Resources

Case Studies | Reports

• “Rethinking Customer Solutions: From Product Bundles to Relational Processes,” Journal of Marketing, July, 2007, 1-17 by Kapil Tuli,  Ajay Kohli, and Sundar Bharadwaj - This study draws on depth interviews with 49 managers in customer firms and 55 managers in supplier firms and on discussions with 21 managers in two focus groups to propose a new way of thinking about customer solutions.

• Neil Rackham’s Assessment of the Increased Market Demand for Solutions (PDF) - The increased ability of companies to sell services like products, The increasing need for real solutions to complex business problems
  
  
• Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer - Solutions Insights/ITSMA Online Survey (PDF) - We have provided 3 data points from our Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer research study. The field of Solutions Marketing has legitimately caught the attention of CMOs, BU leaders and others with responsibilities for marketing and selling solutions.  The data indicate, however, that there is still much work to be done in clarifying the high value that Solutions Marketers bring to their companies.

• Key Account Management- Marketing’s Impact (PDF) - In a recent Key Account Management (KAM) study that we conducted in conjunction with the Hult International Business School, we learned that many of the top KAM programs had highly focused, dedicated marketing resources for their top accounts.  Bev Burgess, co-author of Marketing Technology as a Service and an executive with Capsicum Group, discusses the impact that marketing can and should have in growing key accounts.  Read more to understand how marketing can help the key accounts in order to prioritize and gain more business from the existing contracts and also on how marketing can help more complex solutions selling to the key accounts.
  
  
• Solutions Marketing Success Story: How Avnet Applied Change Management Principles to Make the Transition from a Products-Based Company to a Solutions Company (PDF). Steve Hurley and Shyam Velumani interviewed Steve Church from Avnet who was a part for the major transformation of the organization. Solutions Insights sees this as another example of how a company successfully changed the culture and behavior of the employees so that it could become a true solutions provider.

• Creating Competitive Advantage with High Value B2B Solutions (PDF) - Webinar delivered by Solutions Insights in conjunction with ISBM. The presentation addresses a number of issues related to solutions marketing including:
  
  • Gain alignment on the Definition
  • Determine the Scope of the Transformation
  • Create a Customized Roadmap
  • Develop the Underlying Competencies
  • Adapt how you Create, Market and Sell your Solution

• Beating Commoditization with Building High-Value Solutions (PDF) - Solutions Insights and ISA webinar. The presentation addresses a number of issues related to solutions marketing including:
  
  • What is a Solution and Why it May be Important for Your Business?
  • The Differences Between Developing Products and Developing Solution.
  • The Critical Role of Marketing in Solutions Development.
  • Having the Right Solutions Development Skill.

• The Productization of Services and Solutions Challenges Facing Product and Services Managers (PDF) - Forrester Research council presentation

• Solutions Marketing Success Story: How Invensys built a Business Value Solutions Model that Moved it out of a Commodity Business (PDF) - Matt Leary, Steve Hurley and Shyam Velumani interviewed Peter G.Martin from Invensys who was a part for the major transformation of the organization. Solutions Insights sees this as another example of how a company that has a traditional product-oriented business model can, with the right leadership and vision, transform itself into a more relevant, dynamic company with deeper customer relationships at senior levels – a great formula for long term revenue profitability growth.

• Socializing B2B Marketing: Lessons from Industry Leaders (PDF)
  Rob Leavitt: Webinar presentation to the Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM) on how B2B companies can get started with social media with a framework for action and examples from Cisco, Cree, GE Healthcare, Xerox, and EMC (Solutions Insights, 2010). Listen to the replay or download the slides.

• Framework to building and marketing solutions: Differences between product and solutions marketing (PDF)
  Steve Hurley: Presentation to Forrester Research TPM&M council on a framework to building and marketing solutions and how this differs for products (Solutions Insights, 2010)

• Socializing Solutions Marketing: What's Working and What's Next (PDF) - Rob Leavitt: Presentation to Hult International Business School on using social media for marketing high-value business solutions, with examples from Emerson Process Management, HubSpot, Cisco, Cambridge Healthtech Associates, and Intel (Solutions Insights, 2010)

• Integrated Solutions: The New Economy Between Manufacturing and Services (PDF) - Andrew Davies: The provision of integrated solutions does not conform to the traditional categories of manufacturing or services. In-depth working paper on business challenges and necessary capabilities for solutions, with five case studies (University of Sussex, 2001)

• ITSMA Update: Rethinking Marketing for a Solutions World (PDF) - Original ITSMA "manifesto" on core requirements for solutions marketing (ITSMA, 2005)

• Silo Busting: How to Execute on the Promise of Customer Focus - Ranjay Gulati: How GE Healthcare, Best Buy, real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle and others have restructured around customer needs to deliver true solutions (Harvard Business Review, May 2007 - Subscription or purchase required)

• GovServices IT: Teaching Case Study (PDF) - A real case study with the company disguised on the challenges facing a government-focused IT services firm that wants to develop a solutions strategy; written for use in the classroom (Solutions Insights, 2009)

• Building a Content Engine: Generating Interest and Accelerating Sales with Engaging Content and Programs (PDF) - Rob Leavitt: High-level presentation on how to build a thought leadership content "engine" for marketing and sales (Solutions Insights, 2009)

• (Don't Use) Successful Solution Selling: Magic or Management - Interview with Ken Cornelius, President & CEO of Siemens One, on the opportunities and challenges of selling integrated solutions across a multi-division business (Knowledge @ Emory)

• A New Approach to Marketing and Sales Collaboration (PDF) - Four initiatives to strengthen collaboration in a solutions environment (ITSMA, 2006)

• Conversational Marketing (PDF) - The conversational mindset required for solutions marketing (ITSMA, 2006)
  
  

Tools 

• Point of View Development Template (PDF)
  Worksheet to help companies develop a thought leadership Point of View on a significant business challenge facing their customers (Solutions Insights, 2010) 

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