Market Research
Contract CMOFinding business growth outside of
established markets and product lines.
Marketing is at the heart of virtually every business strategy decision. Businesses thrive or die based on their ability to identify target markets and serve them with products and services that fit their needs.
We provide market research to support changes in business direction, to capture new market segments, to build an effective competitive strategy, or to find new sources of growth.
As contract CMO, we ensure that targeted markets are well defined, and that products and services have value propositions targeted at these markets. We insure that precious resources are focused uniquely on what is specifically effective for this business.
The range from strategic to practical of a contract CMO is particularly valuable for startups, for small businesses, for businesses looking to build a Marketing department, and for businesses in transition.
Market Research
Whether to find new growth opportunities, define an effective competitive strategy, or develop profitable products, market research is an inexpensive insurance policy against wasting resources on the wrong opportunity.
Market research can also be used to carve sales territory, locate Sales professionals, set up distributors and service centers, and find the right strategic partners. Market research should be included in the due diligence of acquisitions.
Contract CMO
The flexibility and breadth of expertise of the contract CMO is ideal for businesses contemplating changes in strategy, for those without a Marketing department, and for startup and young companies. The contract CMO can meet evolving needs without loss of continuity. The contract CMO offers a level of strategic and practical expertise that far exceeds what the client can afford through direct hire.
Support for Strategic Decisions
Exploring new business directions often requires expertise not available internally and a focus that competes with daily operations. We offer both: expertise and focus. Whether resolving the fate of problem businesses, getting out of a downward slide, expanding in new areas, focusing among too many opportunities, we help companies build consensus around the right decision by structuring options through market research, business cases, and business plan outlines.
100% Growth in 8 years through New Market Entry
The company, a small specialty manufacturer, had 30% capacity utilization and prices 20 times those of its generic competition. We leveraged the company technology platform to target markets where it provided the most value and would command the highest margin. This achievement would not be remarkable except for the formidable cost constraints.
Innovative Technology Transfer for High Margin
By introducing aerospace technology into a very conservative market, the steel industry, a startup, a company with no established name or credibility, achieved prices 10 times those of what it replaced. Its products outlasted existing products only by a factor of 4 to 1. Key was recognizing and focusing on where the greatest value was provided.
Reversing Margin Decline with Innovative Uses
Shrinking demand resulted in 50% overcapacity and decreasing margins. All competitive products were functionally equivalent. All adjacent opportunities to this market had been exploited. The new product opportunities were spotted by working with R&D to identify the intrinsic properties of the material and infer where they would be valued. These applications were not on any radar screen.
Segment Focus for 900% Growth in 8 years
The company was a chemical company with only 4 commodity products and the highest costs of production and logistics in the industry. This growth was achieved by serially entering new markets. In spite of its handicaps, the company managed to increase the size and profitability of its average account while growing these new markets.
What People Say
Excels at strategic planning and technology portfolio management to drive profitable growth through maximum impact from the R&D investment.
Superb market assessment skills, strong process methodology, and a disciplined approach to new technology commercialization.
Disciplined approach to new product development… brought together departments in new ways, that allowed us to access previously-untapped knowledge and expertise.
Rare talent to understand, explore and filter technology opportunities that are transferable between different market sectors.
Highly capable, big picture thinking…presents creative solutions and challenges the effectiveness of an organization’s customary SOP’s.
Brings rationale to decision making. Assesses opportunities and balances the technology and financial aspects in the complex mosaic of a specific company structure, capabilities and markets.
Efficient and diligent, providing transparent, measurable benefits while exhibiting the highest level of engineering and sales expertise with total integrity.
Respectful, always willing to hear and to consider alternative viewpoints. Not afraid to adjust thinking, when appropriate, when presented with new, relevant information.
Clients
