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Customer references are among the most powerful marketing and sales
tools for IT services and solutions. They are essential vehicles for
communicating a company's ability to apply technology and services to
solve business problems. Yet too many companies equate reference management
with having a few good case studies. Published success stories are certainly
useful, but represent only one of a myriad of reference tools available
to provide evidence of value delivered.
This ITSMA Update makes the case for investment in a broad-based
reference management program and reviews the most critical challenges that
marketers face in building an effective program. The Update provides a
process map for creating a reference program reviews the importance of
creating multiple types of static and dynamic references. It also identifies
the most appropriate reference types to utilize at different stages of
the sales cycle. Finally, the Update explores the pros and cons of providing
incentives to customers that serve as reference accounts.
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