Blog Yes & Know

Making a Better Widget isn't a Competitive Strategy

During my day job, I help both start-ups and billion-dollar tech companies pick market niches and position themselves to compete successfully no matter what size. Most of them start with …

Value Innovation

Tools for Meeting & Exceeding Investor Expectations.

Is the Mobile Market Ripe for the Pick’n?

Questions software executives must answer if they expect to stay on top of the rapidly emerging mobile market space.
Lately, it seems you can’t swing a PDA or Smart Phone without hitting a business or trade publication article that contains the word “Mobile.”

Is the Mobile Market Ripe for the Pick'n?

Questions software executives must answer if they expect to stay on top of the rapidly emerging mobile market space.
Lately, it seems you can’t swing a PDA or Smart Phone without hitting a business or trade publication article that contains the word “Mobile.”

Questioning the Unquestionable

From time to time in business, an idea emerges that sounds obviously good — so good, in fact, that it becomes accepted wisdom almost immediately. Product managers quickly incorporate it into their assumptions, marketeers let it shape the way they approach the project, and executives quickly incorporate it into their presentation slides so that it ceases to be mere idea and becomes… (drum roll) fact.
The idea makes the leap from theory to principle without ever being subjected to rigorous testing. Often, the idea eventually gets proven out. But what if the so-called fact turns out to be false? Or what if an idea that once was true becomes false? What happens then? Has it happened to you?

Richness of Relationships

If you believe, as Rubicon does, that excellent sales and marketing revolves around meeting customers’ needs, then this article will develop how that belief can guide the work of you and your team. “Knowing your customer” is not, of course, a new idea in marketing. Today’s market landscape is characterized by pressure for high-volume, reduced transaction costs and e-commerce, ever-increasing specialization in products and needs, and shortened product life cycles. In this context, we are pressured to rely on impressions or memories or articles in the Sunday paper — anything that saves time — to provide a portrait of the customer. Following our beliefs, however, reminds us that it is more necessary to invest the time and energy in meeting, learning and understanding our customers. We want to get so close that the team can explain who the customer is, as a name, a place, and a voice — and know what the customer needs, and think about connecting points to help finish the route-to-market puzzle.

Springtime Pruning for Growth

Before a company can be ready for growth, it must take stock of the current business situation–and make those decisions that will prompt sales expansion in the future. Making the decisions for what to cut, what to keep and what needs further investment is a key part of strategy development. This approach can be applied to your product lines, market segments, and resource allocation.