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Anatomy of a
Steve Hurley
ITSMA/SI Online Survey
Note: This Abbreviated summary highlights some of the
significant findings from Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer Survey.
A more in-depth analysis can be found in the full report.
Abbreviated Summary | February 2012
Julie Schwartz
Solutions Marketer Senior Vice President
Research and Thought Leadership Managing Director
ITSMA and Solutions Insights would like to thank the following organizations for their support:
knowledgeable
empathetic
effective
good listener
Key findings highlighted in
the report include:
• Solutions marketing is more
challenging than either product or
services marketing.
• Solutions marketers are a very
experienced group of individuals
and nearly all have either product
and/or services marketing
experience.
• Successful solutions marketers are
not born. Interpersonal skills and
the ability to foster relationships
across the organization are just as
important as marketing skills.
• Despite the importance of
solutions to the future of the
organization, the role of solutions
marketer is not well understood.
communicator
32
27
23
23
22
22
20
9
8
8
6
6
41
What are the top three challenges you face
in your role as a solutions marketer?
% of Respondents (N=127)
Note: Up to three responses allowed.
What makes solutions marketing so challenging? • Internal struggles
Shifting the culture from
products/services to solutions
Enabling the sales force to sell
solutions
Working across organizational silos
• Need for business oriented value
propositions
Enabling the sales force to sell solutions
Working across organizational silos
Identifying market opportunities and
targeting the appropriate audience
Communicating the solutions
value proposition
Differentiating from competitors and
creating brand awareness
Coping with budget restrictions and a
challenging economic climate
Changing the culture to move from
products and services to solutions
Pricing and packaging solutions
Measuring the ROI of solutions
Ensuring solutions repeatability
through mass customization
Defining solutions internally
and with customers
Creating thought leadership content
to support solutions approach
Other
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
Although not unique to solutions, communicating the solutions value proposition adds a layer of complexity
Solutions marketing is defined as
developing and delivering
business value
Solutions value propositions require
a deeper understanding
of the customers’ industry
and individual business issues
Solutions marketers’ responsibilities are divided. Few are dedicated to solutions marketing. They are also responsible for marketing products and/or services.
Primarily
Solutions
Solutions
and
products
Solutions
and
services
Solutions,
products,
and
services
Marketing Responsibilities
% of Respondents
(N=119)
18%
7%
35%
40%
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
Successful solutions marketers are
not born. It takes experience,
knowledge, and
ability to foster
relationships
across the
organization.
Solutions marketers are a very experienced group of professionals, averaging 16 years in marketing
Approximately how long
have you been working
in marketing?
% of Respondents (N=132)
Minimum
1
Maximum
30
Mean
16
# of Years as a Marketer
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
Nearly all solutions marketers were either product or services marketers (or both!) prior to their stints in solutions Were you a product and/or
services marketer before a
solutions marketer?
% of Respondents (N=119)
“From VP Marketing to CMO, then President and
General Manager then CSO. The solutions focus was a natural outcome of trying to find ways to bring more
value to clients.” “Moved from traditional product marketing into services marketing and
realized the importance of integrating the two...into
solutions marketing.”
“Started in a pure product management role. I moved to software applications from automation systems where the software applications often need to fit particular needs. So, product management evolved into solutions management naturally.”
11%
6%
61% 23%
Product and
services
marketer before
solutions
marketing
Neither product nor services
marketer before solutions
marketing
Services
marketer
before
solutions
marketing
Product marketer before
solutions marketing
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey:
Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer,
February 2012
Despite the importance of solutions to the future of the organization, the role of solutions marketer is not well understood
Me
an
= 2
004
Solutions marketing is relatively new to most companies In which year did your company first
introduce the role of solutions marketer?
% of Respondents (N=111)
0.9 0.9
1.8
0.9
1.8
5.4
1.8
0.9
7.2
2.7 2.7
1.8
5.4
11.7
7.2 7.2
9.9
6.3
15.3
5.4
2.7
1
9
0
0
1
9
7
0
1
9
8
0
1
9
9
0
1
9
9
2
1
9
9
5
1
9
9
8
1
9
9
9
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
2
0
0
3
2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
2
0
1
0
2
0
1
1
2
0
1
2
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
How important is your
solutions business to the
future of your company?
% of Respondents (N=121)
Today, solutions marketing is viewed as very important to the business…
Note: Mean rating based on a 5-point scale where 1=not at all important and 5=extremely important.
0
2
14
45
40
Not at all
important
Somewhat
important
Important
Very
important
Extremely
Important
Mean
Rating
= 4.2
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
Do you believe that people
outside of marketing in
your company understand
what the role of a
solutions marketer is?
% of Respondents
(N=124)
…but unfortunately, the role of solutions marketing is not well understood outside of the marketing function
23%
42%
35%
Yes
No, only my
peers in
marketing
No, only my
peers in
solutions
marketing
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
• Foster communication
across organizational silos
• Be catalysts for change
• Ensure that the entire
company understands
the importance of solutions
It is time for solutions marketers to put their skills and experience to work:
Methodology and Respondent Demographics Between January and February 2012, ITSMA and
Solutions Insights conducted an online web-based
survey completed by 133 representatives from 92
companies.
The results were analyzed by:
• Percentage of revenue from solutions
(Less than 40%; 40–79%; 80% or more)
• Type of company (sell primarily services vs. sell
both products and services)
• Size of company (annual revenue: Less than $1B;
$1–4.9B; $5–49B; more than $49B)
• Title (“solutions marketing” included in the
respondent’s title vs. do marketing in a solutions
organizational unit)
• Primary business (technology company vs.
non-technology company)
A combination of products and/or services
with intellectual capital, focused on a
particular customer problem and driving
measurable business value.
Geographic
Location
% of
Respondents
(N=133)
Services
Offerings
% of
Respondents
(N=133)
Type of
Business
% of
Respondents
(N=133)
ITSMA
defines
solutions
as:
North
America 80%
14%
Europe
Asia | 5% South America | 1%
Both
products
and
services
80%
20%
Primarily
services*
*5% or less
revenue from
products
100% B2B
(business-
to-
business)
86%
14%
Both B2B and B2C
(business-to-
consumer)
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
4.5 5.4 8.1
28.8 29.7
23.4
Less than
$100M
$100–
499M
$500–
999M
$1–4.9B $5–49B More than
$49B
Size of Company: Annual Revenue
% of Respondents (N=111)
Respondents’ Roles
% of Respondents (N=133)
16
16
15
11
8
8
5
5
4
4
2
1
5
Study respondents held a diverse group of titles and
represented organizations in a variety of technology
and non-technology companies varying in annual
revenue, from less than $1 billion to over $45 billion.
Computer systems and solutions
Software solutions
IT professional services/
consulting
Telecommunications and
network systems and solutions
Management consulting
Other technology hardware
systems and solutions
Industrial and commercial
machinery
Healthcare solutions
Chemicals and allied products
Other product manufacturing
Architecture/engineering/
construction
Consumer packaged goods
I can’t select just one industry;
we are equally in several
Which one of the following BEST describes your
company’s primary business?
% of Respondents (N=133)
27
26
18
16
12
2
Other
C-level
Vice president/senior
vice president
Individual contributor
Manager/supervisor
Director
Source: ITSMA/SI Online Survey: Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer, February 2012
Table of Contents for
Slide
Executive Summary 3
Methodology and Respondent Demographics 32
Detailed Results 47
Appendix: What are the top three challenges
you face in your role as a solutions marketer? 90
For More Information
Steve Hurley
Managing Director
Solutions Insights
shurley@solutionsinsights.com
+1-781-686-1607
Study Buy the $995
Anatomy of a Solutions Marketer
www.solutionsinsights.com
Julie Schwartz
Senior Vice President
Research and Thought Leadership
ITSMA
jschwartz@itsma.com
+1-407-788-8220
Study Buy the
Member: $295 Non-member: $495