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The most important P People

• How multi-dimensional relationships lead to
  customer valued innovation, enhanced loyalty
  positive business results

Presented by Michael HappeVP and GM - Toro
Commercial BusinessThe Toro Company
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People is the missing P

• Frequently taken for granted,often
  underutilized
• and (in our view) the most Important

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Whats in it for me?

• People are important to every business!
• Multi-Dimensional Relationships can have a
  significant impact on your results.
• Alignment of Resources around Relationships can
  have a powerful impact on the quality and depth
  of
• Voice of Customer Input for Customer Valued
  Innovation
• Customer Loyalty
• Business Results
• Employee Engagement
• People can clearly differentiate you from
  Competition!(MDRs are impossible to replicate
  especially when done well)

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What are Multi-Dimensional Relationships?

• Relationships you build(i.e. the companys
  social network)that positively influence your
  brand from the
• Inside
• Outside
• Via Direct Connections
• Via Indirect Connections

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Five Key Areas of Focus Who does the
Decision Maker Listen to?

• Who impacts your customer the most?
• Channel Partners
• Industry Associations
• Key Influencers
• Collaborators
• Agencies
• Researchers
• Suppliers
• Employees
• Other Customers

IndustryAssociations
KeyInfluencers
Customersother customers
Distribution Channel
StrategicCollaborators
Employees
The inter-connections are hard to visualize and
can take years constant attention to solidify,
but they are difficult if not impossible to
replicate!
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Channel Partners
Distribution Channel

• Partnership vs Transactional
• Exclusive Relationships
• Extensive Training / Professional Development
• Leadership Retreats / Meetings
• Channel Advisory Boards
• Continuous Improvement Initiatives
• Customer Satisfaction Metrics
• Co-op Market Developmentfor Relationship Events
• Recognition / Incentive Programs

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Industry Associations

• Trade Show Event Support
• Quarterly Partnership Meetings
• Board of Director Service
• Committee Involvement
• Sharing Connections
• Channel/Chapter connections
• Content resources

IndustryAssociations
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Strategic Collaborators

• Develop Long-term Partnerships
• With Key Suppliers
• With Agencies/Vendors
• With Research Partners
• Invite them into the Customers World
• Leverage their growing knowledge of your
  Customers
• Expand perceived expertise to external resources

StrategicCollaborators
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Key Influencers
KeyInfluencers

• 1 on 1 Assignments (e.g. Corporate Accounts)
• Create and Activate around Dedicated Events
• Association Leadership Development
• Host Meetings at your site
• Connect them and they will connect you
• Make them part of the VOC process

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Other Customers
Other Customers

• Peer Testimonials Carry Ultimate Credibility
• Create Group Relationship Events
• Combine Business Pleasure
• Smaller can be much Bigger!
• Listen and Encourage Group Discussion
• Win Over Industry Beacons

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Five Key Areas of Focus Who does the
Decision Maker Listen to?

• Who impacts your customer the most?
• Channel Partners
• Industry Associations
• Key Influencers
• Collaborators
• Agencies
• Researchers
• Suppliers
• Employees
• Other Customers

IndustryAssociations
KeyInfluencers
Customersother customers
Distribution Channel
StrategicCollaborators
Employees
The inter-connections are hard to visualize and
can take years constant attention to solidify,
but they are difficult if not impossible to
replicate!
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Resource Alignment Integrated
Marketing
Brand Continuity(Integrated Marketing)

• Resource alignment for each key buyer
  persona/group must be viewed both independently
  and collectively.
• Investment activation - visible at all levels!

DecisionMakers

• Integrated Marketing Programs intended to build
  the brand throughout the social network
  require both a singular theme and targeted
  messages

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Superintendents
Marketing Resource Allocations
Owners
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• Marketing Messages
• Channel Programs
• Key Events
• Association Support
• Direct Contact
• Key Influencers

Technicians
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Integrated Marketing ExampleThe key to
building a consistent powerful Brand

• Can you create a relevant theme or promise
  that resonates across multiple decision making
  personas?
• Is there a visual theme that can also work in
  concert with the promise to help pull the brand
  together visually?
• Are the messages targeted at each decision maker
  group tailored to the specific audience and
  consistent with the overall brand theme?
• Are all key elements of the Marketing Mix helping
  to build the overall brand or are they one-off
  efforts thatborrow from the brand?
• Do all campaign elements stay true to a brand
  standard?

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Product Advertisements
(Examples)

• Small Product
• Beautiful Course
• Anywhere USA
• Less is More!

Benefit
Featured Product
Theme
Count on it!
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Owner Advertisements
(Examples)

• Small Product
• Beautiful Course
• Anywhere USA
• Less is More!

Benefit
ValueCategory
FeaturedExperts
Theme
Count on it!
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Moving forward to The Right Choice
(Examples)
ValueCategory
Benefit
Theme
Count on it!
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Return on Relationships

• Voice of Customer Input for Customer Valued
  Innovation
• Frequency of Discussion Around Customers
  Problems, Needs and Constraints Increases
  Exponentially
• Consistent Ability to Leverage Confidential VOC
  Collection Opportunities
• Efficient Solution Validation Process
• Customer Loyalty
• Most People Would Prefer to Do Business with
  Trusted Friends
• Suppliers That Own the Discovery Advantage Have
  Edge on Competition Surprises
• DWWSWWD Earns Repeat Business
• Business Results
• High Customer Satisfaction Zealotry Equals
  Profits
• Higher Retention Spending Lower Conversion
  Recapture
• Increased Ability to Manage Sales Opportunities
• Employee Engagement
• Much More Fun to Sell Relationships Than Widgets
• Second Family / Home Emerges

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Easy to say, hard to do Why?

• Identify ALL the stakeholders in the buying
  process and understand their roles
• Investing in relationships requires buy-in and
  discipline
• Internal The company culture needs to get-it
• Consumed by passionate about customer needs
• Relationship skills are critical and must be
  sustained
• External Channel Partners / Collaborators must
  act consistently and understand their value
  proposition
• Learn the dance steps
• Know when to say no
• It is a long-term commitment
• Customers and Influencers know when it is (or
  isnt) genuine
• Finding the right balance of time and resources
  will take trial and error
• Two way accountability is imperative
• Never burn bridges
• Its a small world
• Taking the high road in defeat can pay off in the
  long run

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The model is always ON

• The only way it truly worksis if the model is
  always on!The social network of relationships
  is a continuous loopof understanding,serving,
  partnering,caring, and resolving