Message in a bottling economy

newproductnetwork — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:56:43 +0000

Its hard work, it has taken long enough to persuade the techie to think about marketing at all, then it was benefits rather than features and now we have to go back and say re-think it all as the economic climate has changed. A good example is the number of new clean-tech products I see where the only marketing message presented is about the reduction in the carbon footprint, that’s great but it will probably save you money as well and this year that counts. So keep reminding yourself that your marketing has to align with your potential customers’ need and these can change – recognising and reacting to these changes are the mark of a successful company – even in a recession.
Mike Herd

Is it just me!

newproductnetwork — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:12:44 +0000

One of the frustrations of helping new businesses start-ups is the amount of poor marketing advice that is doled out, usually by marketing consultants as a means of getting a company with little funds to splash out on a glossy brochure or a flier. There is nothing wrong with good marketing collateral, and indeed it should be a key part of brand and profile building, but not without a marketing strategy, a sales model and a good understanding of what you are trying to achieve and how.

So how delighted was I to receive through the post (I must have ticked a box somewhere) a Business Link book offering an Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Marketing. Not only that, the book had a bright yellow additional cover emblazoned with my own personalised title – ‘Mike Herd’s book on Marketing to Win More Business’. Stunning, if it had been a book on how to sell pointless marketing material to Business Link, I would have been impressed, but as example of how to use marketing to win more business it bombed.

Should you judge book by its cover? Hope not!

Mike Herd

Sussex Innovation Centre – November 2008

New Product Network » marketing strategy

Message in a bottling economy

Is it just me!