost. Our services are personalized and affordable. Please contact me by email or phone at the number below for information on NetKing's turnkey marketing solutions - traditional and online Marketing Services for your technology consulting services business.
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Thank you for visiting this page and for your interest in our marketing services. I hope we sparked some ideas that will help you take your technology consulting business to the next level.
Jonathan Wolf
President
NetKing, Inc.
862-262-1676 (direct)
Send Me an Email
Additional NetKing Articles on Marketing your Technology Consulting Business
Marketing Microsoft CRM - Leveraging the Web
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