Category Archives: Solutions

July 5, 2012 · 8:57 pm

Solution Marketing @ The Boston Startup School

Solution Marketing for Startups

A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to teach a one-day solution marketing class at the Boston Startup School, located in the Harvard Innovation Lab.

Learn to Do

If you have the opportunity to teach, learn, network or otherwise participate with Boston Startup School, jump on it! Run by startup incubator TechStars, the new program helps “young professionals to learn the skills needed to have an immediate and positive impact on the startup they join.” Wondering what’s on their minds? Check out the new blog by the sales and marketing classes, www.GrowthNinja.com, which states that…

You don’t have to start a company to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a mindset. It’s a healthy discontent with the status quo that brings together teams dedicated to making the world a better place. Entrepreneurs include all members of a startup team, from the CEO to the summer intern.

…and I couldn’t agree more. Continue reading →

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Filed under Case Studies, Classes, Overviews, Presentations, SEVA - Elements of Solution Marketing, Solution Marketing, Solutions, The Solution Marketing Blog

Tagged as Amazon, Assaad, Bentzi, Boston Startup School, ChuckE.Cheese's, Dan MacLeod, Erik Grueter, Gordon Alemao, HP TouchPad, Kelly McDonald, Kerrie McCarthy, Kindle Fire, LinkedIn, Luis Duco, Matt DiStefano, Max Ade, Microsoft Surface, Nicki Haylon, Rhan, SAP, Sara Sigel, Solution Marketing, Steve Robins, TechStars

April 16, 2012 · 10:00 am

Where’s the Customer at Sony?

By Steve Robins

It’s time to think outside the box. Or the division. Or the hardware. Or the…

In order to offer complete solutions, companies need to come together around a shared vision of the customer, their challenges, and ways that the company can help. Companies like Sony and AOL Time Warner have been hindered by competing divisions often focused on divisional goals at the expense of the company. By contrast, Apple unified around a common vision of the customer, and a view of a complete solution spanning hardware, software and content.

Continue reading →

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

Tagged as AOL Time Warner, Apple, Case Studies, Customers, iPod, New York Times, Solution Marketing, Sony, Sony Walkman, Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson

December 13, 2011 · 10:00 am

Anticipation

By Steve Robins

Anticipation builds customer loyalty.

A few weeks back, I had a few “wow” experiences that demonstrated the power of anticipation. No matter that they were almost mundane: each experience improved my perception of the brand/company, service or location. And they offer great lessons for solution marketers.

Anticipated receipt

After filling up with gas at the nearby Hess Gas Station, I saw that the gas pump’s receipt printer was out of paper – which is a nuisance. But when I walked into the store to pick up a receipt, the cashier already had my receipt ready – before I could utter a single word. Wow! I’d say that I was actually more impressed with her anticipating my receipt needs than I would have been had the printer actually had paper. I’ve been filling up at this station because they had competitive gas prices. Now I’ll do it because they have great service as well. Continue reading →

Building Your Solution Marketing Strategy

By Steve Robins

Where Are You in the Solution Marketing Lifecycle?

The obvious part of solution marketing is what gets delivered at the end of the process in the go-to-market phase – materials, web content and more. But the heavy lifting begins well before. Following are highlights of the key phases required to build and implement a successful solution marketing strategy. Continue reading →

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

Tagged as getting started, Industry and solutions marketing, industry marketing, Solution Marketing Blog