"When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either."
–Leo Burnett

Common revenue-inhibiting
problems for which we offer
affordable solutions.

Are you having an identity crisis? Look at branding.
Please visit our Branding link above to discover how a powerful branding program can remove the pain of an identity crisis in 27 simple steps. Then ask for a copy of our Brand Fitness Exam.

Having lead flow problems? Try the 90-Day Blitz.
We can offer you a quick fix for inadequate lead flow with our 90-Day Blitz.
It’s a multimedia, lead generation activity based on response compression techniques. It is a fully integrated 3 month program that combines traditional media with interactive media to create a sense of event, which in turn produces a substantial flow of leads in a very short time with minimal commitment of financial resources.

Need to reduce the cost of sales? Use our MARCOM Engine.
Cost of sales too high is often directly related to the use of inefficient sales and marketing materials and procedures. The best way to get a handle on waste in the communications arena is with our Marcom Audit, both internal and external.

Need to develop relationship selling? Word of Mouth!
Whether you call it viral marketing, buzz marketing, word of mouth on steroids, evangelism or influencer relationship marketing it’s a powerful tool whose time has come. You can gain additional insights into the process by viewing Chasing the Influencers, or visiting the detailed weblog on viral/influential marketing that Keith launched almost two years ago at www.keithbates.blogspot.com.

Differentiation message inadequate? Better creative!
Are you really sending the right message? If your differentiation message is not sufficiently defining you have what is primarily a creative (words and pictures) challenge. The solution demands substantial input from customers via the sales force and independent marketing research and a BIG idea creative concept. A strong differentiation message depends initially on a simple strategy statement, and we have two one page formats that are yours for the asking. The challenge is twofold; first, find out if you really are different in a meaningful way (either real or perceived), and second, assemble powerful words and pictures around a BIG IDEA!

Need sales and marketing collaboration? Start with one voice.
Sometimes the process is as simple as sales and marketing agreeing on a product comparison guide. We can show you how to make one ala IBM style. But there’s more to unifying sales and marketing than a paper guide. Sales needs to incorporate marketing’s messages into their pitches, and marketing needs to listen to feedback from field sales. The result should be messages that are aligned with both and speak with a single voice to the market. We can show you how to bridge this gap. Visit our alliance partner, Patrick Rooney, at http://expandcomm.com/sales-force-message-training.htm for a closer look.

Need mentoring, troubleshooting? Keith Bates, a resource…
Keith Bates is not a management consultant. Nor does he aspire to be one. His forte is “ideas” to accelerate new business development for technology companies. And he has the credentials to do this having spent 30 years in the executive suites of 150 software companies plus the founding of five corporations as a direct result of his entrepreneurial inclinations.

His mentoring has been primarily focused on software/services startups and small to medium sized companies. He has written innumerable business plans with particular focus on the Executive Summary and can help with the communications issues required for taking your business strategy to market. He is familiar with both Geoffrey Moore’s Chasm Strategy and the Technology Adoption Life Cycle.

Need to reexamine strategies? The Marcom Audit.
The nature of the volatile technology industry requires constant reassessment of your core value proposition to determine its ongoing validity. Maybe it’s time you weighed your business plan against the Chasm Companion’s Market Development Strategy Checklist. We can help you refocus through this exercise then weigh the results against both the Marketing focused and Communications focused outlines we have assembled as well as a couple of proprietary Strategy Statement check lists we have created. Ultimately you will need a CSP (Communications Support Plan) explained in some detail under Marcom Audit.