Overview
A global business process transformation leader reinvented its go-to-market strategy and needed to create solution-focused marketing sheets reflecting the new approach. And they needed them developed quickly so they could be submitted as part of an RFI response for one of the industry’s leading analysts – the results of which would affect the company’s standing in the marketplace.

Opportunity
The current set of product-focused marketing sheets were broken into sections and punctuated by bullet points describing each product’s features, what they did and the technology behind them. While they were short, pointed and filled with white space, the content was not connecting with client needs or the pain points the products solved. Additionally, because this organization deploys innovative, transformational solutions powered by leading edge technology – like robotics process automation, machine learning and cognitive AI (artificial intelligence) –  descriptions of its offerings can be complex and include jargon that is difficult to understand.

Solution
MiddleWay jumped right into the project and spent our first week immersed in research and discovery to rapidly skill up on the organization’s technology and the competitive marketplace. We held multiple working sessions with their salespeople, data scientists and process automation experts to understand how their solutions worked with their customers’ legacy systems and technology, and the challenges they solved. More importantly, we dug for details on how their people approach their clients and what sets them apart from their competitors.

With no time to share findings, key messages or an outline for approval, we dove straight into writing copy and designing layouts the second week following a basic formula:

• Start with the customer experience and build an engaging narrative around it to show where the solutions fit into the client’s worldview and how the organization’s approach and people work with them to drive results.
• Use statistics and testimonial quotes to underscore pain points/opportunities, create an active need, and provide both validation and perspective.
• Simplify the technology descriptions by eliminating unnecessary jargon and making the content accessible.

Results
The new solution sheets tell a compelling value story that differentiates the organization’s approach and product offerings. Infographic elements visually underscore why customers need these solutions. And strong, narrative copy draws them in, illustrating the challenges the organization’s offerings solve, and how its people and approach ensure a scalable solution that meets customers where they are while delivering maximum ROI on their investment.

When the marketing manager saw the first draft, she simply said, “Wow! These look amazing!” Feedback from all stakeholders was equally positive, edits were few and the solution sheets were ready to go by the end of the third week of the project. MiddleWay even helped with the RFI submission and presentation deck shared with the analyst, which earned the organization top quadrant scores for its offerings. Finally, the Transformation Practice Leader requested two additional solution sheets using the framework developed by MiddleWay, and our partnership with the team continued.