Out to Launch Blog on Marketing and Product Launches
TopSprout's "Out to Launch" blog discusses key marketing issues, marketing advice and product launch topics based on TopSprout's marketing expertise and client experiences. You can also read more personal
thoughts on marketing and business by following
TopSprout on Twitter @topsprout.
August 24, 2010
You Gotta Know When to Hold 'Em, Know When to Fold 'Em
"Good advice from good ol' Kenny
Rogers. After almost two years of running a bunch of
different business development ideas for TopSprout, there are some things that I'm definitely
foldin'!"
> Read More.
July 14, 2010
How to Ring Up Some Initial VC Funding
"I've been getting a good number of
requests to help people with their funding pitch for VC's or angel
investors. While there's tons of advice out there, here's what I've
found works."
> Read More.
June 16, 2010
Free PR Sites - You Get What You Paid For
"Are free PR sites any good? They sound awfully appealing, but after some
initial tests, I'm not so sure."
> Read More.
June 9, 2010
Get Over Your Fear of Networking
"What's ironic is that Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking websites have made it so easy to stay in touch and reach out to friends and colleagues. But in the business world, I think a lot of people are still afraid of really leveraging and getting the most out of their network..."
> Read More.
May 28, 2010
Simple Hoovers Tip to Get Free Market
Research and Improve Your VC Pitch
> Read More.
May 12, 2010
I Don't Have an iPad - Why Urgency Matters
"People don't buy an iPad is the same reason people don't buy a whole lot of things in the business world - from enterprise software to professional services to industrial machinery - they just don't feel that urgency, that compelling need to buy things...
> Read More.
April 28, 2010
7 Ways CEO's Create Buzz on a Shoestring Budget
"I recently attended a local lunch featuring the CEO's from Vyatta, Red Condor and Serious Materials who shared what they thought were the most useful ideas for creating buzz, especially with a startup budget. Here are 7 key lessons I heard..."
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How to Waste Money with Consultants
"Good consultants can be one of the most important assets for you and your company, so why do some people throw money away once they've hired them? Having been both a client and consultant myself, here are the top 10 mistakes I've seen..."
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Revolutionary or Commodity? The Wrong Messaging Makes a Big Difference
"A client and I recently created some great messaging for an upcoming product launch...but when we tried the same messaging technique to a related product, we ended up with so-so messaging. So how can a messaging approach work wonders with one product, yet be woefully inadequate with another...?"
> Read More.
Yet More Detailed Advice on Company Brochures
"Building on the advice from my last blog about company brochures and from a recent visit to the Cloud Connect conference, here are some more detailed tips on how to approach your company brochure..."
> Read More.
March 16, 2010
A Manifesto for Agile Marketing
"There are a lot of similarities behind agile software development principles and what marketers should do for their customers. With apologies to the original authors of the Agile Manifesto, here's my take on how marketing can adhere to the 12 agile principles..."
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Vertical Response and TopSprout Offer $10K in Customized Sales Collateral
"I recently partnered with Vertical Response to offer a TopSprout Marketing Starter Kit, valued at $10,000, as a prize for a lucky Vertical Response customer. If you're a Vertical Response customer focused on B2B, this could be for you...."
> Read More.
February 18, 2010
Marketing Ain't Rocket Science
"You don't need to be Apple or Coca-Cola to be a marketing machine. There are some "no duh" rules of marketing I think any company should follow..."
> Read More.
February 4, 2010
Toyota, Tiger & Marketing 101
"Both Toyota and Tiger are great examples of how you should NOT manage public relations. There are some basic marketing lessons that any business should remember from the Toyota and Tiger debacles..."
> Read More.
January 21, 2010
Leading with "What If?"
“Marketing in the B2B world can be a very rational process. But with brand new products, you need something a little more emotional and visionary to break through people's preconceived notions. That's where leading with "What If" can help you win more deals...”
> Read More.
January 6, 2010
9 Steps to an Affordable Web Launch
“I've seen many companies try to save money by doing their websites by themselves, but end up creating god-awful websites. The truth is you only need to spend a few hundred dollars to create a professional website...”
> Read More.