Technology Companies Should Remodel Their Message
October 13, 2003

By Farida Fotouhi

Let's face it, many technology companies have put a lot more thought into engineering a product than marketing it. Which is as it should be. But there comes a time in every company's life when revenue needs to start coming in, instead of going out.

And that's the point at which your marketing message becomes critical. You need a clear, simple value proposition. And a messaging strategy that adheres to your customer's perspective, not your engineering team's. Simply put, when you can find a way to explain your product to a 6-year-old, you're on the right track.

Another mistake technology companies make is believing they don't need a "brand". That's just for consumer companies, right? Well, you have a brand whether you want it or not. Your brand is what your customers and constituencies think you stand for. It's the sum of all the impressions people have of your company, from your website, product, even how you answer the phone. Brand perception is one of the key factors that determine whether someone will purchase your technological product. So it behooves you to take control of your brand image.

Companies often wait until it's too late to start thinking about their brand. You should start developing your brand message as soon as you need to convince someone of the value of your company, whether that person is a customer, an investor, or a potential employee. Creating your brand and honing your message will increase awareness of your products, grow your company's value proposition, and differentiate you from the competition.

7 Signs It's Time to Reposition

When is it time to "remodel" your branding message? Here are the 7 signs.

1. You've changed

You've outgrown your message and image. You're bigger, more diversified, smarter, and/or more focused than you were when you developed your current sales support tools and website.

2. Your target market has changed

You're expanding into new market segments with new offerings. Or, maybe your old market is shrinking, shifting purchase patterns, or is saturated. The new segments have different issues.

3. Competition has changed

Your current value proposition isn't quite so unique anymore. Or, you know about a big competitor getting ready to enter your niche and you need to pre-empt them.

4. The old model doesn't work

It was an innovative concept with great potential, but didn't pan out as expected. You've learned where the true opportunity is, and it's time to make a shift. Fast.

5. People don't "get" what you do

This is very common with technology companies. After a half-hour discussion or visit to your website, the question you get is, "What do you do, again?" Time to focus and simplify.

6. The environment is different now

The environment before 9/11, before the tech crash, and before Enron is vastly different than it is today. Major events that cause profound change often require a re-evaluation of marketing message.

7. You're ready to go to the next level

When you first started, you could get by with the homegrown approach. Now you're ready for the next leap forward. It's time to bring in professional marketers.

Farida Fotouhi is President of Reality2 LLC, a marketing consulting, advertising, and creative services company she founded to help clients address new realities in the business environment. She can be reached at 310.826.5662 or Farida@reality2.biz.

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