Tweet

High-tech Marketing – is it the corporate patsy?

Guest post by: Joe Gagliano

Article Overview: Is the head of marketing in the most vulnerable position in the company? A look at some of the underlying issues.

High-tech Marketing – is it the corporate patsy?

Question: How often does your company's marketing head get replaced? There's probably no other position (except perhaps marketing communications) where job tenure is so precarious. Other department heads - manufacturing, quality, finance, engineering, and even sales - can be reasonably stable. So why does marketing undergo such upheavals at regular intervals? For a number of reasons, but mostly because the head of marketing is good insurance, if not a scapegoat, for other departmental heads. Let's get one thing out of the way - very few high-tech start-ups begin with marketing as the main driving force. However, no self-respecting VC would consider funding a company that didn't have all functions, including marketing, duly represented. Plus, business plans emphasize marketing as a vital element that will decide the success or failure of the enterprise. A company that was formed on the idea that some technical product will propel it forward now has to justify its sense of purpose through the labyrinthine intricacies of marketing. What is needed is a head of marketing, someone who can interpret what the founders had in mind and make it look palatable to the moneylenders. Right away vested interests need to be shielded from the realities of the marketplace: the product or service was defined before the outsiders were brought in, so that has to remain inviolate, as much as possible. In all likelihood engineering and manufacturing had a few differences even at the beginning; the introduction of marketing immediately presents the potential for alliances and discord. In cases where the founder is also the president and chief technologist the difficulties are compounded. The reason for all this angst is that marketing affects all other disciplines in the company. Product features, manufacturing costs, support, quality control, product road maps, and distribution - marketing absolutely has to gain consensus in order to be effective. And that is before we talk about branding, advertising, PR, trade shows, etc.

Let us assume that marketing manages to achieve all its goals - how long can it maintain its balancing act before one of the other players begins to view the world through a different prism? What if market conditions suggest that the original product needs to evolve into something that the original creator is unable or unwilling to do? Of course the market assessment could be wrong, but either way the head of marketing starts to become suspect. The essence of marketing is constant change, while every other department is much happier fine-tuning rather than changing. And so the erosion begins, a process that only too often ends with a change of marketing head. A new administrator is brought in (after a process that involves just about everyone in the company) and the cycle begins all over again. The VP of marketing is dead; long live the VP of marketing. Stock options, perks, and a handsome salary - they all help to sweeten the pill. The head of marketing may be the corporate patsy, but at least he or she can travel in style. The only certainty is that the fattened calf will eventually be sacrificed.

Related Articles
  Art in the Corporate Environment
  Add Corporate Blog Marketing to your SEO Toolkit
  How to use corporate incentives to reward and motivate
  Corporate Incentives Build Employee Retention
  Corporate Legends

Article Tags: employment, hightech, marketing, vulnerable position



Related Forum Posts
2007 Goals - 1. Web site complete, fully operational 2. Revenue stream from both individual and corporate 3. Business Plan complete 4. Full marketing strategy complete and implemented
Are Economic Recessions Good for Franchising? - As I understand it, when there are more corporate layoffs you have more workers looking into starting their own business. It makes sense in a backwards sort of way. My first impression is that Franchising would take a hit like everyone else... but the more I look into it: [i:35vhc2a9]The opposite occurs[/i:35vhc2a9]. There's a larger pool of very qualified workers that are disenchanted with the corporate world. They are often more than willing to take a bigger risk and seek self-employment, whether it's a franchise or not. In my opinion, there are lots of good opportunities out there, it's just a matter of doing your research and finding a nice fit.
What is one of your favorite sales and marketing book? - One of my favorite sales and marketing book is called Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. It tells a story of how a guy quit a high paying corporate job after graduating from Harvard in order to pursue a business dream, while working with a group of friends. They eventually built a business that is now worth over a billion dollars called Zappos.com. The entire books concept was on how to market a successful business. I enjoyed reading the book and learned a lot from it. What is one of your favorite marketing books?
Re: What is Your Favorite Thing About Owning A Business? - We have a market research and competitiive intelligence firm and our needs vary from project to project. For me, owning my own business means that I get to choose exactly the people that I want for each individual project. In the 'corporate world', too often we get stuck with folks that others don't want, and they can take up SOOOOOO much of our time. Terry "Getting answers to tough marketing questions ..."
Franchise - Guys, After searching for franchise in food industry which I am familiar with, (no full service, quick stuff like Dunkin Donuts, Jack in the box type etc..) Where I live most of the good ones are taken or corporate own. I live in AZ, does any one recommend a good franchise ? Most of the one I search are no good or brand new lack marketing power, and it’s not worth even getting into. For instance, the franchise I am in currently is a food business the food is nice, but it’s a failing concept, lack of marketing and lack of franchisor support... I think they given up in their own concept. I don’t know want to invest in another concept where I will be doing all the work. Does anyone know any good concept that can actually have a good ROI? Thank you


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Improve E-mail: Avoid the Quicksand

Small Business Internet Marketing

Leading from Authenticity is a Beautiful Thing

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.