Tag Archives: product development

Competitors? Meh.

Posted on Thursday, 20 April 2017 10:29 am by markpilip

I saw a post on LinkedIn today about the importance of doing combat with your competitors. That’s misguided and wrong. When you devote resources to something, you are by definition taking them away from something else. Every bit of time … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer Care, Leadership, Organization, Philosophy, Product Development, Sales | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Competitors? Meh.

Owning a Position

Posted on Monday, 24 March 2014 8:28 am by markpilip

You can–and should–start with your “why.” Know what your organization stands for and communicate that. But if you want to own a position in the customer’s mind, there’s only one way. Put out a product that does it. Shipping > four … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing, Philosophy, Product Development, Tactics | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Owning a Position

Don’t Be Blind To Domain Dependence

Posted on Thursday, 20 March 2014 6:11 am by markpilip

Why did the auto dealers in New Jersey work to get Tesla’s direct sales model banned in the state? Why do Uber and Lyft have to battle taxi and limousine commissions in order to do business? And why didn’t Hilton … Continue reading →

Posted in Career, Diversity, Education, Leadership, Organization, Product Development | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Don’t Be Blind To Domain Dependence

Do The Best You Can, Not The Best

Posted on Wednesday, 17 October 2012 8:21 am by markpilip

When we agonize over everything to try to make it “the best” we fool ourselves. There’s no such thing. We are just people and can’t, by definition by perfect and “the best.”  When we understand the constraints–time, money, people, technology–and … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Philosophy, Strategy | Tagged , | Comments Off on Do The Best You Can, Not The Best

What “They” Want Or Think Doesn’t Matter

Posted on Monday, 8 October 2012 5:01 am by markpilip

On his deathbed Steve Jobs told Tim Cook not to worry about what he would do, but instead do what was right for Apple, or so the story goes. A great piece of advice. Now that Steve is dead, what … Continue reading →

Posted in Data, Marketing, Product Development | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on What “They” Want Or Think Doesn’t Matter

Vision’s All You’ve Got

Posted on Thursday, 13 September 2012 8:40 am by markpilip

You might hire the smartest data scientists available. You might develop a product that has benefits that push all the user buttons. You might price that product perfectly. You might distribute it perfectly. You might create the most clever campaign … Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Philosophy, Product Development | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Get Better Before You Start Shouting

Posted on Tuesday, 31 July 2012 8:27 am by markpilip

Marketing and communications professionals in companies and agencies often get called on the carpet to answer questions about why the product isn’t selling enough to please the executives. At times, it culminates in an agency review or with the termination … Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Communications, Marketing, Product Development | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Scale and the Unbelievers

Posted on Monday, 21 May 2012 9:22 am by markpilip

There are two things that matter when building great products, movements or companies. They are easy to follow, easy to understand and also incredibly easy for those of us with MBAs and too much corporate experience to screw up. User … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Product Development, Strategy | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Real Innovation…

Posted on Friday, 23 March 2012 8:24 am by markpilip

…changes the courses of industries, if not society. Real innovation gives us the lightbulb, Linux, and the Internet. Real innovation also breaks your company’s current profit model, organizational structure and strategies. Real innovation is also messy, scary and “dangerous” to … Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Communications, Leadership, Product Development | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

DICEE (Not Dicey) Products

Posted on Wednesday, 22 February 2012 9:11 am by markpilip

Are you still making undifferentiated beige boxes of mediocrity, developed by lowest-common-denominator product managers that are sold through “the channel” to anybody who fogs a mirror? Look to your financial results if you don’t know the answer to the question. … Continue reading →

Posted in Product Development | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on DICEE (Not Dicey) Products