In helping clients develop their marketing position, I tell them that sooner or later, they have to dig down to uncover the truth about their products. Not what they think (and hope) is the products? true nature and value, or what it was ?designed to be,? but the real, bedrock truth. Digging takes effort, and you may not find what you thought was down there. But it?s necessary, because you had better be able to prove any claim you make.

Positioning depends on being able to make a promise that?s unique, relevant and credible. Most of the claims we see fail at least one of these tests. Generally, they lack uniqueness and/or credibility. So how can you make your marketing effort stand out on these scores as well as relevance? Offer proof.

Why ROI?

Some of the most common claims in B2B software marketing are that a product saves time, money and improves decision-making. But few companies provide compelling proof or quantify these benefits, because they don?t know how. My suggestion ? hire a good ROI (Return on Investment) sales and marketing consultant.

A well-thought out, comprehensive ROI  marketing and sales program is becoming a must in today?s difficult B2B software market. However, few companies seem to be investing appropriately. According to an Ernst & Young study, only two percent of the buyers say vendors are exceeding their expectations for ROI justification during the sales cycle. There?s clearly an opportunity for savvy marketers to jump ahead of their competition by improving their ROI marketing and selling.

If you need more compelling evidence, here it is. Eight-two percent of IT decisions require ROI analysis according to Information Week. Eighty-one percent of buyers expect vendors to quantify the value proposition, and by doing so, 60 percent more projects are likely to be approved.

Perhaps the most important fact of all: a valid ROI sales effort reduces the sales cycle by 30 to 40 percent, according the Gartner Group.

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