PLM Channel Consulting Client Case Study B
Tags: Channel Strategy, Market Strategy, Marketing Collaterals, Partner Recruiting, Sales Playbook
The Client:
A privately held independent software provider (ISP or ISV) of engineering simulation software, operating in the CAE market segment of PLM, offered a new generation of market-disrupting industry-specific finite element analysis (FEA) tools usable by design engineers as well as expert simulation analysts.
The Scenario:
The client was quite successful with their historic focus on one industry and customer base in aerospace & defense. However, they struggled with developing a go-to-market strategy that would make them more attractive to indirect sales channels and relevant to technology alliance partners outside of A&D. This was important to address since the client did not have existing capacity to expand its direct sales force nor did they want to dilute their industry focus. Instead, they preferred to collaborate with partners and build alliances which would allow them to remain focused as engineering software developers on maturing their innovative technology and product offering.
Project Objectives:
The initial project was to collaborate with the client’s executive team over a period of three months to develop, vet, and test a bolder market strategy for creating partnerships, alliances, and sales channels around the rapidly emerging new CAE market segment of Simulation Apps. The engagement goals included re-imagining how their existing product positioning, competitive differentiation, industry messaging, value propositions, and customer presentations should evolve – or be scrapped where needed – to support the new solution space and partnerscape opportunities.
Reasons Cited for Selection:
- √ Possessed deep knowledge and hands-on experience with the simulation and analysis market including keen insights on industry trends and the competitive landscape.
- √ Previous experience with the PLM Alliances consultant which resulted in the creation of a new thought leadership theme that raised the awareness of and respect for the client’s technology base when presented to managers who were not simulation experts.
- √ Listening skills as evidenced by proposing an engagement that was right-sized and affordable for the available bandwidth and budget of the client.
- √ Enthusiasm for the market opportunity and confidence in the client’s ability to seize the opportunity in front of them regardless of internal history and external challenges.
Services Provided:
- √ Market Opportunity Reconnaissance and Business Assessment
- √ Partner & Alliance Strategy Review, Development, and Vetting
- √ Positioning, Messaging, and Value Proposition for the Partner Chain
- √ New Partner Identification and Target Prioritization
- √ Partner Engagement Collaterals including a Go-to-Market Playbook
- √ Development of Industry Sales Narrative, Presentation and Blog Articles
Results Delivered:
- √ Identified and analyzed the different market space opportunities available for the client to pursue with its new technology base, and then evaluated and ranked their potential.
- √ Developed the business strategy plan and formulated the go-to-market execution playbook for engaging prospective partners including channel resellers and software OEM opportunities for embedding their technology.
- √ Identified over 50 prospective resellers and licensing partners to be engaged, qualified, and worked in Phase 2.
- √ Handcrafted a portfolio of new marketing assets and presentations using refreshed positioning, language, messaging, and value propositions.
- √ Created a new sales narrative and supporting blog series to help business development representatives and sales partners better explain the context of the company’s technology and value proposition.
- √ Prepared the organization for the next phase of engaging and supporting new partners by helping to reshape how the company presented and positioned itself and it’s history.
To view an example of our work for this client read the 5-part blog series at Safer Numerical Simulation For Structural Analysis in the Aerospace Industry that was created to help educate partners and motivate their prospects.
Engagement Outcome:
The client was so satisfied with the effort that the PLM Alliances consulting services contract was renewed for Phase 2 work over a full additional year of business development, partner development and marketing support services.
Customer Comments:
“Rich through PLM Alliances helped us to quickly understand where the gaps were in both our expectations and execution of partner development strategies. He was equally creative, methodical, and resolute in enlarging our view of potential market opportunities, some of which we had simply overlooked. His engineering competency to understand what we had in our technology base, combined with his sales acumen to frame it using new language that partners could both understand and value, were both rare and powerful. He earned our trust to be considered an embedded member of the team for follow-on work.” Client’s President and CEO.
To request more PLM channel consulting references Contact PLM Alliances.