Last week we defined Early Stage Marketing as figuring out what the customers’ needs are… and Late-Stage Marketing as satisfying those needs by promoting our new product to them. Many B2B companies (my area of expertise) do a ...READ»
In last week’s blog, I described how marketing could be explained in three parts: Design (What does the customer want?), Development (What product/service would meet this need?) and Delivery (How can we get this product/service in ...READ»
For many years, I held various marketing positions in large B2B manufacturing firms and would be asked this question: “So what do you guys really do, anyway?” I found that mumbling or pulling out some helpful Dilbert cartoons ...READ»
In the last blog, we talked about a fairly rigorous way to understand competitive capabilities when designing a new product. The punch line was… you need to truly understand your customers’ needs before you can measure your ...READ»
When a team develops a new product, they often fall into the trap up making assumptions of two broad types: customer needs and competitive capabilities. And these are not independent. Here’s why:
It’s a pointless question to ask, ...READ»
I just got off the phone with a magazine editor and she asked several insightful questions during the interview. One of them was, “What should companies be spending their money on during a recession?” My answer was ...READ»
This week, we finish our three-part series on surviving and thriving in a miserable economy. This tip can best be practiced by companies providing products or services to other companies (not end-consumers). Outstanding research done ...READ»
Last week, we began a three-part series on surviving—and even thriving—in a miserable economy. This week, consider if there are new practices your company could adopt to rapidly boost your effectiveness in critical customer-facing ...READ»
Warren Buffet said it well: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” But even well-managed companies may feel a little “exposed” in this economic downturn. What are your choices? For too ...READ»
Yesterday, I had more fun than a trainer/consultant has the right to have. Each of my client’s teams was presenting its Business Case—the justification for proceeding into the development stage for a new product. In product ...READ»
OK… the title of this blog is a bit misleading. Most companies don’t need to learn how to waste millions of dollars. They already know how. In fact they are already doing it. The average Fortune 500 company squanders at least ...READ»
Last week, this blog focused on the virtues of face-to-face customer interviews… particularly when that customer is a business (not an end-consumer), and the subject is “we’d like to know more about your needs so we can design ...READ»
In my last blog, I mentioned all the ways that a B2B customer (another business) is different than a B2C customer (an end consumer): they tend to be more insightful, more rational in their decision-making, more dependent on ...READ»
Are you responsible for developing new products or services for your company? If so, there’s a good chance you’ve read some books or articles on the subject. Maybe attended a conference on new product development. Perhaps even ...READ»
Does your business develop new products and services for other companies…not consumers? Pick up B2B-specific tips here to help you generate exciting results. Drawn from Dan Adams book, New Product Blueprinting, and the workshops he ...READ»
