Problem to solution

We know what you sell.

But which big problem do you SOLVE? 

We’ll commit to the following exercises:

Current state

These tasks are a snapshot of where you are right now. You might find you’ve conducted some of these exercises, in which case, pull them into the process. You’ll be saving some time and pulling out business documents that no one’s seen in months is always a good opportunity to remind ourselves that we should have done this earlier, and that we work in a surprisingly grown-up organisation.

Community deep-dives

From these conversations we’ll surface all the qualitative insights to identify that big problem you solve today, and how it might evolve to serve your people and profits, tomorrow.

You may be surprised from these discussions that your biggest business opportunity isn’t what you thought it was. It might take some deep breaths and beginner’s mind to accept what’s needed isn’t what was planned. The solution story you create in the next phase will guide your entire business to accomplish whichever objectives are now needed.

Future state

You might be wondering why I’ve suggested doing these exercises twice. 

Let’s have a reality check. The biggest problem you can solve for clients will be different to what you thought it was. Probably, significantly.

Doing these canvases and analysis before and after your community chats is crucial to the formation of your solution story.

Insights uncovered at this stage often expose significant gaps between leadership assumptions and reality. Do the work.

Example of current and future states

Look how fundamentally different Logisticks becomes through the research phase and the lens of SWOT analyses:

Tomorrow’s SWOT

Ideally you’ll be convinced at this point. If not, just do these three exercises once, and to plot out your future direction rather than the current state.

The outputs will be hugely important in sculpting your solution story - so please at least run through them once.

The big kick off

"United We Grow" Storytelling Initiative Kick-Off

Objective

Generate enthusiastic company-wide buy-in, momentum and sense of ownership around codifying Logisticks's integrated continuity experience vision and messaging through the Solved to Sold Storyselling system.

Key campaign elements

What does success look like?

To get people excited about Storyselling, you're going to need to sell the dream.

And for your business, the dream is numbers.

Every task in business is about driving growth through:

Storyselling isn't about making your business look good.

It's about making it succeed.

Let's be honest - few organisations have yet grasped the value of story in acquiring and retaining clients and colleagues.

No matter how many times we present them with evidence.

The good news is the effects of getting good at Storyselling are quickly manifested.

That's when you present your senior leaders with a cake in the shape of a hat, and a fork with which to eat it.

As a reader of Solved to Sold, you're already invested in making this work.

So what you and I need to decide, are the success metrics on which we're going to hang our Storyselling hat cake.

While resonant messaging and a differentiated brand narrative are crucial foundations, the true test of an effective story lies in measurable business impact aligned to strategic goals.

Assigning KPIs to this work will reassure all our sponsors and stakeholders that this is a step worth taking.

To overcome negativity and scepticism, we can define concrete success metrics upfront to help everyone see the immense value in the Storyselling system.

So, select 3-5 core KPIs reflecting priorities showcasing how polished messaging aims to deliver value.

Metrics you might consider, are:

Metrics should connect to current challenges felt across the organisation that compelling messaging can influence through prompting desired actions among your target audiences.

Tracking performance on defined success metrics provides crucial proof points that the Storyselling framework directly accelerates commercial outcomes.

And comparing results before and after implementation spotlights the brand narrative’s impact quantitatively for leadership teams.

This element turns strategic brand development into a tangible growth lever measured beyond vanity metrics alone.

You might already have organisational KPIs that Storyselling can support. Why reinvent the wheel when you already have a perfectly roadworthy vehicle?

I'm pretty sure Logisticks' would already have high-level KPIs around these areas:

Here are 5 KPIs I would choose to measure the business impact of Logisticks' solution story:

The blend of customer health scores, behaviour retention stats, and financial return figures provides a well rounded indicator set assessing quantitative business impact across the integrated continuity strategy.

Using AI?

Here are some suggested prompts you can use when researching an existing business to understand what success might look like with Storyselling in the mix:

SWOT analysis

Strengths

Industry-leading technology: Logisticks offers a robust and feature-rich platform with innovative solutions like Visual Timeline, Marketplace, and Predictive Analytics.

Strong customer focus: Logisticks prioritises understanding customer needs and tailors solutions to specific industries and verticals.

Proven track record: Logisticks boasts a successful client base with notable names like LVMH, Sephora, and Dollar Shave Club, showcasing the effectiveness of their solutions.

Scalability and flexibility: The platform caters to businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises, and offers flexible integration options.

Data-driven approach: Logisticks utilises data analytics to predict potential issues and personalise the customer experience, improving efficiency and satisfaction.

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Economic downturns: Reduced consumer spending during economic downturns can negatively impact businesses that rely on e-commerce and delivery services.

Data privacy regulations: Evolving data privacy regulations can create compliance challenges and limit access to valuable customer data.

Technological disruptions: New technologies like autonomous delivery vehicles or blockchain-based logistics solutions could disrupt the current market landscape.

Acquisition by competitors: Larger players in the logistics or technology space might see Logisticks as a strategic acquisition target, potentially impacting its independence and innovation.

I’m guessing SWOT analyses are bread and butter for every organisation so I don’t anticipate you’d need to go out of your way to develop one for the Storyselling exercise.

But if you’re in any doubt about the legitimacy of the SWOT you were given - it may have been superseded in value through product launches or changes of leadership, for example - then there’s no harm in conducting one. You might choose to incorporate a SWOT session in the lean business canvas or problem framing canvas workshops.

What can we learn from this SWOT?

Maintaining strengths

Continue investing in cutting-edge technology: Stay ahead of the curve by developing innovative features and solutions that address evolving customer needs and industry trends.

Prioritise customer-centricity: Double down on understanding your customers' deep dive into their specific needs and expectations across different industries. Tailor your offerings and messaging accordingly.

Leverage success stories: Showcase positive impact on established brands to build trust and attract new customers.

Addressing weaknesses

Increase brand awareness: Implement targeted marketing campaigns to reach new audiences and establish Logisticks as a leader in post-purchase experience.

Explore flexible pricing models: Consider offering tiered pricing options or pay-as-you-go models to cater to businesses of all sizes and budgets.

Differentiate through partnerships: Forge strategic partnerships with complementary players to expand your reach and offer more comprehensive solutions.

Capitalising on opportunities

Expand geographically and vertically: Enter new markets and industries with high growth potential, adapting your offerings to specific needs.

Develop AI-powered solutions: Utilise AI to personalise the customer experience further, predict issues proactively, and offer more efficient support.

Embrace sustainability: Integrate eco-friendly features and options to attract environmentally conscious customers and businesses.

Mitigate potential threats

Stay ahead of regulatory changes: Proactively adapt your data practices to comply with evolving privacy regulations.

Monitor technological disruptions: Be prepared to adapt and innovate to stay relevant in the face of emerging technologies.

Consider strategic acquisitions: Explore acquiring complementary companies to expand your offerings and strengthen your market position.

Additional recommendations

Foster a culture of innovation: Encourage colleague creativity and experimentation to develop new solutions that meet evolving customer needs.

Invest in colleague training and development: Ensure your team has the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver exceptional customer service and utilise the platform effectively.

Measure and track key performance indicators (KPIs): Monitor metrics like customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and churn to measure progress and identify areas for improvement.

Let’s carry forward some of the juicier bits from our SWOT.

There are always tons of insights from SWOTs that are more operationally-inclined.

Our story will not be affected by regulatory changes - we will of course need to heed them, but the story should be inclined towards delivering the best possible customer experience, not getting tied in knots by the next GDPR disaster movie.

It’s much easier to tweak the story because it’s too creative, than bring new creativity to a story whose narrative has been shrunk by fears for what the future might hold.

Sustainability is a hot topic and will continue to be so. Can we weave our sustainability ambitions into the story?

We should look for ways we are doubling down on customer-centricity. We’ll make a mental note of this for when we work through our customer chats for case study concepts.

Success stories are clearly important to marketing the human authenticity of this organisation. This is in the bank.

We know data is super important to this business. So we need to make sure that our story goes out its way to showcase our data obsession. This is something we need to remember, no matter our organisation or industry. If our DNA is infused with a specific way of working, then we need to make sure our story reflects that in every possible way.

We’re off! We have some great concepts for our story. Let’s now get stuck into the customer chats.

Using AI?

Conducting a SWOT analysis on a business is relatively straightforward using AI.

To create a powerful and insightful SWOT analysis, search for publicly-available business data - such as annual reports, and data from Companies House - and upload those files to either Perplexity or Claude.

I have created two AI prompts to get into the details. The first one will create a robust SWOT analysis, while the second reflects on that analysis to provide some basic concepts as to how client and colleague communication can be improved to focus on the business' growth ambitions:

Solution stack

There are no end of frameworks and formulas in the business world.

All of them make my head explode like that amazing emoji.

I needed something similar for Storyselling. Something that even I could understand.

That’s why I came up with the Solution Stack.

It’s four steps to know just enough about the big problem, unique solution, client, and your business.

Here's the Solution stack template:

Big problem

What's the biggest problem we solve?

Describe the problem and primary pain points it causes.

Why does the problem exist?

What's the cause of the problem? Is there a shortage, or lack, of something in the business? Is it a hardware issue, or a people problem? Be as descriptive as you can.

What's the cost of these problems?

Quantify the impact of these problems on our client businesses.

Solution

What are the products and services forming this solution?

Outline the core elements of your solution (products, services, processes) that directly tackle the problem.

How do we deliver the solution?

Specify how you deliver the solution to your clients (such as direct sales, subscriptions, partnerships).

Share a sentence explaining this big problem you solve - in three different ways:

Direct and simple - just the basics

Logisticks examples:

"We eliminate post-purchase anxiety by providing transparent and proactive delivery tracking & returns management.”

"We bridge the gap between retailers and customers, ensuring a seamless and stress-free post-purchase journey."

Focusing on customer emotions

Examples:

"We turn 'where's my order?' into 'oh, my order is arriving soon!' for happy customers and loyal brands."

"We replace shipping updates with peace of mind, empowering both retailers and shoppers to relax knowing their deliveries are under control.

Highlighting specific benefits

Examples:

"We boost conversion rates by offering accurate delivery estimates and increase customer satisfaction with personalised communication."

"We reduce returns and improve operational efficiency by providing self-service options and streamlining the returns process."

Notes

Client

Our business

By providing thoughtful and comprehensive answers to these questions, you have created a manifesto for your future success that extends way beyond the value of any vision or mission statement.

The Solution stack gives us everything we need to move Storyselling to the next stage - whether that’s having analysed the current state of your operations, or finishing this section off by looking at the future state having considered all your community chats with colleagues and clients.

If you have bags of time, you could also apply the Solution stack to three of your closest competitors. That would really set cats among pigeons, and give you intense clarity on the macro picture.

Why is the Solutions stack important?

Say you were about to take a road trip, or sail around the Greek islands. I’m assuming you’d have some kind of mapping device, right? Or would you just strike out and see how long it took for you to run out of petrol, or get eaten by sharks (it’s more likely this would happen if you were sailing, rather than driving).

If you just grabbed the wheel (that’s the same for a yacht, right?) then no one - very much including me - would ever speak with you again. Probably because you’d never be seen, or heard from, again.

If you rely on instinct and chance, keep begging outside the casino.

Can you think of a business operating without a clear, concise understanding of their current state and future goals? 

Thing is, you can. And that’s why I say this Solutions stack is such a great piece of work.

If I told you to write a new business plan, you’d punch me in the face. And I would deserve it.

But telling you to get this Solutions stack done, makes total sense and ensures we stay pacifists. Why?

Solutions stack workshop resources

Some really quirky drinks that get people going ooh (kombucha regularly works, as does kefir, and basically anything energy-giving without artificial sweeteners; if all you have is tea, coffee, and water, realise you’re losing at life and this is clearly unacceptable, but it’s gonna have to do. Try harder, next time)

Your existing company vision and mission documents. Chances are they’re literally awful - like, as readable as your privacy policy, and modern slavery statements; but it’s a fun exercise to compare your impressive Solutions stack, a democratic and legitimately actionable output, versus whatever nonsense that consultancy put together at huge expense about five years ago).

Getting started

Chances are you already know the people who are best placed to crack the back of this stack:

I like to warm up the room with a funny but serious set of 10 questions:

Depending on your business, each of the sections of the canvas will need different amounts of time. But in a nutshell, here’s what you’re looking for:

We mentioned before about tweaking the template - which I encourage you to do. I really feel like there should be a separate section in here about Team growth, which talks about the steps you’re currently taking to fully immerse every colleague in all your critical business communications.

The template is intended to be the bare bones of what you’ll need. Customisation, and not content, is king/queen, here.

Using AI?

With some patience and coaxing, you can totally fashion a reasonable attempt at the Solution stack using AI. The secret is thinking about AI as an intern. It won't have the specificity of response you need unless you feed it a detailed prompt with as much evidence as it needs to make an informed response.

For example, when it comes to developing solution messaging to seduce your prospective clients, use a prompt such as:

We're [ENTER BUSINESS NAME] and the biggest problem we solve is [THE PROBLEM]. Thinking about our target audience, which is [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF KEY CLIENT PERSONA], create one-sentence marketing messages promoting the solution we offer, which is [EXPLAIN SOLUTION]. The messaging should be focused on solving key clients' business problems that are currently a barrier to their growth. Think about three different aspects of their busines that will benefit through this solution, and create inspiring messaging for each growth opportunity through this solution.

Competitive differentiation

Prior to developing core messaging, conduct an audit evaluating how competitors position their solution story and value proposition. This provides contrast points to better showcase your unique approach and helps call out overused industry jargon to avoid.

Here is a mock competitive differentiation audit analysing key positioning and messaging elements from Logisticks' main competitors:

Competitor A: TalkTrack (post purchase communications)

Flywheel review:

Competitor B: SendLync (experience automation) 

Flywheel review:

Competitor C: PostBuy (delivery experience suite)

Flywheel review:  

In summary, Logisticks has an opportunity to distinguish themselves by leading with a bold vision around transforming sterile transactions into dynamic lifelong relationships rooted in mutual understanding beyond fragmentation reduction or conversion improvements.

Competitors currently fail to fuse both the functional and emotional elements of integrated experiences at scale powered by AI.

Different ways to differentiate

Customers and colleagues will give you the start you need.

Then it's a case of diving deep into your business and its strengths and figuring out which aspects of what you do can be further enhanced to develop a winning proposition.

Different ways to differentiate include:

Using AI?

Competitive differentiation is easy with AI. But make sure you get specific with your request - because agents have a tendency to hallucinate when your prompt presents few guard rails.

Suggested prompt:

You're a business analyst. I want you to identify three of the closest competitors to [NAME OF BUSINESS] whose website is at [INSERT BUSINESS URL]. Explain each of these competitors' value propositions and differentiators, their primary client audiences, and key messaging. For each competitor, also conduct a brief marketing flywheel review, providing a list of strengths and unique approaches in how this business creates and retains clients.

Client deep dive

We’re looking for five customer chats.

This is a perfect way to get the story concept aired across your organisation.

You’re looking for five customers who are already considered long-term clients.

Their problems have been solved by you for the past 3+ years.

Good customer lifetime value. You’ve been around the block together. They can talk about the early days, and what it’s like to work with you.

When you're creating your business story it's vital you spend time fully understanding how you currently service customer needs.

And there's nothing customers love more than attention.

That's why I recommend to my clients they schedule 10 calls to check in and find out how their products meet expectations.

These conversations follow a standard case study framework. This way, anyone on your team can host the chat.

In an ideal world you'll want to record the conversation - and, even better, have an AI agent on the call to produce the transcript and, with some prompting around your needs, 'write' the finished case study to share with your team immediately afterwards.

My prompt would request the best bits from the transcript be funnelled under these headings:

The success story framework is simple:

Record the call. That's your number one priority.

Use an AI notetaker. I recommend Fathom because it’s free for the just-enough features.

Exercise done, you’ll be in no doubt where you're matching up to expectations, and work needs to be done.

And you're a huge leap closer to getting your solution story straight.

Bonus points - repeat this task at least every six months. It’s all part of enhancing the story.

Here are the success story snapshots from five synthetic customer calls:

Retail giant boosts post-purchase transparency

Food delivery app enhances on-demand visibility

Manufacturing company streamlines B2B deliveries

Industry: Manufacturing

Ecommerce startup personalises post-purchase experience

Pharma company ensures temperature-controlled deliveries

Go deeper

You may find that the results of your discussions go deeper. If so - congratulations.

There’s no such thing as TMI when it comes to learning about the big problems faced by your clients - and how you solved them.

Here's an extended success story snapshot framework with additional sections. This is a really nice case study, and with the additional information it's easy to use these stories in your future marketing campaigns.

Customer 1: Regional department store chain

Customer 2: National CPG brand  

Customer 3: Emerging DTC jewellery brand

Rollover - how these success stories are a lottery win for your business

Aside from the obvious benefit of five case studies you can carry forward into your marketing campaigns and on to your website/repurpose as webinars, videos, share at customer events, and a million other tactics - these case studies have also informed 10 more themes you can milk through your story: