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Slade Kobran
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Recent Posts
Outsider Insights | You Built Something Different. Your Messaging Made It Sound the Same.
Outsider Insights
Across Chief Outsiders, we talk to hundreds of CEOs every month. In this series, we explore the trends and challenges we’re hearing from these discussions – and what you can do if you’re facing the same issues in your business.
The Brave New World of New Markets - Five Steps to Conquering New Business Frontiers
Wed, Sep 24, 2014 — If there’s one thing that has been constant in the history of America, it’s the spirit of exploration. From Lewis and Clark to Dora the Explorer, our tales of wanderlust have been well-chronicled and have led to great advancements in science, medicine – and business. If you think that’s a heady legacy to live up to, you’re right. However, as responsible business stewards, the need to grow and expand is what fuels our passion to seek new markets for our business. As you consider whether the time is right to expand your company into new markets – either geographically or by customer type – ponder this. According to a study by KPMG, 90 percent of U.S. business executives involved with business development and corporate strategy have seen revenues increase from high growth and emerging markets. This is a sure sign that a broader expansion will open our business up to a world of new possibilities – and financial rewards.
How To Differentiate Yourself When You're Not that Different
Wed, Oct 9, 2013 — Positioning is a critical step in any business’ marketing strategy. It defines the company, forms the basis for messaging, drives the marketing approach and impacts the way in which products and services are priced. To be effective, positioning must be clear, compelling and, most importantly, differentiated. One of the most common complaints I hear from sales people is that their company’s positioning sounds the same as everyone else they sell against. Their products are “innovative”, their services are “world class”, and they are “customer focused.” These are all examples of buzzwords that marketers use to try polish their position. But spin is not enough. Instead, business leaders need to find or create real differences they can leverage in the market.
How to Differentiate When You’re Not That Different?
Sun, Nov 11, 2012 — Positioning is a critical step in any business’ marketing strategy. It defines the company, forms the basis for messaging, drives the marketing approach and impacts the way in which products and services are priced. To be effective, positioning must be clear, compelling and, most importantly, differentiated. One of the most common complaints I hear from sales people is that their company’s positioning sounds the same as everyone else they sell against. Their products are “innovative”, their services are “world class”, and they are “customer focused”. These are all examples of buzzwords that marketers use to try polish their position. But spin is not enough. Instead, business leaders need to find or create real differences they can leverage in the market. But how do you differentiate yourself when you’re not that different?
For Business Strategy, Timing Can Make All The Difference
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 — I got to thinking the other day about the importance of timing for successful business strategy. I can remember several instances when I had made or been part of business proposals that were not initially approved, but ended up being put into place and were very successful. Some were vehemently shot down and dismissed with words like “we will never do that!”, only to have us do the exact thing proposed sometime later. One example was a proposal to our CEO for expanding our product portfolio with a service line adjacent to our main business. Although we were the established market leader, we felt our future growth prospects were limited and that within a few years we would be faced with the scenario of trading customers with our competitors and raising prices in order to meet our financial goals. Our proposal was to launch a new product line, either through our own development or through an acquisition, which would serve as a source of future growth. We presented what we considered to be a compelling business case which detailed the large market opportunity, attractive margins, fit with our sales model and, most importantly, the pain points we could address for our customers. Although a departure from our main product, it was a fit with our core capabilities, and was a credible expansion for our business.
Overcoming Team Building Resistance
Tue, Aug 21, 2012 — I am a big believer in teams in a business environment. I don't just meant people working together well, but actively taking steps to know each other as people, form bonds and work with a common purpose. I've always tried to foster a strong team dynamic in the groups I've led, and have taken active steps to create an environment in which those bonds could grow.