The VALUE PROPOSED step aligns with the ASSESS OPTIONS step in the buyer’s journey.
In this stage, Sue and Coops have:
- Helped drive consensus by getting stakeholders to agree on the current and desired states identified during DISCOVER AND DISRUPT.
- Confirmed with Wentworth the value to be realised by moving to the desired state.
- Expressed this value in Wentworth’s final value statement (below).
- Executed a strategy toward a proposal that will deliver this value.
- Defined the intangible benefits, and for whom.
- Defined how Wentworth’s business will change through the proposed solution.
- Confirmed the buying criteria and critical success factors.
- Proposed and presented Tesico’s solution, seeking agreement that it realises the desired state and its agreed value.
Note: not all of these are discussed in the story.
Methods applied
Sue has listed all issues and challenges identified during DISCOVER and DISRUPT and shared them with Wentworth to assist their development of a desired state and its promised VALUE, ensuring both Wentworth’s desired state and Tesico’s offering are aligned and differentiated. With Sue’s input, Wentworth has endorsed their value statement as:
“Wentworth require a more flexible and responsive cyber security system providing better security and lower risk for directors. It must also increase revenue and profit by improving the customer engagement experience, being able to more quickly and securely develop new products and services, take greater advantage of the efficiencies gained through remote access, and better harnessing, analysing and optimising all online interactions. Wentworth would gain competitive advantage through the confidence their customers would have in their ability to safeguard their data, and the confidence the bank would have to safely test and deliver innovative customer-focussed solutions built on real-time insight into stakeholder interaction. This would deliver greater revenue and profit to Wentworth.”
Sue has continued to influence the prospect’s thinking by posting on social media and publishing articles at relevant times, while enlisting the consensus-driving influence of her CHAMPION, Robert Meade. In this way she has gradually moved stakeholders toward greater acceptance.
Some questions for you
Think back to your current target prospect.
- Are you ready to prepare a proposal? Remember that until both the current and desired states are fully developed and agreed, your prospect is not ready to receive one.
- Have you gained agreement on the benefits and value of the desired state? If not, you are not ready to prepare a proposal or demonstrate your product.
The Wentworth Prospect
Continue reading from Chapter 41, ‘Show Don’t Tell’.
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