Blog
Does Marketing Matter or is it Increasingly Irrelevant?
On 24, Dec 2005 | In Articles, Marketing Strategy | By Marcia K
Here at Open Marketing, we’re kind of known for asking the big, hairy, audacious questions. You know the kind of questions I mean. The ones everyone is afraid to ask. But that tend to linger long after you thought the discussion was over … the proverbial “elephants in the room”. One of those questions is whether marketing even is relevant in today’s times. A startling number of start ups are finding their way to market without the benefit of a marketing VP, something unheard of during the last bubble. Web 2.0 Start ups In actuality, marketing matters more and not less than ever before. Web 2.0 start ups may well be an anomoly. Let …
CIO as Chief Innovation Officer
On 28, Nov 2005 | In innovation, Uncategorized | By Marcia K
The role of chief information officer is morphing into a dual role as chief information/innovation officer, as CIOs increasingly are tapped to interpret the plethora of data they collect and harness it to develop and implement new strategies. Authors Peter Boatwright et al. say: “The new CIO must be the champion of a process for creating innovation where information is the key to successful development of innovative products and services.” The key is establishing an environment and process for innovation to occur. In their book, “The Design of Things to Com: How Ordinary People Create Extraordinary Products,” Boatwright and his colleagues cite BodyMedia, based in Pittsburgh, as an example of a company that took a …
Yikes! Postal Rate Hike
On 28, Nov 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
It’s official: Postal rates will increase 5.4%, effective Jan. 8. The governors of the U.S. Postal Service agreed on Nov. 14 to officially accept the Postal Rate Commission’s Nov. 1 recommended increases. Though this increase is the first since 2002, it’s unlikely that another four years will pass without another rate hike. The Postal Service is said to already be planning to file for another increase, to be implemented in 2007. “The decision, although it was clearly expected, may be the first in a series of annual postal rate increases,” says Bob McLean, executive director of the Arlington, VA-based Mailers Council. “If Congress does not enact postal reform, these increases could go on for years …
Priming the opportunity pipeline
On 17, Nov 2005 | In innovation, Leadership, Uncategorized | By Marcia K
A recent study by Imaginatik Research touts the concept of an Opportunity Pipeline for connecting corporate objectives to innovation. Some companies, upon discovery of a revenue growth gap, “embark on one-off innovation initiatives with the goal of boosting their pipeline of new products and services.” The problem here is that “innovation-on-demand” solutions rarely work over the long term and have the potential to distract companies from their core business. A better approach is to develop an Opportunity Pipeline—a portfolio of business opportunities that will close the gap over time. These opportunities are not just new technologies or product lines—they may entail a novel marketing approach, new process capability, new markets or something else. “The world’s …
Naming a new company or product?
On 16, Nov 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
It’s both an art and a science Great guide to the factors to consider is available here: Building the Perfect Beast What I particularly liked is the way this company “walks the talk” even down to the way it named its naming guide to get noticed!
Sequential Consumer Purchases Follow Natural Order
On 09, Nov 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
Consumers frequently buy multiple products and services from the same provider over time; typically, these purchases follow a consistent order. In
More effective brainstorming
On 04, Nov 2005 | In Leadership, Uncategorized | By Marcia K
Thomas Kelley of design firm IDEO has a lot of experience in fostering effective brainstorming. He suggests allocating a specific space for innovation, well-stocked with sketch boards, maps, pictures and other stimulating visuals, as well as an abundance of post-it notes, prototyping kids, markers, story-board frames, etc. Practice the Zen principle of “beginner’s mind” and leave your preconceptions at the door. “Don’t judge, empathize.” Seek out epiphanies through “vuja de”—the sense of seeing something for the first time, even if it’s commonplace. Cross-pollinate: hire people with diverse backgrounds or even nationalities, create lots of opportunities for impromptu meetings among disparate groups, host a weekly speaker series to get creative juices perking, seek out diverse projects …
Is the world flat or spikey?
On 29, Oct 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
The world is flat, according to a recent book by NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman. He claims advances in technology have leveled the global playing field, so everyone can now be a player. Not true, says Richard Florida, author of “Rise of the Creative Class.” Florida says the world is actually “spiky,” i.e., concentrated in certain regions. In terms of sheer economic horsepower and cutting-edge innovation, Florida thinks very few regions truly matter in today
Just what the Doctor Ordered: an Extreme Makeover for Marketing
On 11, Oct 2005 | In Articles, Marketing Strategy | By Marcia K
Presentation given at SoftSummit, October 11, 2005 (Santa Clara, CA), a conference sponsored by Macrovision maker of Installshield and attended by some 1,000+ independent software vendors Argues that today we live and work in a time of extreme competition where products and brands are in excess supply. As a result, the traditional model of marketing—which is advertising centric—no longer fits. The alternative is to move towards a new model, one that represents an “extreme makeover” for marketing based on what we know works from direct marketing and marketing science. Soft Summit Presentation
Get Ready – The Millennials Are Coming
On 01, Oct 2005 | In Uncategorized | By Marcia K
The professional workforce is dramatically changing as a new generation of younger, college-educated workers launches their careers. The “Millennials” — those born between 1980 and 2000 — have an innate ability to use technology, are comfortable multitasking while using a diverse range of digital media, and literally demand interactivity as they construct knowledge. Millennials lack the workaholic drive of their burned-out predecessors, but they compensate by using many technologies — often simultaneously — to get the job done quickly and have a personal life as well. They don’t have the skills and experience of the many retirees they are replacing, but they look to technology to help fill this gap. Managers must understand the work …
