Kath Chalmers’ musings on business, marketing, and other fun things in life
I don’t usually get involved in politics. But this week, Christopher Dodd and Congress have targeted technology start-ups for annihilation by regulation so I’m asking you to join me in taking action to stop legislation that will be devastating for early stage tech companies like mine. Hidden in the big banking regulation & bail out …
Who are your target customers? Of course, you should already have this well defined in your strategic marketing plan, but it is good to review as you begin planning your data strategy. Before you can make good decisions about your marketing data, you need to have a good idea of who your ideal customers are, …
Marketing Data Planning: Define Your Customers and Target Markets Read More »
Suppose your job depended on filling a large bathtub with water using only a cup and water from the sink across the bathroom. Easy with some work, right? Well, maybe not. How easy would it be if you had to not only fill the tub, but also maintain the water level consistently every month and …
The Direct Bottom Line Impact of Good Marketing Data Read More »
This week I applied for <a href=”https://www.founderinstitute.com/”>The Funded’s Founder Institute</a>, a really exciting, structured four-month training program for new entrepreneurs. One of the questions on the application is “Why do you want to be an entrepreneur?” Wow! Hmmmmm. In the frenzy of getting a company started, it’s easy to overlook that basic question. Why would …
The first day of my new life as an entrepreneur is here. I’m at my desk wearing my favorite comfy shorts. Jean-Jacques Goldman is playing on iTunes. This video for inspiration. A very good day.
Last week at my day job I was awarded the company’s first Golden Hedgehog award for outstanding excellence in sales and marketing. It came with a cool foot-high lucite trophy and a gift certificate to yummy Morton’s. OK, I know it sounds pretty silly, but I was really touched. (A second Golden Hedgehog was awarded …
How do you know which Web developer to hire when there are so many options? Do you need a marketing consultant or graphic artist who knows how to program HTML or a programmer who can do some graphic art? The first step in selecting a vendor to develop your Web site is to decide what …
Selecting Your Web Development Team: the Skill Sets You’ll Need Read More »
Over the years I’ve watched an interesting—if frustrating—scenario play out at numerous companies. Maybe you’ve seen it too? First, you take a talented, very hardworking woman who’s stretched almost to a breaking point by trying to do far more than humanly possible with very limited budget and resources. She works her butt off, accomplishes miracles …
Exhibiting at trade shows and conferences can involve a huge investment—of both human and financial resources. Regardless of how simple or elaborate your display, a little pre-show preparation can make a big difference in the number and quality of the leads you collect. Here are four pre-show efforts that yield big lead dividends: <!–more–> <strong>1) …
Four Ways to Maximize Your Trade Show Investment Read More »
When cash is tight and the burn rate is keeping the CFO awake at night, many companies start their belt tightening by eliminating their public relations program. Since PR efforts do not translate into immediate sales leads and publication lead times can be as long as 4-6 months, many startup executives mistakenly believe that eliminating …