Executives at large accounts with complex problems want more than your “solution” – and rarely have a line item in their budget for your offering.  Instead, they have an initiative, with a goal, an objective…and a desired outcome.  And they lament that salespeople are often unprepared to have a discussion about the buyer’s issues and where they can help.

A customer’s desire for a business outcome is an important force that’s separating strategic vendors from commodity suppliers. We think that this idea of an outcome — in fact, an emerging Outcome Economy —needs to be clearly understood as being different from simply providing solutions and benefits.  So what is the difference?  Are you selling outcomes for your key customers?  How would you know?  And how can you help account teams have conversations about them?

We’re interested in your thoughts on what qualifies, in the customer’s eyes, as an outcome.  Here are our initial thoughts.  What are we missing?  What would you change?

I’m Eric Brown, a research director and 13-year veteran here at Forrester. I love to talk about topics like role-based marketing, customer experience, sales enablement, and healthcare IT.  I’ll be back to blog about those things another day.  Today, I want to talk about food.

In Cambridge, five of us on the tech industry marketing research team get together to make lunch for the group in rotation each Wednesday.  It’s been great — I recommend it (and not just because of ‘these tough economic times.’) It was my turn today, and I brought my White Bean Chicken Chili.  Well, not mine really.  The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.  Email me and I’ll send you the recipe.