This is a slightly revised version, most recently presented in Kiev, November, 2013.

1. Marketing Your
Technology
Marty Kaszubowski
President, General Ideas
www.SlideShare.com/Kaszubowski
@MartyKasz

2. What you WON’T be getting today
A PhD in marketing theory and practice
“One-size-fits-all” solutions to sell your
technology
Advice on how to get someone to buy
something they don’t want or need

3. What I WON’T be talking about
 Many of the usual “marketing and sales” topics are only
appropriate for mature companies
 I won’t be talking about:
 Pricing strategy, Distribution, Market Research,
Demographics, Market Segmentation, Advertising,
Branding, Brand management, Direct marketing,
Publicity.

4. What you WILL be getting today
 A framework that will help you think about the kind of
marketing you should be doing
 Strategies for deciding who your customers are and
what you should be saying to them
 Some potential “good outcomes” that you should be
pursuing
 Encouragement to take marketing seriously and learn
more

5. What I will be asking about …
1. What are your goals for your company?
What kind of company do you want to
create?
2. How mature is your technology?
3. What kind of problem does your technology
solve?

6. The kind of company you create defines
your marketing approach!
1. Lifestyle business
2.Small business
3. Scalable startup
4.Buyable startup
5.Large company
6.Social entrepreneur
Per Steve Blank, et al

7. Types of ventures:
1. Lifestyle Startups: Work to Live their Passion.
Examples: Professional Photographers, Healthclubs,
Surf Shops, Ski Instructors, Golf Pros, R&D Shops
2. Small Business Startups: Work to Feed the Family.
Examples: Restaurants, Clothing stores, coffee shops,
Cleaning Services, Contractors, Taxi Cabs, Consultants
3. Scalable Startups: Born to Be Big:
Examples: Google, Facebook, Skype, Apple, Ford,
Boeing, Мобильные Телесистемы, SoftServe, etc.

8. Types of ventures:
4. Buyable Startups: Born to Flip:
Examples: Tumblr (acquired by Yahoo), Instagram
(acquired by Facebook), Groupon (should have taken the
offer from Google!), IP-driven licensing
5. Large Company Startups: Innovate or Evaporate:
Examples: Boeing (satellites, rockets), Ford Motor
Company (Ford credit), Apple Computer (iPod, iPhone,
iPad), Hewlett Packard (printers), Research In Motion (?)
6. Social Startups: Driven to Make a Difference:
Examples: Tom’s (shoes), Ethos (water), Husk Power
Systems (electricity generation)

9. A challenging question …
What do you want your company to look like in five years?
In ten years?
Did you say …
 A small, well respected R&D team with consistent project funding and
licensable patents?
 A stable, medium-sized company that offers several related products
or services?
 A major manufacturing company that has products known throughout
the world?
 Something else?

10. We Love Engineers … But …
• “Everyone loves ‘cool ideas’ and new
technology.”
• “I need to go-it alone to assure quality
and elegance.”
• “Marketing is fluff and selling is black
magic.”
• “We need to get functionality
maximized before we focus on
customers.”
• “A good engineer hates unpredictability
and risk.”
• “We can’t worry about making money
until we get it built.”
• “Outside funding causes loss of control
and undue pressure to deliver.”
Per Krishna Uppuluri

11. How do we define “Maturity?”
 An objective assessment of the maturity of your
technology is the first step to an effective marketing plan!
 “Technology Readiness Levels” (TRLs) are a simple way
to define how mature a technology is.
 US government agencies, large companies, universities,
and investors use TRLs to help guide investment, product
development, purchasing, and resource allocation
decisions.

12. Technology Readiness Levels
1. Basic principles observed and reported.
2. Technology concept and/or application formulated.
3. Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic
proof of concept.
4. Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory
environment.
5. Component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment.
6. System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant
environment.
7. System prototype demonstration in an operational environment.
8. Actual system completed and qualified through test and
demonstration.
9. Actual system proven through successful long-term operations.

13. Technology Readiness Levels
1. Basic principles observed and reported.
2. Technology concept and/or application formulated.
3. Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic
proof of concept.
4. Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory
environment.
5. Component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment.
6. System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant
environment.
7. System prototype demonstration in an operational environment.
8. Actual system completed and qualified through test and
demonstration.
9. Actual system proven through successful long-term operations.
Basic Research
Technology
Demonstration
Product Development

14. Maturity defines who your target customer is!
 TRL 1-3 is basic research and is generally “marketed” to government
agencies, major companies, and philanthropic organizations that seek
to advance the state of the art.
Ex: Sponsored research, “Science for hire”
 TRL 4-7 is technology demonstration and is “marketed” to earlyadopters and strategic partners seeking early market advantages.
Ex: Licensing agreements, sales of patent portfolio, joint venturing,
pilot projects
 TRL 8-9 is technology application and product development and is
marketed directly to end users.
Ex: Product sales and marketing, full-scale manufacturing & support

15. Market Paths
Basic Research
(TRL 1-3)
Technology
Demonstration
(TRL 4-7)
Product
Development
(TRL 8-9)

16. What is a “Good Outcome” for you?
Success in Basic Research means:
 You’ve found agencies, universities, or R&D-intensive companies
who will pay you to generate new concepts and validate their
potential; and
 You have become a recognized “thought leader” in your field.

17. What is a “Good Outcome” for you?
Success in Technology Demonstration means:
 You have formed partnerships or joint ventures with companies
who will help test your technology and ultimately manufacture
products or provide valuable services;
 You have licensed your technology to a company that will pay
you a royalty when they sell products or services; and/or
 You have sold the rights to your patent(s)

18. What is a “Good Outcome” for you?
Success in Technology Application and Product
Development means:
 Sales, sales, and more sales.

19. Two Questions
To what extent does your technology make other
technologies obsolete?
Example: The automobile made the horse and buggy obsolete
To what extent will your technology make current
marketing & sales channels obsolete?
Example: The people who sell automobiles are not the same
people who sold horses and buggies

20. Other Examples
Niche Innovations:
Solid state Flash Drives did not make Hard Drives obsolete
The people who sell Flash Drives do not sell Hard Drives
Evolutionary Innovations:
1 TB hard drives did make 100GB hard drives obsolete
The people who sold 1GB drives also sell 1TB drives
Revolutionary Innovations:
High Definition (digital) TV made analog TVs obsolete
The people who sold analog TVs also sell digital TVs

21. The Transilience Map
Makes sales & marketing
channels obsolete
Niche
Flash Drives
Leaves older
technologies
viable
Architectural
Automobiles
MP3 Music
Digital Cameras
High Capacity Hard Drives
Evolutionary
High Def.TV
Revolutionary
Retains existing sales &
marketing channels
Makes older
technologies
obsolete

22. Another Useful “Framework”
• Build trust
• Extend communication
New Product
• Extend feedback
or Service
mechanisms
• Identify new “Insider
Champion(s)”
• Maintain relationships
• Earn trust
Current
Product or • Maintain Quality
Control
Service
Current
Customer
• Strong market research
• MVP + early customer
feedback
• Find early-adopters
• Focus on branding,
social networks
• Identify common need
• Aggressive branding
• Extend direct sales
• Reduce “Switching
Costs”
New
Customer

23. Another Useful “Framework”
• Build trust
• Extend communication
New Product
• Extend feedback
WAIT FOR IT …
or Service
mechanisms
• Identify new “Insider
Champion(s)”
• Maintain relationships
• Earn trust
Current
Product or • Maintain Quality
Control
Service
Current
Customer
• Strong market research
?
• MVP + early customer
feedback
• Find early-adopters
• Focus on branding,
social networks
• Identify common need
• Aggressive branding
• Extend direct sales
HERE NEXT!
• Reduce “Switching
Costs”
New
Customer

24. The 7 Ps of Technology Marketing
1. Potential – Once it’s mature, what sort of new and valuable
applications or improvements will be possible?
2. Products – What will you be delivering to your customers?
3. Price – How much money do you need to mature your
technology versus what you might be able to charge for it?
4. Partners – Can you do this by yourself or do you need
partners?
5. Promotion – How will you become known to your potential
customers and partners?
6. Process - How can people obtain your product or service?
7. People – Who is the “face” of your business?

25. The 7 Ps vs. “Maturity”
Basic Research
Technology
Demonstration
Product Development
Potential
Many possible
applications in many
industries
Initial product forms and
features are being
defined
Specific products and
services are defined,
applications are known
Products
Papers, presentations,
ideas
Prototypes, one-time
services, patents,
methodologies
Finished products, mature
services
Price
Basic research funds
Test and evaluation funds
Operational and capital
budgets
Partners
Other researchers
Future manufacturers,
joint sales & marketing
Sales partners
Promotion Conferences, technical Trade shows, professional
Advertising, Public
Relations, direct sales
societies, journals
societies, venture fairs
Process
Journals, invitations to
speak, collaborative
projects
Test installations, Pilot
Projects
Purchase
People
The Researcher
A team of developers,
designers, testers
The CEO and professional
sales

26. The 7 Ps vs. “Maturity”
Basic Research
Technology
Demonstration
Product Development
Potential
Many possible
applications in many
industries
Initial product forms and
features are being
defined
Specific products and
services are defined,
applications are known
Products
Papers, presentations,
ideas
Prototypes, one-time
services, patents,
methodologies
Finished products, mature
services
Price
Basic research funds
Test and evaluation funds
Operational and capital
budgets
Partners
Other researchers
Future manufacturers,
joint sales & marketing
Sales partners
Promotion Conferences, technical Trade shows, professional
Advertising, Public
Relations, direct sales
societies, journals
societies, venture fairs
Process
Journals, invitations to
speak, collaborative
projects
Test installations, Pilot
Projects
Purchase
People
The Researcher
A team of developers,
designers, testers
The CEO and professional
sales

27. The 7 Ps vs. “Maturity”
Basic Research
Technology
Demonstration
Product Development
Potential
Many possible
applications in many
industries
Initial product forms and
features are being
defined
Specific products and
services are defined,
applications are known
Products
Papers, presentations,
ideas
Prototypes, one-time
services, patents,
methodologies
Finished products, mature
services
Price
Basic research funds
Test and evaluation funds
Operational and capital
budgets
Partners
Other researchers
Future manufacturers,
joint sales & marketing
Sales partners
Promotion Conferences, technical Trade shows, professional
Advertising, Public
Relations, direct sales
societies, journals
societies, venture fairs
Process
Journals, invitations to
speak, collaborative
projects
Test installations, Pilot
Projects
Purchase
People
The Researcher
A team of developers,
designers, testers
The CEO and professional
sales

28. A few words about selling …
Are you an introverted entrepreneur?
Not all people love
selling all the time.
But as a startup
founder, that's
usually part of the
job description.

29. The Introvert Salesman …
1. Understand the sales process
• Understanding how salespeople work will help you
explore ways to offset your inability or dislike of sales
• Try “selling” over lunch coffee. One-on-one or one-ontwo is always better than trying to "work a room.“
• Hire some to be your "relationship starter."
• Work on building a community around your product or
service (so they can sell each other and you don’t have
to!).
• Sometimes you just have to make the cold call.

30. The Introvert Salesman …
2. Don't Expect an Immediate 'Yes'
• Not everyone will fall in love with your product or service
• You will be pleasantly surprised by how many people say
“Yes” once you stop expecting them to!
3. Fall in Love with Your Product
• Deep down you fear that you don't bring value...
• Focus on the ways your product or service saves your
clients money, makes their lives easier, and changes the
world for the better

31. The Introvert Salesman …
4. Start with the People You Know
• You'll feel more comfortable talking to friends and
acquaintances
• They will be more forgiving as you learn how to best
present your product/service.
• Listen more than you talk
5. Ask a Lot of Questions
• Don’t assume you know what potential customers value
• Sales is really about getting to know your customers'
needs. Ask them!
• Find their “pain points” and customize your pitch and
proposal just for them

32. The Introvert Salesman …
6. Spend Time Educating
• Few startups have a known product to sell …
• Your potential customer probably doesn’t understand
what how you’re going to make his life better
• Every sales call is a chance to educate people about your
industry, your products, etc.
7. ”Small Talk” is a Big Deal …
• Customers are people, too!
• “Small Talk” = chatting about non-work-related things
that are of interest to the person you’re meeting
• Casual talk establishes rapport, builds relationships, and
helps close deals!

33. The Introvert Salesman …
8. Be a Consultant, Not a Salesman
• A salesperson's job is to find problems and help solve
them
• Selling is about creating value for both parties rather than
simply providing a product or services
9. Find a Partner or Co-Founder Who Loves to Sell
• Some people are just uncomfortable in a sales role and
nothing helps …
• If you really, really, really hate to sell, find a business
partner who loves it.
• The right person is worth whatever price you pay or
equity you give up ...

34. Knowing your Competition – Existing Markets
Competitor Competitor Competitor
#1
#2
#2
Feature #1
Feature #2


Feature #3
Feature #4
Feature #5







Our
Startup!!!






35. Knowing your Competition – Category
Creators!
Market
Category
#8
Market
Category
#7
Market
Category
#6
Market
Category
#1
Our
Startup
!!!
Market
Category
#5
Market
Category
#2
Market
Category
#3
Market
Category
#4

36. An Example of a Category Creator!
Personal
Data
Assistant
SMS Text
Cell
Phone
Laptop
with WiFi
Facsimile
Machines
MP3
Players
?
1st Gen.
Digital
Cameras

37. One last thing to
worry about ...
Premature scaling of
sales and marketing is
the leading cause in a
start-up.
Early sales from board
members or friends do not
prove there’s sustainable
business model.
A start-up should scale
sales and marketing only
after the team has found a
repeatable sales model.

38. Questions?