 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
34 Sugar Hill Road Killingworth, CT 06419 Voice: 860.663.0552 Fax: 860.663.0553 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Foreword from The Product Marketing Handbook for Software |
||||||||
|
Having launched over 400 products into the channel for over 150 companies (including Microsoft, Lotus, Citrix, Autodesk, Ashton Tate, Canon, HP, Adobe, Intel, Aldus, Sony, and others), published five world-wide best-sellers, including Netscape Navigator, and helped noted author Tom Clancy with the startup of Red Storm Entertainment, I have usually had to either build my marketing teams from scratch or work with an inherited group. In most cases, the organizations I've led have possessed only a few seasoned professionals with formal marketing degrees and real-world experience. In 1998, I faced yet another such situation as Vice President of Marketing at Holt, Rinehart and Winston, a division of multi-billion dollar Harcourt Brace. Holt published both textbooks and over 80 software products. The 51 person marketing department I led was a smart and potentially effective group, but most of its members were former teachers and few had any formal marketing education or background. As I was searching for marketingresources to assist me, I discovered The Product Marketing Handbook for Software. I ordered eight copies of the book for my team, then many more and made it required reading within the marketing department. Rick's material was exactly what I was looking for-a high-tech marketing textbook that laid out a foundation I could build upon. The Handbook covers most of what a marketing team needs to be successful including strategy, product, price, placement (distribution) and promotions. It even includes a terrific set of appendices that provides resources, estimated timelines, and average costs. The best thing is that the tone is conversational, and the material is pragmatic and full of real-life examples. It is a step-by-step roadmap to success in the industry, available instantly at your fingertips. Later, as a Senior VP of Marketing at Metrowerks, I again ordered dozens of copies of the book for my team. To level-set and train the group, we met early each morning from 7AM to 9AM for three weeks covering each chapter and then applying the principles we discussed to our own products. The team came in tired, but left each morning enthusiastic. The marketing team was applying what they had learned and were taking a leadership role within the company, and the company was succeeding. Soon afterwards, Metrowerks was acquired by Motorola. I used the book to train my team at Motorola, with similar success. Later, as a VP of Marketing at GE, I repeated the same process to reboot and level-set my marketing teams. Throughout the years, I have purchased two different editions and noticed that Rick has continued to add current examples to make the book relevant. This latest 4th Edition has some great new material, including new chapters on market research, product management, and much, much more. I encourage anyone in high-tech marketing to read, study, and leverage this incredible resource. Best of luck. Ted Finch Chief Marketing Officer Titan Solutions Group |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
34 Sugar Hill Road Killingworth, CT 06419 Voice: 860.663.0552 Fax: 860.663.0553 Copyright Aegis Resources, 2007. All rights reserved |
||||||||