Robyn Sachs has headed RMR & Associates since 1987. As one of the top
marketing firms for product positioning
in the country, RMR
fully understands that to gain attention, positioning demands a
higher order of creativity. But we also know your product's marketing product positioning must
produce results. So we build accountability into every client's program. Because we're not just another marketing firm for product
positioning. We realize that all of your marketing communications must be measurably productive.
Robyn Sachs, President of RMR & Associates, one of the
leading woman-owned marketing and product positioning firm in the country, located in Rockville,
Maryland says: If you're looking for marketing and product positioning, no one will
work harder for you to achieve the results you want than we will. And we
have over 250 company and product roll-outs to prove it!
Says Sachs: Let me explain a little more about the way this marketing firm works
and why you should go with RMR.
The greatest challenge facing any new product is the FUD
Factor—Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. This holds true whether you’re trying
to influence analysts, editors, prospects or customers. Effective public
relations not only eliminates FUD, it earns your product the dominant
position in customer minds.
In PR, like many areas of business, the 80-20 rule applies.
In this case, 20 percent of the market influences the other 80 percent of
the market. In his book titled “The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding” author
Al Ries says, “The birth of a brand is achieved through public relations,
not advertising.”
When your product is first in its category, effective PR not
only brands your product, it can make that entire product category
synonymous with your product’s name. For example, if I say, “a candy with
a hole in it,” it’s likely that the first thing that pops into mind is
“Lifesaver.” Other recognizable examples are the first adhesive bandage,
Band-Aid, the first cable news network, CNN, the first portable personal
computer, Compaq, the first microprocessor, Intel and the first cotton
swab, Q-Tip.
Effective PR informs, educates and influences editors by
providing them what they most want to provide their audience—what’s new,
what’s first and what’s better. We have found that the best way to make
news, if you truly have a new category, is to be the first new product in
that category.
Lotus Notes was a great example of this. It was promoted as
the first successful groupware product. The analysts and editors loved the
new category and they ran story after story on the new groupware concept.
Because of that, Lotus got the lion’s share of publicity and IBM
eventually bought Lotus for $3.5 billion. So being number one in a product
category is something you can really leverage and take to the bank.
Even if you’re not the first product in your market
category, the effective use of PR will still make the difference between
successfully launching a product or watching it languish on the shelves.
Savvy marketers follow eight critical PR steps whenever launching a new
product.
1. Identify early beta customers and make sure you can
use them as references. Companies often wait too long to do this. Make
this a priority because this is where you make your imprint on the 20
percent who influence the other 80 percent of the market—editors and
analysts. If you don’t have the right types of customers here, you’ll give
the editors and analysts the wrong impression and if they can’t talk to
someone who has used the product, the FUD Factor is incredibly high.
2. Prepare to take your show on the road. This is
where you influence the influencers.
- Start by providing your executives media training to
ensure message consistency. If you tell someone 20 things today, he’ll
likely remember none of them. But if you bridge back to your top three
points, he’ll probably remember those. Always identify the top three
things you want to leave with an editor and then follow through on
message.
- Clearly identify the critical 20 percent of editors and
analysts who will drive your product into the marketplace. Concentrate
your efforts on these market makers. If you can get this group on your
side that drives your market space, then you will win in terms of the
actual events of the product launch.
- Realize that in early markets this definition of who
these market makers are will not be crystal clear. In this case, select
technologies that are like yours. When you start talking to the analysts
and editors, you’ll figure out who they are.
3. Create a crisp presentation which will easily lead the
analysts and editors through your market positioning and product
strategy. Be able to explain your product or company in the time it
takes to ride up in an elevator. Realize that editors and analysts are
extremely busy and only allocate time to people who offer what they
need—truly compelling information that will be valued by their audience.
Concisely describe how your product solves a market need, why it’s
different than competitors and how you intend to make it dominate that
market niche.
4. Practice. Hone and crystallize your messages with
all process stakeholders to ensure your message is simple and clear. This
helps align all personnel with the common goal.
5. Prepare a simple press kit which can be used as a
leave-behind for press and analysts. The press kit checklist:
- A pocket folder
- Company background
- Corporate bios of principals
- Collateral—data sheets, corporate or product brochures
- Reprints of feature articles, case histories and white
papers.
- Most recent relevant press releases
- Client list with reference-able customers
- Slides or photos
- Business cards
6. Prepare a briefing book for executives to use on the
tour so they can focus their presentation to each analyst/editor. The
briefing book checklist:
- Calendar chart listing times and places of meetings
- Contact information
- Background on publication/research firm
- Circulation
- Audience
- Mission
- Background on editor/analyst
- Topics covered
- Responsibilities/duties
- Sample articles.
- Travel directions from one meeting to the next.
7. Look at the press and analyst tour as free market
research. The analysts and editors bring a healthy dose of market
reality and research to the table. Be open to feedback but realize that
certain analysts and editors have their own agendas. Validate new market
feedback with other secondary research. Don’t be surprised if you adjust
your market positioning after coming back from the tour.
8. Markets evolve, so must your positioning strategy.
Unlike consumer marketing where a candy with a hole in it is always a
Lifesaver, technology marketing moves at the speed of light. Positioning
in high technology is dynamic—always stay on top of the market by reading
the trades, listening to customers and talking to analysts and editors.
Your PR department and agencies aren’t magicians—we can’t create the
market reality—we can only reflect the market reality. So if your
positioning doesn’t stick, come back and take a look at the market
feedback and adjust to that feedback.
For more free advertising,
marketing and public relations advice, visit our award-winning web site at
www.rmr.com.
Can you pass the Elevator
Test?
Can you explain your product or company in the time it takes
to ride up in an elevator? If not, this exercise will help you to define
your position based on the target market you intend to dominate it with.
The following formula will help you to get all the important information
down on paper in two short sentences and help your company and products
pass the elevator test.
1. For (target customers)
2. Who (statement of the need or opportunity)
3. The (product name) is a (product category)
4. That (statement of the key benefit and compelling reason
to buy)
5. Unlike (primary competitive alternative)
6. Our product (statement of primary difference)