Business Integration and the Acquisition Hangover
You can’t open a business journal these days without reading of at least one business buying another. This happens so frequently and all around the world that it feels like … Continue reading
Are You Really Listening to Your Customers?
“You have lots of nice rooms but no house.” This is a direct quote from a very important customer I once had. To understand his meaning I have to take … Continue reading
Put More Fun in Your Marketing
For many marketers and organizations there is a strong tendency to take everything very seriously. This is business, after all, and we must fight every day to survive. Business has … Continue reading
10 Strategies to Fix Your Trade Show Problems
You may have heard me say it before: I don’t care much for corporate participation at trade shows and congresses. Trade shows generate doubtful (or at best marginal) returns and … Continue reading
The Most Important Question You Can Ask
So much business focus these days seems to be on WHAT to make, WHERE to sell it and to WHOM. This is standard operating procedure for many businesses. After countless … Continue reading
Why International Business is Different
Doing business internationally is one of life’s great joys and challenges. It is immensely enriching but it is neither for the faint of heart nor for those who are by … Continue reading
How Much is Too Much Spending?
In marketing as in life, there is a natural tendency to get greedy and think that more is always better. It often seems that anything worth doing, is often worth … Continue reading
Writing is the “New” Marketing Skill
It is easy to think that the business world today runs almost exclusively on spreadsheets, e-mails and PowerPoint presentations. The business memo has faded away from most organizations and even … Continue reading
The Product-less New Product Launch Event
Puzzled by the title? Bear with me a bit. In an article by Neil Rackham (author of SPIN selling) entitled “Why Bad Things Happen to Good Products,” the author makes … Continue reading
The Marketer as Challenger
Much has been made of the Challenger Sales Model. First published just over a year ago, the book and Authors (Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson) defied conventional wisdom that the … Continue reading
Customer Insight Gathering: 25 Prospecting Questions
In many organizations, Sales and Marketing are partnering to reframe the conversations field personnel are having with B2B customers. The days of classic F&B selling are over and are being … Continue reading
Ten Signs Your Marketing Needs a Checkup
Marketing: Heal thy self! With marketing evolving faster than ever before, it probably makes good sense for companies to do an occasional health checkup. Here are a few signs to … Continue reading
Five Must-Haves for Successful Marketers
I’ve spent the past 15 years working in various Marketing roles. From small firms to massive industry juggernauts, from upstream product Marketing to downstream sales and business development, I’ve had … Continue reading
7 Guidelines for Selecting a Creative Agency
Creative or advertising agencies are an essential part of the marketing landscape. No matter how big your business and how well funded you are, at some point you will require … Continue reading
The Decline of the Marketing Empire
There is a sobering image of Marketing’s perception within the corporation which is emerging. One that spells opportunity but also rings the death knell for traditional Marketing models and organizations. … Continue reading
Three Ingredients for Successful Content Development
If you look around you’ll probably notice that almost everyone is jumping onboard the digital marketing bandwagon like its the last chopper out of Saigon. Content is the new buzzword … Continue reading
3 Essential Inbound Marketing Skills
Over the years, the term Marketing has evolved into a catch all phrase that encompasses a wide range of activities ranging from product development, product management, brand management, market research, … Continue reading
Let’s Get This Started
The world may not need another blog, but here comes one anyway. After reading so much recently on business, marketing and technology, I figured it was high time for me … Continue reading