Business Growth Strategies For CEOs: Top CMOs On Marketing Strategy Implementations

Why CPG Companies Will Have to Innovate or...

Wed, Nov 29, 2023 | Posted by The Chief Outsider

Challenger brands have nearly doubled the innovation success rate vs. leading brands

By: Mike Concannon and Evan Eckman

Which business author is famous for the quote “innovate or die”? Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, or Dr. Jack Matson?

Answer: All of the above. It was a fundamental business principle for the past century. So why has the collective wisdom of these contemporary business authors seemingly been forgotten by the big CPG companies this century?

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Lessons in Innovation: The Customer Development Team’s exposure to Prospective Customers

Fri, Jul 28, 2017 — In my last post I shared a process for companies to consider using when evaluating new products for new markets. The core idea is to test “customer readiness” before making significant investments in Marketing and Sales. And the vehicle for testing is to use a cross-functional Customer Development team to reach out to prospects to create and expedite learning moments. Uncover the facts, test your assumptions, and iterate on the product, if absolutely required, before executing the big launch. In this post, I’ll share an experience I’ve had when using this approach.

7 Things Successful CEOs Do to Grow their Business

Tue, Jul 11, 2017 — Lessons from UPS, Campbell’s Soup, Amazon, and Others In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy for CEOs and other executives to get mired in day-to-day fire-fighting, only to find that growth has stalled. Below are 7 things successful CEOs from companies big and small do to build momentum, create and keep a strong culture, and grow their business.

To Grow, You Need to Know – Why Market Awareness is Essential for CEOs

Tue, May 16, 2017 — If your company is not growing, it’s important to dig deep when looking at market changes. James Quincy, the new CEO of Coke is demonstrating the progressive thinking needed to turnaround his company, which is in decline. In a recent article on PYMNTS.com, Quincy talks about critical information that he is using to understand the declines and then respond to them.

Big Data – More Transformational Than the Gutenberg Printing Press?

Sat, Nov 16, 2013 — Last month I visited the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany. Until this visit, I had not fully considered the impact the invention of the printing press had on the dissemination of knowledge and in enabling democracy. Prior to Gutenberg’s invention, the transfer of recorded information was reliant on scribes copying information by hand from one book to the next. After the printing press, multiple copies of a document could be created, increasing the dispersion of knowledge and lowering its acquisition cost. More information, lower cost.

Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell; Just Observe.

Sun, Oct 13, 2013 — You remember your first time, don’t you? No, not THAT one. I am talking about the first time you learned something new that has served you well time and again for years. In this blog, I want to share something I discovered very early in my career and have used effectively ever since. As my friends know, I was “dragged into marketing." Long story short, I got an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from a premier institute so I could pursue my dream of designing cars. My first job out of college was with Toyota (yay!!) as they were starting up their operations in India (I was employee number 19). The only problem was that they, much against my wishes and protestations, placed me in the marketing function because that’s where they needed most help.

Start Using Market Research Strategies to Drive Your Company’s Growth

Sat, Aug 24, 2013 — Market Research Strategies: Getting to Your Company to The Next Level Quite often these days, especially evident in mid-market businesses, I come across CEOs, who have been very successful at building their company’s revenues but are now are challenged with reaching the next level. Sales may have slowed down; the low hanging fruit picked; or competitors are upping their game. They may also have been successful in using their technology and expertise in one market, but totally misread another. Whatever the issues are; in order to flourish, every company should consider integrating market research strategies into their growth plan to keep a pulse on their market and its dynamics and to capitalize on market opportunities. Growing through market research strategies can include new products and services, new pricing plans, new positioning, new market segments, changes in business models, or new channels of distribution. Each of these should be evaluated, researched and integrated into your growth strategy and ultimately into your business, product development, and tactical go-to-market plans.

Growth Insights for CEOs