Magnus Marketing Blog

A website called Companies are People Too details how organizations have different personalities. This is an interesting analysis (which is right on also - I did it for one firm and it was accurate) and brings up another point. In B2B marketing, marketers tend to treat organizations, even those in the same industry, as homogenious when in fact, each organization is unique and an individual. This is true whether the same industry or segment.

Take IBM, Sun, HP, Dell, and Lenovo. On the surface all of these companies do the same thing - they manufacture and sell computer technology. High level differentiators are obvious: IBM focuses on services, SUN focuses on the channel, Dell focuses on direct sales, HP has a mix, Lenovo is run from China. Go another level: IBM relies on an onsite/offshore model, Sun relies on product development (lower cost technology) to sell in the channel, Dell is shifting to retail outlet distribution, HP has a multidivisional focused product orientation, Lenovo is domestically manufactured. Go another level: IBM is a bit inbred and staid in culture, SUN sales/marketing oriented and aggressive, HP is nondescript, Dell innovative and a bit brash, Lenovo somewhat quiet and shrouded. And you could go much further. All of those unique factors in total define the company and how you should sell to them. Consider the following: IBM will value communication technology (VOIP), mobility solutions, and im/ex facilitating software (Vastera) more than SUN which has a focus on product development and channel management or Lenovo which is shifting focus from domestic to offshore supply chain functionality. A compliance solution may mean different things to each company. On the surface each firm is "the same", but how they respond to macro and microlevel factors including competition is unique. The value proposition needs to adapt not only to each firm, but to each person targeted in the firm as their function, focus, and need may vary - not all Supply Chain VP's are the same.

This is even more evident in the SMB market. With the owner or second-hire CEO, the business models are unique and valued for being such. Preference is given to the firm that understands this uniqueness and value. Some SMB's may not want a solution that "everyone else has" as it can erode their position of competitive advantage. Touting a solution that upholds same advantage can turn away business!

An analogy is a two child family. Even though the children grow up in the same household, each child may be different in personality, play, preferences. Both may drink Coca-Cola, but one may eat chicken while the other is a vegetarian! The kids may look the same or resemble each other, but one may live in t-shirts/jeans while the other likes dresses. Some external pressures like friends, school cohort, family situation also may evolve the children a certain way. Verizon and AT&T may look the same, but each firm is vastly different.

When doing research it is critical to uncover the nuances and latent needs unique to each firm. This is why generic profiles, cursory website reviews, and 10K's don't cut it. Research relies on facts, intuitive or deductive interpretation and analysis, and involves more of "observable playground behavior". This is why canned surveys, scripts, and quantitative analysis don't cut it for real business development. This is also why account analysis can run to 70 or 80 pages! But it is worth it and decision-makers do respond to it.