In my conversations with leaders of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs), a common theme emerges: a deep belief in the broad capabilities they offer, yet sometimes a struggle to articulate that value in a way that immediately resonates with potential clients or stakeholders. It reminds me of Peter Drucker’s timeless wisdom: “Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for… Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality.”

Value, indeed, is in the eye of the beholder. Especially when offering strategic services or complex technology solutions, if the specific, tangible benefit to the client isn’t crystal clear, even the most comprehensive “platform” of expertise can be overlooked.

The “Platform Thinker’s” Dilemma – An Illustrative Story

Consider a technology professional – let’s call him Thomas – looking to offer consulting services in help desk management. Thomas had years of experience and believed he could optimize almost any aspect of a company’s help desk function, offering broad efficiency and cost savings. His expertise was his “platform.”

However, when asked for his unique value proposition to a potential client, he struggled. His broad approach, while showcasing his extensive capabilities, didn’t offer a compelling, immediate reason for a busy executive to engage. This is a common challenge: many skilled professionals and businesses offer a wide “platform” of services or capabilities, but find it hard to cut through the noise and communicate a pointed, irresistible value proposition.

The Power of the “Spot Solution” to Open Doors

The tendency, especially for those with deep expertise (our “platform thinkers”), is to believe that every client situation is unique and requires a custom, broad-based approach from the outset. While customization is often necessary, leading with your entire “platform” can be overwhelming or unclear to a potential client.

The value a strategic advisor, like a fractional CIO, often brings is an outside perspective that identifies common inefficiencies and applies best practices to solve specific, measurable problems quickly. For Thomas, the advice was:

Identify a High-Impact “Spot Solution”: Instead of “generic help desk consulting,” what one specific area of a help desk consistently has waste where he could make a significant, measurable, and rapid impact? For example: “I can reduce your average call resolution time by X% within Y weeks without new capital investment, guaranteed.” This is a clear, compelling “spot solution.”

Target a Specific Segment: Which type of business is most likely to experience and value this specific improvement?

Communicate That Specific Value: Use this pointed value offer to get an audience with decision-makers. A senior executive might not have time for a general discussion about “help desk efficiency,” but they will make time if they believe someone can deliver a concrete, significant result quickly.

The “Land and Expand” Strategy: From Specific Win to Broader Partnership

This “spot solution” approach is the key to opening the door. It allows you to demonstrate tangible value quickly and build trust. Once that initial success is achieved (the “land”), the opportunity to discuss your broader “platform” of capabilities and expertise expands significantly. The client, having experienced your ability to deliver on a specific promise, is now far more receptive to exploring how else you can help their business. Apple sold the iPod (spot solution) to create the iTunes ecosystem (platform). Salesforce offered a targeted CRM solution before expanding into the vast Force.com platform.

As your fractional CIO, while I bring a broad “platform” of strategic IT expertise, our initial engagement will often focus on solving one or two of your most pressing, specific technology-related business challenges. Delivering tangible results there builds the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership where we can address the full spectrum of your IT needs.

What’s Next

Your SMB undoubtedly possesses a wealth of capabilities – your “platform.” The trick is to ensure its value is visible and understandable from your client’s perspective. Often, this means leading with a specific, compelling solution to a recognized pain point. Deliver on that, build trust, and then you’ll earn the opportunity to “land and expand,” demonstrating the full breadth of your value.
Is your SMB effectively communicating its specific value to open doors for broader opportunities? If you’re looking to refine how your technology strategy delivers and demonstrates clear, measurable results, let’s talk about how Succeed Sooner Consulting can help.