By Alexandra Reid
As a regular weekly feature, we provide our readers with a roundup of some of the best articles we have read in the past week. On the podium this week are The Globe and Mail, Phil Marks, Fast Company, Startup North and GigaOm.
How to get the media spotlight to shine on your business
As much as startups and entrepreneurs rely on social media to spread the word about their businesses and products, it is still surprising how much they covet coverage from traditional media and blogs. This article shares valuable advice for startups seeking that kind of attention.
The 6 habits of true strategic thinkers
Phil Marks explains that if you find yourself resisting “being strategic,” because it sounds like a fast track to irrelevance, or vaguely like an excuse to slack off, you’re not alone. It is a temptation of every leader to deal with what’s directly in front because it always seems more urgent and concrete. But doing so puts your company at risk. While you focus on steering around potholes, you’ll miss windfall opportunities, not to mention any signals that the road you’re on is leading off a cliff. Adaptive strategic thinkers — the kind who thrive in today’s uncertain environment — do six things well, as explained in this post.
Why companies should file for patents now
Filing patent applications between now and March 2013, while the first-to-invent rules are still in place, can provide some significant benefits. This article explains how companies can proactively manage their intellectual property strategy to make the most of this opportunity.
As Peter Smith explains, too many startups try and scale their marketing and sales efforts before they have nailed their value proposition and the sales story that goes along with it. He says that startups should wait before seeking VC funding until they have “proof points and a traction story that is damn near breathtaking.” This post offers excellent advice for startups, warning that they should avoid the trap of trying to create momentum before understanding why the market wants their technology and how to package it for consistent, reliable and predictable sales.
Marketing is the next big money sector in technology
Despite the last 15 years of automation of sales functions, marketing functions have been underserved and under-penetrated in terms of enterprise software. However, big data, becoming more accessible as more companies across every sector of the economy move to the web, will help marketing emerge from the backwater and will give rise to several multi-billion dollar companies, says Ajay Agarwal of Brain Capital Ventures.
