The development of successful strategic marketing programs to commercially market new technology is a challenge. It requires the incorporation of good strategic thinking and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) strategic actions for you to take to develop a successful strategic marketing program for the commercial marketing of your new technology.

Strategic Action #1: Use strategic thinking and planning and develop an overall marketing vision. Integrate this marketing vision into your business’s overall strategic plan and its vision, mission, guiding principles and goals.

Strategic Action #2: Develop a strategic Integrated Marketing Communications Plan for the commercial marketing of your new technology.

Strategic Action #3: Identify and define the goals and objectives with the critical success factors to reach the desired outcomes with measurable performance benchmarks.

Strategic Action #4: Identify and clearly define the marketing skills required to complete each task with special emphasis on specific industry knowledge, communication skills, presentations skills, interpersonal skills, technical knowledge, etiquette and social skills, networking skills, etc.

Strategic Action #5: Recruit and hire your marketing team members based upon experience, skill sets needed, availability, growth potential and opportunities and overall fit with other team members.

Strategic Action #6: Develop and assign marketing responsibilities and authority to marketing team members. Clearly define roles and responsibilities of each team member.

Strategic Action #7: Identify and clearly define the marketing resources available, which could include internal and external systems, personnel, consultants, coaches and mentors.

Strategic Action #8: Develop an efficient and effective marketing reporting system to monitor the progress and provide timely reports.

Strategic Action #9: Establish a sound system of accountability for all those involved in your strategic marketing effort.

Strategic Action #10: Create and foster an environment for an ongoing endeavor to identify new technologies for commercial marketing consideration.

Your strategic thinking business coach encourages you to fully realize the benefits of business coaching to strategically market and manage your business. If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at http://www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at jgecoach@aol.com

By: Glenn Ebersole

About the Author:

One of the most in-demand businesses right now is that of internet marketing consulting. So many businesses, especially small to medium ones, understand that their customers are expecting them to have an online presence.

Of course, the owners of your local second-hand bookstore, or Chinese restaurant, are unlikely to have the skills needed to (a) building a website, or (b) getting traffic to it. And this is where the role of a consultant is important.

A consultancy, as the name suggests, provides advice on a particular area, in this case internet marketing. However IM is a very broad field which can encompass anything from website design and creation through to providing hosting and SEO services.

That’s not to say that an internet marketing consulting practice needs to provide all of these services.

You Can Specialize In Many Particular Areas

Needs Analysis Project Planning and Management Feasibility Studies and Niche Research Website Building Provision of Content: articles, video, audio Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Ongoing Management and Troubleshooting

Some even offer to provide technical support.

What is attractive to an aspiring IM consultant is that you don’t have to provide all of these services. You can focus on perhaps providing ‘content’ if you have excellent writing and research skills.

A popular strategy of internet marketing consultancy businesses, and one that you can adopt, is to offer a complete service, but to outsource some or all of the different parts. It is possible to find freelancers who are happy to provide SEO services to a variety of clients – it is their specialty. Likewise graphic designers. There are freelance sites where all of these people are at your service to enable you to create a ‘complete service’.

Benefits of Having Your Own Consultancy

Probably the biggest benefit of having your own consultancy is that you are working for yourself, making your own rules, and setting your own targets. That being said though, some people have difficulty being disciplined enough to work without a supervisor directing them every step of the way, and are easily distracted.

You can choose your clients – and working with people with whom you get along makes business much more pleasurable.

The final attraction to setting up an internet marketing consulting business is that there is so much business out there. Clients so want to be online, but haven’t a clue about how to go about it – with the proper training, you will be able to solve a big problem they have: one to the key elements to a successful business.

By: Kyle Tully

About the Author:

Every day presents new opportunity to contact prospects. Are you prepared to make those contacts every day? Do you have a strategic action plan in place to help ensure the most effective prospecting possible? Strategic thinking marketers have gained an understanding of what is possible for them and their business through effective prospecting. A strategic thinking marketer is always looking for new ideas and tips for becoming more effective with their prospecting efforts. A growing number of these successful strategic marketers have business coaches are reaping the benefits of prospecting tips from their business coaches. Here are some of the most effective tips regarding contacting your prospects, according to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach.

Tip #1: When calling a prospect, DO NOT start your telephone conversation with that tired opening statement of “How are you today?” This will almost always raise a red flag and put the prospect on the defensive because it signals “telemarketer.” A more acceptable, mannerly and professional start is to introduce yourself and state why you are calling.

Tip #2: AVOID asking your prospect, “Are You Busy?” in your opening statement. It is much more professional to state the purpose of your call right away. In addition, it could be appropriate to state your respect for their time and give an estimate of the time you would like to share with them on the phone. If you meet resistance to the amount of time or timing of the call, then it is proper to ask for them to give you a more appropriate time to call them.

Tip #3: DO NOT act like you know the person and are a close friend when you have never met them. Again, this is very detectable as being phony and also signals a “telemarketer” or some other unprofessional sales person.

Tip #4: DO share the name of a referral in your opening on the telephone, if this is how your phone contact was initiated. A trusted referral name will almost always put the contact at ease or at least much less defensive.

Tip #5: DO include some benefits into your opening on the telephone call. This is your opportunity to use your USP – Unique Selling Proposition, your 30 second elevator speech, etc. The more specific you make this, the better.

Tip #6: PREPARE mentally and be enthusiastic and positive. Smile while you are talking to the prospect. Yes, I know the person cannot see your smile, but believe me, they will know you are smiling.

Tip #7: SMILE while you are talking to the prospect. Yes, I know the person cannot see your smile, but believe me, they will know you are smiling.

Tip #8: BE PREPARED before you pick up the telephone to call your prospects. Rehearse your opening.

Tip #9: BE HONEST. If the prospect asks you a question and you do not know the answer, tell them you do not know and that you will get back to them on their question.

Tip #10: ALWAYS say thank you to the prospect for sharing time on the telephone with you.

By: Glenn Ebersole

About the Author:

For most people, the dream of making an easy buck online has not turned out to be a reality. Back in the very early days of the Internet in the late 1990s, the idea of just setting up a website and letting the cash flow in was very much in fashion.

Unfortunately, as the dot com bubble burst and people started sobering up a bit from their web-world fantasies, all of the people who were unwilling to work at being successful online just left the scene and went somewhere else.

The ones who have stayed behind are those who have more realistic expectations of what an Internet business can be. Sure, there are still people making a mint online, but you can bet that they have not only worked very hard to achieve that goal – but they have also been very smart about the choices they have made. Sometimes, being smart means getting help from expert strategic consultants – or getting access to the right online tools.

Yes, as many have learned the hard way, when the going gets tough online, the tough seek out strategic Internet marketing service providers. If you are looking for strategic Internet marketing services, here are 5 criteria to evaluate potential service providers:

1. Length of experience:

How long has the person or company been working in this field? Ask for references and other evidence that they are not just someone who is new to the game after having read a few books and building their own website over a couple of long weekends. Experience definitely counts in this arena.

2. Amount of hands-on attention they will give you:

Figure out just how much personal, hands-on attention you will get from a senior level consultant. How can you do this? Before signing a contract or going forward with a project, call the office a few times and see how easy it is to actually talk to the head person in charge. Your experience here likely forebodes how the rest of the relationship will play out. Trust your first impressions.

3. Degree to which they know your particular industry:

The important of this one is debatable. Much of online know-how is agnostic to any particular industry. Still, if their company has experience with what you do, all the better.

4. Degree to which they outsource vs. use in-house talent:

Outsourcing certain online marketing tasks is no crime, and in many ways you may benefit from their doing this (such as in paying lower prices). However, make sure that all key strategic decisions on your behalf are being made in-house – and NOT by some outside person who really has little connection to you or your business goals.

5. Quality of tools they use:

All strategic Internet marketers have access to a host of interactive tools, such as website analysis, keyword analysis, and competitor analysis tools. Find out what they use and how well they use them.

An alternative to your hiring a strategic Internet marketing solutions provider is to gain access to professional grade online tools you can use yourself. After a bit of training, you may know 90% of what these consultants could tell you – for a lot less cash.

By: Susan Willis

About the Author:

Expanding your business in international markets involves risks that should be meticulously calculated. It requires additional steps to your planning process, but the results can be very rewarding!

Having solid operations at home is usually a first step to a successful international expansion. Mastering the production, and the overall business experience, will give you the initial confidence to attract strategic partners.

Begin with a thorough marketing plan, which will serve as a reference to all individuals involved with the business. The document should include all aspects of the product or service life, from complete research to launch, implementation and execution. This will be key for your business plan.

Starting with a comprehensive research plan

A detailed research plan will help you make informative decisions on the objectives and strategies. It will also help you decide how to enter that market, whether by finding a local partner to distribute your goods, or by opening sales offices and importing your products, or by building facilities to produce your goods in the new market.

The analysis of the macro environment is one of the most important steps of international planning. This involves a clear understanding of the political, social and economic climate of the target market. Search for trends and forecasts of variables like the exchange rate, inflation, unemployment rate, purchasing power, import barriers and tariffs, and important socio-political events. You need to understand what affects your audience and the industry in general. These issues will hugely impact your operations, and your business model should make provisions for them.

Next, compile information about the audience you want to reach: gender, average age and income, geography, preferences, decision and purchasing process, etc. Based on cultural background, consumers in other markets have a different perception of products, brands and related services. This will dictate the level of adjustment required to your line of products and how you will promote it to that audience. The importance of understanding diversity cannot be overemphasized. A common mistake that many companies make is to lump many countries together into regions. Each country on every continent has very individualized habits and traditions that you should take into consideration.

Another important element of your research should be the accessibility of local expertise to support your operations. Search for partners that can complement your business model in areas such as sales, operations, supply chain, legal, accounting and distribution. Also investigate the availability of local talent to manage and run your operations. Allowing for a fast and dynamic local decision-making process is vital for a successful expansion.

Then you should examine the competitive environment using the “SWOT” analysis technique. At this time, investigate all public information available about your top competitors, and get a clear knowledge of their Strengths and Weaknesses. Find out the barriers for entrants, be aware of your limitations as a new player, and know potential cultural pre-concepts that may affect you as a foreign brand. With this information in hand you will be able to compare and elaborate on your Opportunities and Threats. You want this section to be very objective, with clear bullet point lists.

Setting the basis

The next step is to quantify your targets. This should include your transaction volume and revenue targets; most multinational companies use the US dollar as the official currency for revenue reports. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, it is recommended to track results in both local currency and the US dollar. Create multiple columns with targets for the year, and also broken down by quarter. On a separate chart, break it down further by distribution channel such as intermediaries, in store, online, etc. Detailed reports will help you understand market seasonality and channels.

After conducting thorough research and setting your targets, you are ready to develop your key marketing objectives. Use this opportunity to figure out the macro course of actions that will enable your company to reach its numeric targets. Be realistic; think through objectives that are both aggressive and achievable. Some important objectives at this stage usually involve branding, product development and distribution channel mix. List a minimum of three but no more than six or seven key marketing objectives for the year. Consider hiring your local manager before or during this stage; the involvement of this professional in the planning process can be very valuable for the success of your international expansion.

Next, work on the strategies and activities in support, which are the means to realize your objectives. Start with the ‘communications message’, the sentiment you want associated with your brand. Use in-country assistance to consolidate a single powerful message that should be reflected in all points of contact with customers such as brochures, advertising, website, stores, press releases, etc. Sometimes a message that is successfully communicated at home is translatable, but in most cases it will require adjustments to the native culture, which is why the use of local assistance is vital.

Then, develop the key marketing strategies, supported by tactics and programs to execute them. In essence, strategy is how resources are distributed and utilized to achieve your key objectives. Tactics and programs are important to make the strategies action-oriented.

As you work through your six or seven strategies, focus on delivering distinctive value to your customers through your programs. You don’t have to limit the number of programs and tactics under each strategy. Keep them focused, with clear implementation facts and time schedules. All should be visually organized, so your team can envision how the tactics and programs relate to each strategy, and how all strategies will contribute to the overall objectives. Bear in mind the resources and marketing funds available for the year.

Finish your plan with a detailed budget chart, breaking it down by activities and costs, in both currencies. In the future, a year-over-year comparison will be helpful to evaluate the results and calculate return on investment.

A marketing plan is not a static document. Revisions should be made at least quarterly, as your team becomes more knowledgeable about the new market. In addition to the numeric targets, it is useful to establish parameters to measure the effectiveness of your strategies, tactics and programs. Determine what to evaluate, and establish standards of performance, but be careful with misleading comparisons between different markets. This exercise will allow you to take corrective action, adjusting your marketing strategies to be more competitive during the year.

These are the basics of effective international marketing planning. Once implementation is in place, have your mind set for future expansions, developing a business model that can be recreated in other countries, with proper adjustments. And finally, be sure to involve your team throughout the process, and make allowances for cultural distinction in management style!

? Lima Lerch Consulting 2006-2008. All Rights Reserved.

By: Renata Lerch

About the Author:

One of the key elements in any endeavor is clear communications. This is especially true when doing strategic planning. So, my major communication tip to ensure more successful strategic planning efforts is to first provide basic definitions of major terms used in the strategic planning process. Having written definitions to hand out to all participants at the start of the process will help ensure that everyone knows the meaning of the terms being used throughout the strategic planning process facilitates this.

Here are the definitions of major strategic planning terms that have served me well in all of my strategic planning efforts over more than 25 years.

Definitions of Major Strategic Planning Terms

Strategic Planning: The process that examines where the company is now, where you want the company to be in the future and how the company is going to get there.

Vision Statement: A statement that identifies where the company intends to be or where it should be to best meet the needs of stakeholders in the future.

Mission Statement: An action statement that outlines the preferred future of the company; establishes what the company plans to do and for whom; identifies what makes the organization unique; and acts as a focal point against which all plans & directions are reviewed and evaluated.

Company Core Values: A set of beliefs or standards that the company believes in and operates from. Company core values are used to guide the day-to-day operations, and serve as a link between the company’s Vision and Mission.

Goals: Statements that identify how a company intends to address critical issues in support of the company’s Vision and Mission. Goals are designed to drive actions intended to achieve the company’s Vision and Mission.

Objectives: Statements of the specific outcomes that a company expects to accomplish within a given or stated time frame. Objectives are specific and measurable targets for accomplishment during the stated time frame.

Stakeholder: Individuals, groups, and entities that affect or are affected by the company, including all internal and external customers.

You may have some degree of disagreement with the terms and definitions, but the most important communication tip here is to make sure that everyone has a list of terms and definitions from the beginning of your strategic planning process so everyone is using the same terms with the same meanings for your efforts.

By: Glenn Ebersole

About the Author: