marketing in technology-based businesses

© BLUE SAGE Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. 2009. Duplication is not permitted without prior approval. www.blue-sageconsulting.com

Marketing in Technology-Based Business:

Market Analysis andMarketing Strategy

BLUE SAGE on Business Series


BLUE SAGE Model

Market Strategy and Market Analysis


Market Analysis and Market Strategy• Research your

market• Define the

competition• Develop a strategy for

differentiation• Define your target

• How is it segmented?

• Who are the players?

• How are my products and services different?

• What is the buyer’s behavior?


Analyzing Your Target Audience

• Develop a user profile• Segment the market that you’re after• Articulate Unique Selling Propositions

(USP) for each segment• Pinpoint the problems that each segment

face, and opportunities for you to solve them


Marketing Plan Concepts


Planning Your Market Entry

• Market Analysis• Market Potential

– Market Segmentation• Marketing Decision Making

– Product/service– Pricing– Promotion– Distribution– Customer Decision Making

Market Position


Secondary Market Research

Secondary

MarketSize

CompetitiveLandscape

MarketSegmentation

TargetIdentification

Needs-basedBuyer behavior

Revenue potentialReachabilityServiceability

Market positionSubstitute solutions

Today & tomorrowCustomer profile


Problem definition

SamplingExploratory

Descriptive

Causal Trade surveys

Observation

Experiments

Causal Models

Secondary data

Qualitative research

Consumer surveys

Fieldwork

Data analysis

Adapted from “Global Marketing”, Johny K. Johansen, 1998.

Stages of Consumer Research

Research design

Measurement/scaling

Questionnaireconstruction


Information OverloadThere has been more information

produced in the last 30 years than during the previous 5,000….

…and the information supply available to us doubles every 5 years.


Data collection and technique

• What will data be used for? – Historical or futures?– Quantitative vs. Qualitative output?– Comparative information?– Test concepts?

• What action will you take based on your findings?


How do I get there from here?• Define your offering• Identify your weak spots• Establish competitive position

– Rethink any and all key decisions…...• Sustain competitive advantage

– Regaining your position in the market is a lot more difficult the second time around


New Brands: The “Hierarchy of Effects”

Awareness

Interest

Knowledge

Attitude

Liking

Preference

Trial

Purchase

Satisfaction

Repeat

Loyalty

Thought

Affect

Affect

Action

Thought & Affect

Action

Action


Competitor Analysis

• How is the market segmented?

• Who are the key competitors in each segment?

• Do you compete in more than one segment? (or, could you….)

• Is the market large enough to support more than one segment leader?

• Can you anticipate the impact of channels, suppliers, and other competitors on your competition?

• Describe and analyze competitors' marketplace strategy, alliances and networks, assumptions, assets, capabilities, and culture;

• Project competitors' likely strategic moves and outcomes;

• Draw critical inferences from limited data about competitors' goals, mindsets, and behaviors

Competitive Marketspace Competitive Strategy


In a Nutshell

1. The data you get is only good if you use it well

2. Data is not always king or queen…use your intuition

3. Understand your market - what it is today and what it might be tomorrow

4. Anticipate your competition…and how market changes will affect all of you.


• Our approach is practical. Ideas are great, but results are what we measure.

• We combine (understanding business process + content expertise) with (innovation + execution) = winning results.

• Our organization includes more than 50 experts across a variety of disciplines located around the world under “one roof”. We can scale to meet our clients’ needs locally, nationally and globally.

• We implement quickly and completely, with our clients’ vision and objectives our primary goal. Then we measure the results.

Tying Customer Needs to a Vision


• Revenue acceleration models and programs– Optimizing sales performance for teams and sales

managers

• Integrated resource and performance initiatives– leadership development, team partnering, organizational

integration

• Business process integration – optimizing infrastructure with human resources

• Readily available tools and methodologies let us reach solutions and results quicker

• Experience in managing transitions• Ability to integrate our activities with other internal and

external groups

Samples of Our Work

“We work with organizations to successfully sell and market their

products and services.”