profile

Faisal Siddiqui

How to sell something no-one understands

Published over 2 years ago • 2 min read

Are you selling complicated or complex services to people who don’t fully understand the value of what they’re getting?

It’s a common problem for a lot of software and technology companies, especially when the people who use their products (developers) aren’t the ones who actually buy them (business executives).

This is a quick story of how we helped a highly technical organization clearly articulate their business value in a more simple and human way.

Estimated read time: 2 minutes and 30 seconds

Challenge

Callstack is a Polish software development agency with deep expertise in React Native - a programming language for creating mobile apps.

Working directly with Meta (Facebook), they co-create free technologies that help millions of developers globally build better performing apps quicker and easier.

While they had established awareness, authority and respect with software developers through their regular contributions to the Open Source community, getting less-technical stakeholders (who are usually key decision makers when hiring an agency) to understand and appreciate their advanced coding expertise was challenging.

Insight

Instead of trying to position the company around its complicated technical prowess, we realized there was an opportunity to own the category by developing a unique point of view.

Extensive interviews with their lead developers uncovered an insight; Callstack’s technology and development approach not only created better apps - they break down the structural silos that plague technology departments and allow developers to work in smaller, more cohesive teams.

That means the streamlined and efficient software that Callstack creates has the power to shape a more streamlined and efficient business, just by implementing their technology alone.

Strategy

We decided to brand their unique approach as “Total Software Engineering”. At the core was the idea that thoughtful app design helps businesses break down silos, streamline teams, and simplify how they work.

This not only differentiated Callstack from their competitors, but allowed them to shift their messaging from coding technicalities to business benefits that the senior non-technical stakeholders who bought their services really cared about.

Visual identity

Using buildings and cities as a metaphor for businesses, we created a visual universe that brought our “Total Software Engineering” positioning to life. The protagonists of the universe are Callstack developers, who have the power to shape the landscape for the better.

A bold new purple and white palette reframed Callstack as a fresh, modern business whose employees are skilled, client-facing representatives.

​

Activation

The new brand strategy led to a broader business transformation for Callstack.

To complete the project, we also:

  • Helped the team radically simplify their portfolio of services, making it easier for senior decision makers to discover, navigate, and understand
  • Created tools and training for the sales team that would help them articulate the broader “Total Software Engineering” story and the business benefits that came from working with Callstack
  • Led the redesign of Callstack’s website and all go-to-market materials to drive better conversion across all stages of the funnel
​

If you want to see more beautiful space-themed artwork, check out the full case study here!

Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways we can help you:

  1. ​Positioning: Find the sweet spot between what makes you unique and what makes people buy
  2. ​Planning: Win over the C-suite by proving the impact of brand on the bottom line
  3. ​Promotion: Reach more customers and acquire them for less with always-on brand campaigns
  4. Portfolio: Streamline your offerings and make it easier to buy with a brand portfolio strategy

Thanks for reading,

Faisal Siddiqui​
Founder

__
Z: Book a call​
W: creativebusinesscompany.com​

Faisal Siddiqui

I'm the Founder of Creative Business Co. Subscribe for marketing guides, insights and deep dives.

Read more from Faisal Siddiqui

Your brand lives in a deck. It should live in your business. Own the room 🎙️ • Most brand strategies live in marketing. • The strong ones live in sales, onboarding, and the product roadmap too. The line worth keeping: if your brand only shows up in campaigns, you don't have a brand strategy. You have a style guide. Use it the next time someone treats brand as a marketing job. 👉🏼 The 3 levels brand has to live in A brand idea has to be active in three places to build any real advantage. 1....

3 days ago • 1 min read

"We empower teams to transform operations." Nobody knows what that means. Own the room 🎤 • Most brand strategies describe what a company believes. "We empower teams to transform how they work." • Every competitor could say the exact same thing, which tells a buyer nothing. • A real brand idea describes how you compete, not what you believe. The test: if it can't tell you who your customer isn’t, it isn't a strategy. It's a mood board. Run that test on your own positioning before the next...

10 days ago • 1 min read

You're running ads nobody remembers. Here's why. Own the room 🎤 • An impression lasts hours. A memory lasts years. • Most B2B media plans buy a lot of the first and almost none of the second, then wonder why the spend isn't moving anything. • An impression is a moment of exposure. A memory is what makes a buyer think of you six months later, when the deal is real. Next budget review, ask which one each line is actually buying. What actually sticks 👇🏻 Memory forms through four things: Multiple...

17 days ago • 1 min read