working with inventors to enhance marketing efforts cathy cohn marketing specialist
TRANSCRIPT
Working with Inventors to Enhance Marketing Efforts
Cathy CohnMarketing Specialist
Overview
Marketing at NIST
NIST’s Portfolio of Technologies
Marketing Campaigns
Tactical Marketing
Commercial Assessment of Inventions
TEDCO Showcase
Marketing
Marketing is about meeting the needs and wants of customers
Customer = Licensees, Partners
Look at everything we do through the eyes of the customer
What We Market, NIST’s Portfolio
» Aerospace » Healthcare» Agriculture » Homeland Security» Assistive Technologies » Industrial Processes» Biotechnology » Information Technology» Chemical » Instrumentation» Civil Infrastructure » Manufacturing» Communications » Nanotechnology» Computing » Optics» Cosmetics » Refrigeration» Defense » Semiconductor» Electronics » Sensors» Energy » Spectroscopy» Environmental Technologies » X-ray» First Responders
Market Areas
Marketing Campaigns Target Approach
Target specific industry sector(s) Identify target companies INVENTOR
Target the right person within the company Business development, VP development, product manager Person differs depending on size of company INVENTOR
Initial contact –”cold call” Sales presentation –value proposition Handle technical questions
INVENTOR
Follow-up
Marketing Mix
The 4 P's of Marketing Product – What is the “value proposition” to attract potential customers?
Connect invention features with benefits Should be clear as possible for the technology business audience INVENTOR
Promotion – How will you promote the technology to your potential customers? Personal selling, website, showcase, advertising in the Federal Register, etc. INVENTOR -conferences, publications, showcases
Place – Getting the product to the customer INVENTOR
Price What price should you expect?
Commercial Assessment of Invention Disclosures
Review each invention to determine: Field(s) of use and application(s)? Target market, names of potential companies? What problem does the technology solve? What are the most valuable benefits of the technology? Is the technology unique? Or do competing technologies provide similar
benefits? Is the industry large enough? Who is the competition? Any regulatory hurtles? Niches where this technology will be of Interest? What questions will potential customers ask?
TEDCO Showcase NIST and NIH
Creates awareness of technologies from Maryland’s Federal Labs available for licensing and/or collaboration
Audience: Business developers, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, inventors, education officials, economic and workforce development professionals
Technology Transfer and Commercialization ShowcaseNIH and NIST Technologies
Discover and Commercialize Cutting Edge Bio-Imaging Technologies
Oct 6, 2009 at NIST
TEDCO ShowcaseDay-long event
Formal welcome and keynote speakers
“Fast Pitch” presentations (24 talks, 7 minutes each)
Poster sessions
How to partner with Fed?
Resources
Facility tours
Challenge –Getting the inventors to understand the audience
