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Awareness of new products is no longer enough to drive customers to purchase. Traditionally, product communications have focused on providing information about product features so customers can spot the opportunities the product provides for their business.
But B2B customers have come to rely heavily on third-party recommendations and wait until much later in the purchase decision process to engage with sales reps. This means that when they do finally contact—or are contacted by—your company, they’ve made up their mind on what they want and need.
Smart communicators are now focusing on uncovering customer challenges and motivations to determine the best way to tailor communications to move customers toward the purchase decision. By placing customers’ business needs at the center of launch communications, companies catch customers’ attention and prime them to take action.
This new approach—called commercial teaching—seeks to drive demand and create urgency to purchase by providing customers with insight about an unexpected solution to their business challenge that the product is uniquely suited to achieve.
Elements of a Commercial Teaching Narrative
1. Start with a Known Customer Problem
Why: Grabs customers’ attention and builds credibility.
CEC Resource: Creating Commercial Teaching Narratives for B2B Product Launch
2. Present an Unexpected Solution
Why: Encourages action through the novelty and relied of an unexpected solution.
CEC Resource: Business Partner Interview Template
3. Lead to Your Products Unique Strength
Why: Ensures customers link the solution to your product.
CEC Resource: Engaging Customers Through Product Launch Communication
Outcome: Increased Likelihood of Purchase
Why: Desire to act translates to desire to purchase your company’s product.
Check out our full Product Communication resources center to learn about how to drive product demand through smarter positioning and communications collateral and see how four companies drive customers to take actions through trade show booths, customer seminars, and online social platforms.
CEC Related Resources
- Product Communications
- Creating Commercial Teaching Narratives for B2B Product Launch Communications
- Engaging Customers Through Product Launch Communication
CEC Related Blogs
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