Overview

I’ve always had a keen eye for identifying gaps and opportunities, and it became clear to me that our sales process was falling short when it came to engaging larger, more complex clients. While the team had been successful with small and mid-sized clients, we struggled to capture the interest of enterprise-level prospects due to the lack of engaging, high-impact presentations. Recognizing this, I proposed a bold solution: the creation of a dedicated prototyping team to support the sales team by crafting compelling, client-specific prototypes and presentations.

The Challenge

Large enterprise clients require more than standard presentations; they demand tailored, visually engaging materials that resonate with their unique challenges and business goals. Our sales team needed a way to better demonstrate the firm's capabilities, particularly in areas like digital transformation, customer experience, and innovative solutions. However, the team lacked the resources and expertise to produce these prototypes internally, creating a barrier to securing high-value contracts.

The Solution

I envisioned and proposed the formation of a prototyping team dedicated to:

1. Collaborating with the Sales Team: Working closely with sales to understand client needs and tailor prototypes to address their specific pain points.
2. Creating High-Fidelity Prototypes: Leveraging tools like Figma to design intuitive, client-ready prototypes that demonstrate potential solutions.
3. Validating Concepts with Clients: Using prototypes as a tool to gather client feedback, validate features, and spark additional ideas.
4. Streamlining the Sales Process: Providing visually appealing and functional prototypes to make presentations more compelling and effective.

The initial project for the prototyping team was to create a proof-of-concept prototype for a wealth management tool. This prototype demonstrated the potential for a pre-onboarding tool that integrated with platforms like InvestCloud, Addepar, and BlackRock. The wealth management prototype not only validated the concept but also served as a springboard for future prototypes. Once this prototype was successfully delivered, the team expanded its efforts to support other sales opportunities across various industries. This evolution has proven to be highly successful, with prototypes now playing a key role in securing high-value contracts.

The Pitch to the Head of Sales

I presented my idea to the Head of Sales in a meeting that emphasized the importance of engaging larger clients through better storytelling and tangible demonstrations of value. My pitch included:

• A Clear Problem Statement: I highlighted how our current presentation materials failed to meet the expectations of larger clients, often leading to lost opportunities.
• The Value of Prototyping: I demonstrated how prototypes could bring solutions to life, making complex concepts more tangible and relatable for clients.
• A Detailed Plan: I outlined my vision for the prototyping team, including roles, responsibilities, and the expected impact on sales outcomes.
• Alignment with Business Goals: I connected the initiative to the broader goal of expanding our footprint in the enterprise market, showing how this approach could drive revenue growth.

The Head of Sales was highly receptive to the idea, impressed by my strategic thinking and proactive approach. He greenlit the initiative, recognizing the potential for significant ROI.

The Prototyping Team Plan

I assembled a cross-functional team to support this initiative, ensuring a blend of skills and expertise:

• UX Designers: Responsible for crafting the prototypes, ensuring they are both visually engaging and user-centric.
• Business Analysts: Tasked with gathering and synthesizing client requirements to inform the prototype design.
• Wealth Management SMEs: Providing industry-specific insights to make prototypes relevant and impactful.
• Presentation Support: Team members focused on integrating prototypes seamlessly into sales presentations.

The team was designed to operate onshore and offshore, optimizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. I also planned to incorporate feedback loops with the sales team and clients to continuously refine and improve the prototypes. With the success of the wealth management prototype, the team began creating prototypes for additional sales opportunities, tailoring solutions to specific client needs and industries. This iterative approach has consistently generated positive feedback and strengthened our position in competitive bids.

Outcomes and Next Steps

With the prototyping team now operational, we are better positioned to attract and engage larger clients. Early prototypes have already received positive feedback, with sales teams reporting increased client interest and engagement during presentations. My plans include:

1. Scaling the Initiative: Expanding the team’s capacity to support a larger volume of sales efforts.
2. Introducing New Tools: Exploring advanced prototyping and visualization tools to further enhance deliverables.
3. Measuring Success: Tracking key metrics such as client acquisition rates, deal sizes, and feedback scores to demonstrate the impact of the initiative.

Conclusion

My proactive leadership and innovative thinking have bridged a critical gap for the sales team, empowering us to secure larger, more lucrative clients. By creating a prototyping team and successfully delivering the wealth management proof-of-concept prototype, I demonstrated the value of tailored, high-impact solutions. The continued success of our prototypes has positioned our organization as a forward-thinking partner capable of addressing the unique needs of enterprise clients, setting a strong foundation for sustained growth.

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