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Awkward Reality #452

Don’t like what’s coming out of your extruder? Better check what’s going into your feed hopper.

452-Extruder-Hopper

Most financial business reviews are like standing around the output die, exhorting the extruder to do better. But nobody’s checking the feed hopper. It looks like an intelligent meeting, discussing gross margins, price increases and growth rates. But these were predetermined years earlier, largely by your new products, what you put into the feed hopper.

More in 2-minute video at 10. Extend your time horizon

Awkward Reality #451

Awkward Reality #450

Awkward Reality #449

A customer outcome is like a scientific specimen, waiting to be examined and understood.

449-Scientific-Specimen

Great value propositions begin and end with customer outcomes. It’s like collecting specimens, sliding them under your microscope, and continuing to turn up the magnification. The careful researcher doesn’t have to agonize over the right value proposition. It comes into increasing focus, waving its arms and screaming to be addressed.

More in white paper, www.b2btimingiseverything.com (page 9)

Awkward Reality #448

You have two options: Ask for pricing decisions or understand customers’ pricing decision making.

448-Price-Decision-Making

You can ask for pricing decisions using a survey, e.g. Van Westendorp. But it’s hard to get a straight answer in concentrated B2B markets: They know they’ll be negotiating prices later. Better to understand the customer’s world so well you can create a value calculator… to model their pricing decision-making. You’ll have longer-lasting insights vs. a one-time survey.

Awkward Reality #447

Awkward Reality #446

Be grateful for B2B customers… and thankful your competitors don’t understand them. Do you?

446-B2B-Customers

If you were gathering customer insights about belts, would you rather interview someone using a belt to convey iron ore… or to hold up their pants? B2B customers can usually provide more insight than end-consumers due to greater knowledge, interest, objectivity and foresight. But these advantages are no advantage unless you use a B2B-optimized approach.

More in 2-minute video at 14. Understand your B2B advantages