We are near the end of the hype cycle for artificial intelligence (AI). The human champion of the game of Go decided to retire, saying AI cannot be beaten after AlphaGo defeated him. Domain-specific chatbots are engaging with customers and providing them with the answers they need. AI is...
Growth by acquisition is not usually an option for startups or small businesses. The focus is usually organic growth. Money is tight. Investors and/or advisors do not want to hear about buying other companies. However, of the many things a founder/owner has to do why...
As an investor, I see plenty of proposals wanting a marketing budget, sometimes with no sales yet. As a consultant, I see huge marketing dollars spent, often without a high or even a clear contribution to sales. As a strategist, I loathe seeing marketing and...
Whether a startup or established company, founders, CEOs and boards are adding new roles into the C-suite. They include CFO, COO, CRO (revenue or risk), CTO, CIO (information or innovation), CMO (marketing or merchandizing), CDO (digital, diversity or data), CCO (customer) and CPO (people) . Who...
Stable companies typically fail because of three reasons: • Business environment shift: The Covid-19 pandemic is bankrupting companies across sectors. Automation and outsourcing have destroyed entire towns. • Reinvention of business models: Apple’s touch interface destroyed BlackBerry. • Changing customer expectations: Digital photography destroyed film photography. Disruptions caused by business or technology models or consumer behavior...
What if there was a dedicated sales agent, available every time, for every product, on every product page, store shelf or phone call? Good field sales agents and B2B sales teams achieve efficiency by understanding their customers’ needs, budget and urgency. Field sales are often the...
During these difficult times, your revenue and brand might be sluggish. Your supply chain, production and human resources might be making unpredictable appearances or could be actively looking elsewhere. Your finances and financing might be looking uncertain. Everyone is waiting for the economy to restart....
At the very least, I hope new nuances to the word “virality” will be found because of COVID 19. Here are potentially three positive nuances and changes to how we work and do business that might occur due to the impact of this pandemic:...
Good marketers try to get their potential customers to laugh. Isn’t it ironic that stand-up comedians do not market themselves very well? Most comedians are utterly charming or engaging in some way in person but they cannot meet everyone. Getting the right meetings is a...
Whether startup or established business, the most common growth strategy for entrepreneurs is to create new offerings. Most attempt to create minimum viable products (MVPs). However, no business can grow merely by creating new products or services. Even if the market clearly indicates a gap...