The Strategyzer model we use defines customer segments as follows:
Customer Segments are the different groups of people or organizations your enterprise aims to reach and serve. This includes users who might not generate revenues, but which are necessary for the business model to work
(e.g. users of Google’s free search engine are essential to their advertising-based business model, or doctors are usually an essential, but non revenue-generating part of a pharmaceutical company’s business model).
Questions to ask
- For whom are we creating value?
- Who are our most important customers, clients, or users?
Genesis customer segments:
Installers of Technology = IoT´s:
Our delivery channel partners. Specialised engineering companies dedicated to selling, designing, installing, delivering and servicing home technology to premium homes.
We see divide these into 2 groups and call them “Home Technology Architects”:
- Apprentice IoT – on route to build a successful business
- Mature IoT – established successful business
Premium Home Building Professionals:
Our specification channel partners. Professionals, already convinced about the need to include technology in premium homes of today and tomorrow. They are looking to learn how to integrate more technology in a simpler and more beautiful way into premium homes.
Note the niche we are looking to serve… only those focussed on premium homes & are looking to learn…focus.
- Visionary architects – looking to learn how technology can serve their vision of the homes they design
- Home builder – looking for technology that adds value to the homes they sell
- Interior design contract division – looking for technology that serves the design of spaces they create
Map your customer segments with your value proposition and you start unraveling the mystery of your business…see image on the top for a first step (courtesy Strategyzer).
Next step then is to answer the following questions:
- What change are you trying create?
- Who are you trying to change?
(for more on the importance of this last question turn to the wizards Seth Godin and Steve Blank – obvious next question then becomes “What change do you want to create?”…)
Short questions with BIG answers…
extra context re. home building professionals – below an email sent to our supply partners a while back…
Dear Willie Wonka,
I would like to ask for some extra attention and time to deal with our request below. It concerns our future and success…
As our strategic partner I wanted to ask you for some input and help. Help in growing our business together. The second stage of our rocket 🚀… The so-called “specification channel” stage: ✏️
The “delivery channel”: ✅is established and organically grown further
This we have – about 300 established partners across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal.
These are our current “installation partners”, “dealers”, “integrators”, “installers of technology”.
(The people and companies you see at ISE who sell and install technology products)
Status: We have the trust and the ear of this channel. Based on this channel alone we are able to grow 30-50% under the current favourable market conditions. Our focus is on serving them by making their life simple and work on a project basis when and where we can.
The “specification channel”: ✏️
This is what we need to develop. There are thousands of these.
These are mainly “architects”, “contract divisions of design and build brands” and “technical design offices”.
They are hard to reach as this is one of the most over-marketed groups in the building industry.
Interesting read on how to reach this group here: How to market to architects. Some lighting companies and building component manufacturers do this quite well. Our industry however does not (yet)…
Request:
- What architect-facing marketing materials do you have?
- Do you have experience in marketing towards architects? If so, could you share best practices?
- Are there any specific online activities you use to reach architects?
- How do you handle architects requests for info? Can you elaborate?
- Do you have a plan or strategy to market to architects?
In our opinion this “second stage of the rocket 🚀” is what is needed to keep growing and empower installers to sell premium systems. So we invite you to work with us to make this happen.
Thanks in advance and always happy to discuss over the phone or in person to take a deep dive on this.
Wim
