Author Archives: Steve Robins

Hire for Success

– By Steve Robins

Building a Successful Solution Marketing Function

The last post described how to start an industry and solutions marketing function, based on my own experience.  Today’s post will cover staffing for solution marketing in an enterprise (B2B) software company.  Many of these same concepts apply to B2B marketing in general.  I’ve even included a link to a sample job description (see below).   Continue reading

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Filed under Industry Marketing, Product Marketing, SIVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, Solution, Solution Marketing

Getting Started in Industry and Solutions Marketing in 7 Steps

– By Steve Robins

7 Steps to Success

Lately, I’ve come across the following question a few times:

How do I get started in industry marketing?

Today, I’ll share tips based on nearly six years of starting and then running the industry and solutions marketing function for an enterprise software company.  I’m proud of the work that my team and I accomplished, which was emulated by other companies in our industry.

As you might suspect, industry marketing is a subset of solution marketing, focused on specific verticals such as financial services or government or energy.  Solution marketing principles apply to industry marketing as well.  Following are 7 steps to get started in industry marketing.    Continue reading

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Filed under Industry Marketing, SEVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, SIVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, Solution Marketing, Solutions

Content Marketing: 5 Things You Should Know

– By Steve Robins

Jon Kranz Speaks at BPMA

Content marketing is a core part of the educate and engage phase of the SIVA or SEVA model.

5 Things You Should Know - The Solution Marketing Blog

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to hear Jon Kranz present at BPMA (Boston Product Management Association) Content Marketing.  I’ve heard Jonathan present before and once again, he didn’t disappoint, adding new insight to content marketing (i.e., marketing using content).  I recommend two of his eBooks, the eBook eBook (seriously) and The Content Marketing Playbook (coauthored).  If you’re a solution marketer, sooner or later you’re going to need to use content marketing.  Here are 5 things that you need to know about content marketing:   Continue reading

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Filed under Access, Access, Content Marketing, Content Marketing, Education and Engagement, Information, SEVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, SIVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, Social Media, Social Media

The Second Chasm

– By Steve Robins

Prospects Need to Cross a Chasm Too

If you’re in software marketing, you’re aware of Geoffrey Moore’s book, Crossing the Chasm.  The premise of the book, born out at companies like Oracle and Documentum (since acquired by EMC) is that companies must evolve and cross the “chasm” as they move from serving the early adopters to serving the larger and more lucrative early majority.  That’s the “first chasm.”

The Second Chasm

But there’s actually a second, less-known chasm that relates to the first.  The second chasm is crossed not by your company, but by your prospects.  To be successful, your software company needs to help prospects to make that leap too.  Failure to do so may prevent your company from crossing the first chasm.   Continue reading

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Filed under Case Studies, Software marketing, Solutions, The Solution Marketing Blog

Arrogance Is Not a Solution

– By Steve Robins

Arrogance contributed to Apple iPhone antenna woes

Continued from Apple: Honey I Forgot the Customer!

Solutions are driven by user needs.  Even innovative new offerings need to be based on the needs and habits of real users.  Apple’s iPone 4 debacle, aka “Antennagate”, came about in part because they failed to include actual users in their development cycle.


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Filed under Case Studies, Innovation, Solution Marketing, Solutions, The Solution Marketing Blog, User feedback, Value