Question

Topic: Customer Behavior

Making A "productivity" Message Truly Relevant To Small Businesses

Posted by Anonymous on 2/19/2004 at 3:01 PM ET 250 Points
I am working with a client who wants to market a commodity technology product to small businesses. I can give them credit for creating an add-on to the product that competitors do not offer, however, the product in & of itself is not blindingly useful (mostly because this audience likely has other products they may already use to complete these tasks). Furthermore, it will be difficult to make sure the buyer even knows the add-on product is there when purchasing. The client believes that this add-on provides a signficant competitive differentiation of "productivity." I personally believe that "productivity" is vague and overused. We need to really focus on building up the "productivity" message to the audience. More than saying "this will make you more productive" - we must answer the small business owners' specific challenges. i.e., "how will this product make you more productive" and/or are there similary issues that we can tie in - to help BUILD the productivity message? We need to make sure that the small business audience feels they have been heard, and that my client has created a product specifically for them.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/19/2004 at 3:26 PM Accepted
    I think you answered your own question.

    Tell your client what you told us: "We need to make sure that the small business audience feels they have been heard, and that my client has created a product specifically for them."

    Whatever this product is and it's apparent "add-on" should be very descriptively clarified so the consumer knows the add-on is there. Since the add-on is the whole idea behind the project, make sure it is well stated on the packaging etc.

    It's up to you to either continue debating with your client, or simply enhace his/her ideas with your own statements and suggestions.

    If you feel too strongly about modifying a useless commoditiy and marketing it, I suggest you focus your efforts on another client. Otherwise, comprimise and move on taking it as a learning experience NOT to accept a venture like that again!

    Good Luck!
  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/19/2004 at 3:34 PM Member
    P.S. I agree with your approach on productivity. It is vague, and taking it from the approach of being in the buyer's shoes is the best way to determine it's viability.

    If a company is trying to sell a pencil with a 'New and Improved" type of rubber eraser and claiming it will increase "productivity"....I would say to them we need to PROVE it, rather than just state it because nobody gives a "beeeep" about pencils anymore!!!


    ....or something like that!!! LOL!!

    I like your thinking. Shoot me an email if you wish to discuss it further: jett_enterprises@cox.net
  • Posted by tjh on 2/19/2004 at 4:05 PM Member
    (What Jett said...)
    Plus,

    It's unclear what small businesses you're working on, which may help define the decision makers. (finance users, IT users, secretarial users, management, middle management, etc. Local retail owners, or others.) It's their minds you're interested in.

    If the cost won't break the bank, software purchases are very often made on the suggestion/demand/whining of the user...

    Otherwise, a more professional buyer or an owner will need to know which problem it solves - and of course what it means to him in money or "feel good."

    Ultimately, productivity translates to saved or made money, or saved time (money), or increased work capacity (money), etc. Profits, and so on.

    Depending on the market, it may be more specifically definable by considering the end-user's precise gains (positive gains and negative gains) and talking about those. There may be several answers, each of which take a role in successive ads or promos.

    Comparison grids on this feature/benefit among competitors might be interesting, especially if they have yet another differentiating feature in the works.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 2/19/2004 at 7:29 PM Member
    My experience with small (and especially with start-up) businesses is that their key challenges are:

    - Getting their poroduct or service idea to the market
    - Attracting and retaining customers
    - Delivering what they have sold
    - Getting PAID by customers - especially large corporate customers who can take an AGE to pay!
    - Keeping their books in order so they can concentrate on the main game.

    Where their problems AREN'T... they usually don't have problems with stationery-cupboard items, office machinery or communications equipment. Those things are simple, procurable and cheap.

    So whatever your client's "productivity-added" product is, it had better be something REALLY useful! Care to share more info so we can get a little more targetted here?

    Agree with all earlier responses, viz. Find the itch, then scratch it.

    - Analyse what the problem is, then really go to town on what that problem could mean to potential customers.

    - Workshop with some real prospects to find all the implications of NOT solving the problem allowing it to fester and grow in their minds to get out of them all the things that could go wrong for them if the problem gets out of hand.

    -THEN show them the proposed solution and ask them to tell you whether they think it would fix their particular version of the problem.

    - And at that point get them to explain what fixing the problem would mean (more business, stronger cashflow, get to sleep at nights, make them rich and better looking, whatever).

    Their responses should give you a very clear understanding of what is the real Value Proposition for your client's mystery product.
  • Posted on 2/19/2004 at 10:49 PM Accepted
    Welcome to MarketingProfs Know-Nothing Exchange Angie. If an answer you receive doesn't fit, you can just exchange it for some lovely salt and pepper shakers.

    It's a fax machine right? Your client has invented a fax machine with an add-on stapler attachment, and they think that will make small business operators more productive by saving them 3 seconds as they move from fax machine to the stapler.

    The better marketing position would be "never have to ask 'where did my stapler go???' again"

    Small businesses lack time, money and talent. Most productivity tools are lost on them because they are so busy trying to get cash coming in, they never have time to learn how to use the productivity enhancer. "Try the new Productivity Enhancer 2004! It will make your wife happy again!"

    Try interviewing your client's initial customers as to why they bought the product. Aside from being early adopters (look ma, a new baby!) they must realize a performance advantage when they see it. If enough of them repeat the same reason, they are either clones, or you're on to a competitive differentiator. (I just had to replace one of those on my car last week.)

    Sometimes with commodity products, it's the dumbest features that make the model attractive.

    Is the add-on product something that is sold separately, or a feature that is missing from other products in the same marketspace? If that's the only thing that sets this product apart from the competition, then it should be it's biggest selling point, and it shouldn't be a separate product that is an optional "sold separately".

    Well good luck. I have to get back to watching "The Apprentice". They know a lot about marketing (snicker).
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