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Go-To-Market Cultural Alignment: The Invisible Variable in U.S. Expansion
Many companies that find success outside the United States have one thing in common: the need to succeed in the U.S. market.
That is not complicated or surprising. The United States is the largest economy in the world and, in many categories, the single biggest available market. World Bank data clearly shows the scale of the U.S. economy relative to most global markets. For companies in high-tech, scientific, medical, industrial, and systems integration sectors, the U.S. is not just attractive. It is strategic.
Company leaders want to grow. The U.S. is where they look. They are not wrong.
Hiring the Right Marketing Consultant: A Quick Guide
Tue, Oct 20, 2015 — Different Kind of Hiring Hiring a marketing consultant is not exactly like hiring an employee. Here’s why: A consultant should bring value more quickly to your company The problem you are trying to solve is likely finite, not on-going You should expect a consultant’s fees to be disproportionate to a salary So in a nutshell, you should be on the lookout for a firm with an individual who has the experience and track record to quickly add value, and expect this impact will come at a premium as compared to hiring an employee.
Four Ways a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer Can Catalyze Your Company’s Growth
Mon, Oct 19, 2015 — Companies seeking a catalyst for growth or working to manage the choppy waters that often result from a changing competitive landscape or economic swings have a relatively new and effective option to consider. Increasingly, these businesses are turning to firms like Chief Outsiders, that are able to plug in part-time “Executives-as-a-Service” who can make an immediate impact.
Are You Eating Your Own Dog Food?
Fri, Aug 21, 2015 — How An Old Microsoft Corollary Holds New Significance For Today’s Digital Marketer When I helped control Bill’s “Gates” many moons ago, as a marketing executive for Microsoft, there was an old nugget of wisdom that I believe offers new relevance for today’s digital marketer. To ensure the quality of its products – particularly in the “go-go” days of the 1980s, when Microsoft was relatively unchallenged in the marketplace for PC software – executives and employees alike were told to “eat their own dog food.”
Pricing Optimization: How Best To Do It?
Thu, Aug 20, 2015 — In a business environment characterized by recovery from a severe recession, seven years of tepid growth, high unemployment and underemployment, and the explosion of ecommerce (with the lowest price always just a click away), it’s no surprise that optimizing pricing to maximize revenues and/or profits is a critical issue for many businesses. But how does a business know when it can safely raise prices without losing market share? Is market share the right goal, or should it be bottom-line profit? Either way, what pricing optimization information do you need to achieve the chosen goal? If you are asking these questions, you are not alone. Only 15% of all businesses do any kind of systematic pricing study.
Short-Term Insights For Long-Term Growth: Seven Reasons To Consider A Chief Outsider
Wed, Aug 19, 2015 — To gain competitive advantage, enter a new market or accelerate sales, companies often look to hire (or replace) senior level marketing talent. Finding the right person can take time a lot of time in terms of resources – search, interviews, salary negotiations and onboarding. Once hired, it can take some time for a new executive to get up to speed and start to deliver a positive ROI to the company.
Are you Content with Your Content Development Process? Five Steps to Add Impact and Results
Tue, Aug 18, 2015 — Thanks to the rise in content marketing, I have recently learned a lot about myself. I know what state I should live in; I know who should be my ideal soul mate. I recently learned how to fold my T-shirts in three seconds; I now know five ways to eliminate the ring from my bathtub; and I realize that in all of my years, I have been peeling my bananas incorrectly.
Why You Should Spend More Time Evaluating Your Pricing
Thu, Aug 13, 2015 — In the end, there are three avenues to increasing your profit margins: cost, sales volume and price. In our experience, companies tend to focus on the first two, costs and sales, at the expense of the third, price. There are good reasons for this: any company that is competitive over the long term is very good at managing costs, continually measuring and reducing costs over time, and they have invested in elaborate processes and technologies just to stay in the game. Similarly, companies know their sales histories and are comfortable forecasting sales revenue, with a fair degree of precision, with mathematical models that have withstood the test of time.
How to Leverage Visioning to Drive Value
Tue, Aug 11, 2015 — There was a recent exchange on Twitter between Tom Peters and others debating Vision vs. Excellence. Rather than thinking about this as an either/or proposition, a third path – Vision with Excellence – creates the greatest value. As stated in a Japanese proverb – “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Having a clear Vision of the future you want to create, taking the necessary steps to activate it and exhibiting the behaviors needed to make things happen are a powerful formula for driving growth and prosperity for your business. The following are steps that you can take to leverage visioning to drive value in your organization.
Nine Reasons – Plus One -- To Hire an “Executive-as-a-Service”
Tue, Aug 11, 2015 — In my previous blog, I identified some of signs of “Business Malaise” that could signal a growing disconnect between the business vision and the company’s growth goals. And as noted, when you consider the competitive pressures wrought by the hyper-charged business universe, early indicators of corporate distress are best addressed sooner than later. Many small and mid-sized companies face this situation – desperately in need of skilled marketing expertise – but believing that they lack the resources to procure it. That is why I am devoting this post to explore a new option – the Marketing Executive-as-a-Service.