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The Chief Outsider
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Recent Posts
Why MedTech’s Brilliant Innovators Must Also Become Commercial Architects
| Great technology is necessary. It is not sufficient. The graveyard of MedTech is lined with brilliant innovations that never found their market — not because of scientific failure, but commercial invisibility. |
I just returned from LSI USA ‘26 in Dana Point — the most impressive gathering of emerging MedTech talent I’ve witnessed in decades. The event convened 2,000 executives, 394 presenting startups, and over 500 active investors and strategics. The scientific ambition in that room was extraordinary.
Is There Any Role for Traditional Marketing Today?
Thu, Aug 25, 2022 — By Atul Minocha and Paul Sparrow As we try to determine whether old style, hand-to-hand, touch-it-and-feel-it marketing can compete in today’s switched on, always moving world, is it possible that a bird feather holds the key to the question posed in our headline? The answer requires a bit of insight into how we got to this seminal moment which by the way is a precarious place for the newspapers, billboards, mailers, radio and even TV ads comprising what is predominantly known as “traditional marketing.”
The Innovator’s Dilemma – Fast, Correct, or Both?
Mon, Aug 15, 2022 — Most people would say Tesla is an innovative company. Others would say maybe they push the envelope a bit, for example, with “self-driving” software that is truly amazing but is not yet fully “self-driving.” The other side of the coin is other companies who wait until an idea is thoroughly tested, I’s dotted, and T’s crossed, fully qualified but maybe at the cost of missing the market. Innovation is the lifeblood of growth in any industry or channel. Companies with high levels of innovation do better over time than companies that do not have it. So how to address the Innovator's Dilemma? Is it one or the other? Here are four ways to think about it:
What Tech CEOs Get Wrong About Positioning
Thu, Jul 28, 2022 — If you are a CEO that is lamenting slowing sales and lagging growth at your company, it’s tempting to place the blame directly at the feet of the sales team – those well-intentioned front-line soldiers who are responsible to turn your solutions into the bucks that feed the company growth. Indeed, most CEO’s I talk to feel this way – when product and market fit is not happening with enough velocity, or visions of declaring leadership in their market are unrealized, the obstacle standing in the way is always sales.
3 Growth Strategies Healthcare Suppliers Must Get Right to Remain Relevant
Mon, Jul 25, 2022 — The healthcare sector has always been one of constant change, experiencing transformation in technology, policy, and practice on a near regular basis. But the level of uncertainty and complexity since the pandemic hit has put understanding how the business of healthcare has changed on life support. COVID-19 didn’t just make a lot of people sick across the country, it infected the entire U.S. healthcare system itself. In fact, a just released survey of 2,500 nurses shows that 64% are planning to leave the industry. That’s almost a 40% jump from one year ago. Why? 75% said they have experienced burnout since the pandemic began, and half of respondents suffer from trauma, extreme stress, or PTSD.
Why Manufacturers Need Socrates for Growth in H2 2022
Fri, Jul 22, 2022 — The last two years have been unprecedented turmoil for society and the U.S. economy. Supply chain issues, labor shortages, and changes in customer behavior plagued the manufacturing sector. Moreover, most CEOs ask themselves what changes they need to make with interest rate increases and potential economic “whiplash” events that could create significant ripples in the broader economy.
Psychographics: How To Use Brain-Level Insights to Improve Marketing
Fri, Jul 22, 2022 — As a marketer in the digital age, I am fortunate to have many tools at my disposal that make my job easier. Unfortunately, however, I still have no way to read minds (and that would be quite creepy, anyway) – but one could see how individual “brain-level” insights could have a stunningly positive impact on campaigns, revenues, and overall success. That’s because the Holy Grail for marketers is to understand not just the “who” is likely to buy, but the “why” behind the purchase. If we figure out the need we fill for that customer, at an emotional level, we can effectively cultivate a highly-valued customer.
Positioning Mistake No. 365 -- Treating Prospects Better Than Existing Customers
Wed, Jun 22, 2022 — From the world of “shocking but true”: There are real, actual companies out there that are turning away revenue. Literally, they have customers shaking fistfuls of dollars in their direction and walking in the opposite direction. Before you shake your head, thinking this is blasphemy, the stark reality is this: You, too, could be guilty of the same offense.
Lead Incubation Has a New Shape: The Marketing Hourglass Has Supplanted the Sales Funnel
Tue, Jun 21, 2022 — You spend countless hours, and endless resources, to encourage your sales team to dump leads into the top of your sales funnel, with the hopes of squeezing them through the tiny orifice at the bottom. Once those precious few fall out the bottom and onto your client rolls, now what? With an overheated market, dogged competition, and an enlightened consumer that is more fickle than ever, how can you make sure all of that effort is worth it? How can you ensure that you keep what is rightfully yours?
The Current Case to Hire a Fractional CMO
Mon, Jun 20, 2022 — There’s a perfect storm brewing for CEOs right now: increased competitive pressure, inflation, and the “Great Resignation,” all alongside the need for organic growth. These are all conspiring to make the balance of 2022 even more challenging than usual. Marketing and selling your products or services in this environment is not for the faint of heart – which is why a battle-proven Chief Marketing Officer can make all the difference when it comes to navigating steadily during this difficult consumer climate.