| Ten Ways to Make Your Services Tangible |
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By Jim Payne, S-Market Strategies
(Sbusiness Journal-May/June 2006)  In response to reader requests for more information on tactical marketing, this column will highlight a few key considerations and marketing materials that can be used to communicate to the services marketplace. In future columns, Jim will discuss in more detail the factors that need to be taken into account during development, application and implementation of marketing tactics for services businesses.
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| Understanding Channel Segments:
The Key Pieces to Your Channel Puzzle
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By Jim Payne, S-Market Strategies
 In recent years, I have spent a considerable amount of time working with thousands of resellers and distributors and talking with them about how they view services in their marketing and sales model. Based on this research, I have been able to develop and implement improved channel programs for manufacturers and independent services providers. Although resellers and distributors manage their businesses using many different strategies and methods, when you dig deeply enough, they all have certain things in common. They generally fall into a small number of segments that can be identified and considered in marketing strategy development for channel sales of services.
Download the entire article |
| Ask Jim Payne- Sept. 16-18 AFSMI Conference in Orlando |
 "The State of Services Marketing and Sales"
September 17, 2007, 3:00-4:00 pm AFSMI World Conference 2007
Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Florida
Jim Payne will be sharing the table with other industry thought leaders to offer insight on the current status and trends of services marketing and sales. This panel discussion will provide a very concise and effective method of exposing attendees to more than one approach to their business challenges. The panelists offer extensive and diverse background experiences in marketing and sales of services products. After some initial overview of current industry trends by each of the panelist, the floor will then be opened up to allow the session attendees to pose their own questions so that they can find answers to their marketing and sales challenges.
When this panel discussion was done at the 2006 AFSMI World Conference, it received a unanimous attendee rating of 5 out of a possible 5.
Comments from 2006
- Sound and comprehensive speakers.
- Lead the open discussion well, keeping the audience and feedback moving.
- Excellent. The guys elicited great input from the audience.
- These men are the guru's of our industry. How could you rate them any less than excellent? Great conversation!
Visit the AFMSI Conference Website for more information and to register for this important conference
Meet With Jim Payne While You Are in Orlando
To book an appointment to meet with Jim Payne and talk services marketing and sales at the AFSMI Conference in Orlando Contact Us. |
| Tools & Resources |
 FREE Services/Hardware Revenue Forecasting Tool
For Your Own Business Forecasting Applications
After downloading, you can modify the fields in yellow so that you can create an itemized five-year forecast of your service and hardware/software revenue. The tool allows you to experiment by varying key business parameters to view their effect on revenue potential. The tabs allow you to create multiple scenarios to compare the effect with different warranties or pricing.
Selling Services Through the Channel White Paper
By: Jim Payne, S-Market Strategies
This white paper provides valuable information that can help improve effectiveness in selling and marketing services through the channel for manufacturers, multivendor services providers and the channel itself. It is based on years spent understanding the needs and dynamics of channels and implementing successful strategies. The paper offers examples of successful programs, but also provides the background and logic behind many of the strategies and tactics.
A brief version that highlights a few of the key concepts from this white paper was selected as the cover article in the AFSMI's Sbusiness Journal, July/August 2005 issue and later republished as an "Article of Excellence" in Sbusiness Journal, January/February of 2006.
White Paper Outline:
Who's On First, The Sales Channel Scorecard?
Understanding Channel Segments
- The Full Services Channel
- The Part-Time Services Channel
- The No-Sell Services Channel
Effectively Managing Channel Segments
Key Channel Considerations
- We Are So Alike, Then Why Are We So Different?
- Think Like the Channel
- Talk to Your Channel
- Is Everybody Happy?
- Effective Differentiation in the Channel
- Channel Dynamics and Conflicts
- Do You Act or React?
- Too Much (or Too Little) of A Good Thing
- Your Competitors' Channel Model
- Needs Vs. Wants
Keep it Simple
- Simplified Services Example
- Packaged Services-Services Inside a Box
- Simple & Complex
- Tools Make It Simple-Marketing, Sales and Pricing
Special Free Offer
Get a free 1/2-hour phone consultation with the author Jim Payne when you order Selling Services through the Channel. Simply purchase the paper and we will contact you to schedule a time to start improving your business.
New Updated Version at a Special Price!
Order your full version copy of Selling Services through the Channel for only $49.95! (International Orders-Please Contact Us ) |
| Up Coming Articles |
- Services Marketing Coaching Programs
- Services Marketing and Sales Seminars at Your Location
- The Services Brand
- Packaged Services (Services Inside a Box)
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Fix The Problem, Not Just The Customer |
