Top 6 – August 2013

Which of the following is most critical for a successful entrepreneur to have? An Idea Money Employees Customers Which one? Customers, you goof. Who do you serve? What do they need? Why are you the best person to serve them? How will they learn this? “The difference between an idea and a profit-making business is…

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Strategic Marketing for Entrepreneurs

Future entrepreneurs, there are four essential questions that must be asked and answered: (1) Who is your target market? (2) What are the needs of the target market? (3) What is your distinctive competency is satisfying those needs? (4) How do you intend to communicate that distinctive competency?

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Kimberly-Clark and Weber Grills vs. Ailawadi and Farris: Stupid or Smart Pricing?

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (KMB) is “desheeting” its products to improve profitability. Weber Stephen Products LLC avoids price promotions and markdowns on their grills, and yet maintains a dominant market position. These are two rather disjointed activities but they both appear to fall afoul of the suggestions given in a recent Wall Street Journal article by Professor Ailawadi of Tuck and Professor Farris of Darden. Are Ailawad and Farris wrong, are the companies wrong, or can both pairs be right?

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