Blog Yes & Know

Making Marketing Matter

Let's face the facts. Marketing isn't what it once was. The pall cast by the Web 2.0 era where consumers are the beginning and end and marketers are no longer leading the brand, the demand creation process has gone awry, and to the point that corporate confidence has eroded for marketing's function as a performance driver.

Winning Business Models: Innovation vs. Invention

Invention is the classic way to build a successful company. However, invention is much harder for a mature company or a mature technology. Business model innovation is an attractive option in many cases as a way to differentiate an offer, improve profitability or both. Below are five emerging business models.

The WSJ Interview By-Product

it's okay to be stretched. At this point, you're on the edge. And, the edge is where you are forced to be creative. It's where your decisions are sharper and more informed. You make calls because you have to, not because they are convenient. "We can't do this right now because that is more important." Being at the limit forces you to think about value and we think that's a great place to be.

Shifting Business Models & What It Means For You

While SAP's brand and development resources are enormous assets, SAP's operations—the very way it does business—must be re-thought for BBD and the changes required for success are fundamental in every sense. SAP needs to re-think its sales, services, integration, support, development and revenue models. The enterprise sales force is too expensive to address mid-sized customers and the R/3 eco-system is ill-suited to address BBD deployment. Even the SaaS revenue stream will require major adjustments.

Shifting Business Models & What It Means For You

While SAP's brand and development resources are enormous assets, SAP's operations—the very way it does business—must be re-thought for BBD and the changes required for success are fundamental in every sense. SAP needs to re-think its sales, services, integration, support, development and revenue models. The enterprise sales force is too expensive to address mid-sized customers and the R/3 eco-system is ill-suited to address BBD deployment. Even the SaaS revenue stream will require major adjustments.

When it Comes to Customer Experience Design, Satisfaction is Sufficient

In the same way that hope is not a strategy, customer experience design is not an accident. Many companies can miss the mark when it comes to delivering what their customers desire, but most fail in what I might call a blind spot – they fail deliver on their customers' tacit demands? Those demands are essential needs and involve how the experience of purchase or adoption or use is experienced. With a few obvious exceptions, such as dealing with Apple, I'm shocked and amazed when my (admittedly low) expectations are exceeded by a customer experience I would characterize as truly delightful. And I'm not unusual in that way. Most consumers will be delighted if a company even comes close to delivering on a customer experience, not just a product.

Can We See More Green? HP's Print 2.0

With their printing division bringing in 30% of HP's $91.7 billion in revenue in 2006 – and more than half its operating profit – it's easy to see why new printers and services are being rolled out to encourage printing. We've all known for years it's the goose that lays the golden egg for HP. Now the company is backing that contention with a $300 million ad campaign in which it introduces a slew of new printers and devices that allow users to print without the use of a PC. In partnership with Yahoo, HP has created a printing toolbar that makes creative projects easier, giving users how-to tips.