Assume the Position
Looking around the software development team, I asked. "Where have you market-tested this?" The chief architect looked at me with a Clint Eastwood-style squint. "With some customers," he replied. (I'm sure he added 'punk' under his breath.) "Who are they?" I said. "People from our parent company." He clicked his pen, making it sound like the cocking of a .44 Magnum. "So, who else have you taken this to?" He sighed. "No one. They won't understand."
There is a reticence among some new product technologists to spend time out in the market. It's usually for one of two reasons: 1) the people they meet aren't anywhere near as bright as they are; 2) they don't want to hear negative feedback about their baby.
Even when they go 'out there', the engagement is usually less than successful. They've spent so much time and focused so much love and attention on their project, that they can't see the wood for the trees. So the customer is presented capability upon capability, detail upon detail - and no context.
Proposition – the uber-reason
What's missing is a proposition; a single sentence that describes the problem they solve. It's not a tag line, or an advertising headline, or a pun. It's the uber-reason why the customer should be interested.
We've all seen the 50-slide presentation set that shows the complexity of the architecture, the topology of the communications protocols, the taxonomy of the data hierarchy…but nowhere is there one slide that says, in one sentence, 'this is the problem we solve.'
(By the way – don't read this and think "IT geeks, eh? Typical." You can see this syndrome in all sectors, from automotive to banking. It's not a technology issue. It's a pervasive business issue).
There are two inhibitors to clarity. The first is a wariness of the simple. "We can't possibly put all of this cleverness into a sentence. It won't do it justice. Anyway, if we reduce it that far, we'll leave a lot of opportunity on the table."
But if you cram the kitchen sink in, no one will give you the time to explain it. And even if they understand the complexity, the prospect won't make the leap between your invention and their problem unless you SPELL IT OUT.
Inhibitor 2: "I'm selling to extremely technical people, world authorities in their field. I don't want to insult their intelligence." So begins a complicated 'knowledge tango' between experts, in the hope that the customer's expert will translate to the buyers for you. They won't; you have to do the work. Even if they did, would they get it right?
US lawyer Gerry Spence says that when he prepares for court, he lays out his case – no matter how complex – and reduces it down to an hour's pitch. Then to 30 minutes, then 10 minutes, then to a single sentence.
That's the kernel of his argument, the North Star that has helped him navigate through the complexity of Native American land rights and the Karen Silkwood nuclear contamination trial. It's the premise upon which everything else is built.
That's his proposition.
If you can't answer the question 'what problem do you solve' in a sentence, you're sunk before you start.
Positioning – how to be famous
At this point in an engagement the client often asks: "So what's the difference between proposition and position?"
Here's a challenge for you. You have a new book / movie to sell. You think that there's never been anything like it before. It breaks new ground. How do you tell people about it? Take a position in the customer's mind.
Positioning is not about what you do. Positioning is about what somebody else has already done. If you want to be famous, stand next to someone famous.
A position is a relative statement. Even if you think you're the only player in the market, you do not exist in a vacuum. All customers carry a mental model in their heads, and as they pick up new information, they'll 'fit' it into the model. The purpose of stating your position is to describe the space you want to take, not leave it to them to make that decision.
What can you learn from the book and movie marketers? Try these:
From the people who brought you 'A Room With a View'. Well, it's not going to be a sci-fi thriller, is it? You don't even know the title, the stars or the story, but you have already filed it away in a genre, just by the way it was positioned against something else.
Ever seen 'the new Alistair MacLean' on a book cover? Whoever it is, s/he certainly isn't writing chick-lit.
How about getting some established authors to write on the dust jacket? 'Gripped me from the first page to the last' say Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Guessing the nature of this unknown author's work is pretty easy.
To position your offering, you need at least one of three reference points: a previous track record, a competitor in the same space, or references from known sources. As I have written before, no one else cares about your product, and they certainly don't have the time to understand it in all its 360° glory. You have to give them a frame of reference and a compelling reason to find out more.
Why it's heavy lifting
Developing a proposition and a positioning is hard work. When you do the heavy lifting, you find yourself moving between "marketing fluff" and "deep tech specification". You need to be memorable while also being accurate. You need to be meaningful and specific. You need to be short, while being truthful.
The worst outcome is one of two extremes. Either : they loved the slide deck, the pitch was great, they get the concepts and we nailed their problem. All we need now is a product that actually delivers what we talked about. Or : for the first two hours we gave them details of the functions and features. We told them exactly what it can and can't do, right down to the sub-routine level. Unlike our competitors, we didn't pull the wool over their eyes – just the lids.
A well-articulated proposition and position are invaluable in business development. They provide common focus for the team, a quick understanding for the customer, and give everyone a clear view of 'why we're in the room'.
Finding ways to uncover the real value of your product can benefit from a new perspective. At Saffron House we'd be delighted to take a look with you. Contact us at enquiry@saffronhouse.net or call 01285 644425.
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