Within a large company, an innovation project has just been launched. Within a start-up, the co-founders join forces to convert R&D results into a solution for the market. Should sales force be involved? The answer is ‘yes, of course’ in start-ups. It tends to be ‘no’ in big companies. This contrast raises questions about the […]
How can salesforce help innovation projects? Read Post »
Written par in In his book “Innovation2”, published in April 2026, Paul-François Fournier, Chief Innovation Officer at Bpifrance, recommends that large corporations allocate 20% of their R&D budgets to start-ups through partnerships, acquisitions, and equity investments. The rationale is that start-ups now account for more than 20% of R&D in France, twice as much as
How to cure the Not Invented Here Syndrome? Read Post »
Understanding your customers and providing them with ongoing attention is the backbone of operational excellence. Yet customers themselves are embedded into an environment in flux. That is why it is paramount to take a step back and seek to adopt a broader perspective, spanning the entire global market value chain. Only this holistic view enables
To become a leader, analyse the market’s value chain Read Post »
Many start-ups, small or medium-sized companies are eager to grow through innovation. When uncertainty is high, for example about market demand for an innovative product or which market adoption lever is best, market research is a must-have. But the resources and skills required are often limited or non-existent. A well-conducted innovation market study should help
Innovation market study: How to make of it an experience that gives you strength? Read Post »
Written par in Fear marketing emphasises the risks to which the prospect is exposed in order to take advantage of them for commercial purposes. It is used at every stage of the sales process: In these anxious times, when threats abound, is fear marketing still relevant in B2B marketing? What are the advantages and limitations?
Fear marketing: Time to move to a more virtuous sales approach Read Post »
As the founder of a Deeptech start-up, or the head of a technological innovation project, at a family gathering or a cocktail party, you sometimes tell about your professional activity. Haven’t you noticed the variety of reactions: curiosity, enthusiasm, admiration, or incomprehension, disinterest, scepticism. You will face likewise a diversity of attitudes when you launch
Deeptech: Will your scientific & technical selling points be enough to succeed? Read Post »
Your company is setting out to conquer a new B2B market with an innovative offering. Your strategy should be to acquire a significant position as soon as possible in a selected use case, a carefully defined “vertical” that may be geographically extended. It’s like cutting a slice of cheese with a knife: the sharper the
To conquer a new market, prefer the knife to the fork! Read Post »
Everyone working in an industrial company has observed that lean management experts and marketing teams evolve in different worlds and collaborate little. We do not accept the paradigm behind this taken-for-granted evidence, in the name of the fact that these two disciplines share the same goal: to concretely improve the value provided by the company
Knock down the wall between lean management and marketing! Read Post »
As an industrial marketing practitioner in several markets, I have repeatedly investigated the reasons for the superior competitiveness of German manufacturers compared to their French competitors. One of the frequent causes has been the greater modularity of German product ranges. This article describes what a modular product range is, its advantages, and offers several explanations
Why do German manufacturers offer more often modular solutions? Read Post »
You run a business a market that is doomed to disappear, whether due to regulation, climate change, a geopolitical event, or because new solutions are rendering your offering obsolete. What can you do? Once the initial stages of grief have passed, two options emerge: • the traditional option, guided by financial criteria, • the entrepreneurial
The market is doomed : How to keep your company afloat? Read Post »
Marketing managers describe their target market using persona profiles. A persona is a fictional typical customer whose background, values, habits and attitudes towards the product are outlined. Market segmentation classifies buyers or users into groups of individuals with similar characteristics. It enables the development of a marketing strategy tailored to each group. Market segmentation and
Persona: The trap of fake marketing Read Post »
Well-established industrial companies that manufacture and sell under their own brand can tap into a source of profitability right at their feet: streamlining their product catalogue. But not all of them do so. What is holding them back? It is not simply about tackling industrial complexity using an Excel spreadsheet and a boilerplate method regurgitated
Trim your product catalogue and boost your competitiveness! Read Post »
The driving role of emotions in B2B marketing is a fact established by research and experts. In a context where Marketing and Sales automation powered by digitalisation and AI agents is set to play a growing role in B2B markets, what if you chose to make emotion a lever for business performance? To convince you,
BtoB Marketing: Arouse great emotions in your customers! Read Post »
In an article issued in January 2026, strategy professor Philippe Silberzahn calls for ‘developing a true culture of uncertainty’ in organisations. In a post published shortly afterwards, he points to management’s inadequate reactions to uncertainty, trying to protect teams by increasing control and centralising decisions. He advises showing ‘vulnerability […] to better connect with reality’.
Embracing a culture of uncertainty, … really? Read Post »
Trucks, wind turbines, production machinery, boilers, software… these types of equipment require significant maintenance throughout their lifetime. For a company that designs and manufactures them, new equipment and maintenance activities are intertwined. But day-to-day operations are so different that they need to be managed separately.This can lead to lose sight of the strategic link between
Under the wake of geopolitical tensions, the globalisation of trade seems to be giving way to the fragmentation of markets and value chains. Calls for boycotts, increased customs duties, economic sovereignty, manufacturing reshoring and protective regulations are on the rise… and the political sphere is putting national preference on its agenda. Some manufacturers are mulling
Economic patriotism: Is it a good selling point? Read Post »
Neo home robot The AI models you use will soon expand into the physical world, thanks to the down-scaling of AI computing processors, smooth real-time communication with humans in natural language, and a multimodal perception of the environment. This includes text and 3D images, as well as sounds, vibrations, colours, smells, force feedback when grasping,
Physical AI, humanoid robotics: What are the keys to success? Read Post »
Richard Branson, Xavier Niel, Sam Walton, and Ingvar Kamprad founded iconic companies: Virgin Group, Iliad/Free, Walmart, and Ikea. They all started their careers as salespeople. Often, top sales reps also share the same strengths as those attributed to successful entrepreneurs: boldness, flair, grit, tenacity, interpersonal skills, autonomy, nimbleness, and decisiveness. Should your salespeople have an
Should your sales forces have an entrepreneurial mindset? Read Post »
Producers of basic goods upstream in a supply chain often generate by-products. Once considered waste, these by-products have generally found new uses. However, their economic value remains marginal. The triple necessity of decarbonisation, circular economy, and tackling the scarcity of some raw materials has led to a new generation of innovative industrial processes: pyrolysis, plasmalysis,
Promoting the country’s economic and technological sovereignty is not the job of governments only. And the job goes far beyond financing start-ups and businesses. Sovereignty is all too often invoked to secure tax breaks, subsidies, non-dilutive financing and other assistance from public authorities. Yet in many countries the states are highly indebted, and their political
The economic sovereignty of a country relies on the sovereignty of its companies Read Post »
The cash shortage triggers a string of steps: factoring, delayed payment of suppliers, reduction of expenses, hiring freeze, additional approval level for expense requests, etc. Yet the crisis may linger or resurface. So, another round of financial belt-tightening? In the long run, the issue becomes a mental burden driving to a compulsive attention to certain
Cash-strapped? What about asking Sales & Marketing for a fix? Read Post »
In your industrial or tech company, many engineers work with customers. They are members of the engineering team, product developers, project managers or technical experts. They are not part of the sales team. What about asking them to get involved in the sales process? Under which conditions? To do what exactly? If properly designed, the
Can customer-facing engineers help with sales ? Read Post »
To innovative and ambitious teams, the quest for competitiveness paves the way for success. Really? The quest starts at the very beginning, when the first business plan is drawn up, by making sure that price assumptions are based on robust research. Setting the target selling price is an even trickier stage, as the project team
Innovators: Set as soon as possible your target selling price ! Read Post »
In industrial markets, sales representatives are usually in charge of a single product family. Yet several factors push towards a multi-product sales force: customers’ expectations for greater proximity, market demand for all-in-one, complex solutions, or competitive pressure. The company can also push in this direction, because it has expanded the product portfolio, or is eager
How to shift from a single-product to a multi-product sales forces? Read Post »
Your company has just made a complementary acquisition. It is extending its skills by buying either a supplier or a technology partner, and in all cases a company with a strong expertise. The two entities have different business models, because they have specific underlying skills, key assets, offerings and customers. So when you announce the
Who hasn’t heard sales colleagues boasting of having taken advantage of their customer’s poor organisation or limited skills? You’ve laughed heartily, and you may also have congratulated the sales person for their cunning move. And then, on reflection, a feeling of unease sets in: how does the customer feel about it? This situation actually takes
Making money off my customer’s weaknesses: rewarding, profitable,but not sustainable! Read Post »
The strategic plan describes the company’s ambitions over a period of 3 years or more, and allocates resources to the projects that will make the greatest contribution to achieving them. It is a dense, difficult and tedious exercise. In view of the rapid changes taking place in the company’s environment, we may well wonder whether
Is it still worth making a strategic plan? Read Post »
Your company has just completed the development of a promising technological innovation: manufacturing process, high performance material, algorithm, sensor, energy production or storage device, etc. This building block has many potential uses across a broad span of activities. Congratulations! The hiccup is that your resources are limited. How do you pick the best use case?
Technological innovation: How to pick the best use case? Read Post »
Collaboration between big companies and start-ups or innovative small or medium enterprises (SMEs) is notoriously difficult. Anyone working with both worlds has felt the differences in terms of organisation, decision-making methods and relationship to time.Yet the stakes of a value-creating exchange remain high for both parties. Start-ups and SMEs are looking for growth. Major groups
Startups and innovative SMEs: To sell to key accounts, don three costumes! Read Post »
Intangible assets account for 48% of the value of listed European companies. They include three key elements: Intellectual property, the company’s reputation, and its trademarks. All are long-term assets: a brand or reputation is built up over many years. A patent can be exploited for twenty years. Are they managed in a coordinated way? Generally
Your brand equity is a key card to innovate! Read Post »
The business model is a one-page description of the major aspects of a business: the target customers, the value proposition, the relationship with them, the critical activities, the key assets, the partners, the sources of revenue and the cost items. Reflecting on your business model is a great step when you’re looking for clarity and
How to manage several business models at the same time? Read Post »
Innovation competitions and calls for innovation projects have proliferated since the beginning of the 21st century. They allow the most innovative proposals to be selected and funded within a limited timeframe. While they offer significant efficiency benefits to the organisers, they are often disconnected from the heart of the company operations and from the real-life
Launch your own Customer Problem Beauty Contest! Read Post »
Before launching your innovation on a BtoB market, you ask yourself what the fine line is between the ambition to transform it, and the clear-sightedness to take it as it is. You pay heed to what start-ups, consultants and innovation experts say about the power of creativity, the need to change the rules of the
BtoB innovation: disrupt, or fit the mould? Read Post »
One of the editors of this article recently decided to change the blade on a gardening tool rather than replace the whole thing. The manufacturer offers a life warranty, and the spare part is available in the catalogue… perfect! Yet it turned out that after two months, a visit by car to a shop, a
Leaders, get to grips with industrial design and rise above your competitors! Read Post »
You are regularly requested to briefly present your company, for instance at a first meeting with a potential customer or partner, or at the start of a speech at a conference. As you speak, what you can read in the eyes and faces of our audience says a lot about the strength and relevance of
Company positioning statement:How to make a splash? Read Post »
Deeptech start-ups and innovative industrial companies are increasingly using the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale of technological maturity. It facilitates dialogue with partners and funders. The TRL ranges from level 1, for an idea, to level 9, for a technology that has been proven in an operational environment. The early 2020s saw the emergence of
Balance the technological maturity and the commercial maturity! Read Post »
I sometimes hear company leaders doubt whether their teams have a good understanding of customer expectations. Surprisingly, despite the ease with which data can be collected, processed, and disseminated today, the quality of information on customer expectations remains a source of concern. This article lists the various factors that can lead to this situation. It
The quality of information on customer expectations drives business performance Read Post »
CEOs willing to make their company more innovative come up often to the conclusion: “We need to improve our innovation culture!” Alas culture is a fuzzy concept . It’s time to put some meat around this bone! We propose here a systemic approach to characterise your innovation culture, which combines1- soft skills,2- the content of
Invest in your innovation culture and transform smoothly your company! Read Post »
Deeptech startups are tackling tomorrow’s challenges through disruptive technological innovation based on scientific research. This is why Deeptech investors are willing to take greater risks and wait longer. Moreover, one of the main reasons why startups fail is that their offering does not meet a market need. Alignment with market needs is a basic principle
Deeptech startups need a deep marketing Read Post »
It goes without saying that business intelligence improves the relevance of decisions and strengthens a company’s ability to ward off threats and seize opportunities. Yet implementing an effective business intelligence system means making an uncomfortable series of choices between imperfect alternatives: Infobesity, or selective coverage? Maximum digitalisation, or smart craftsmanship? A matter for the few,
Business intelligence: Should you rely on your sales force? Read Post »
With the acceleration of measures to decarbonise industry and strengthen the resilience of value chains in the face of supply, geopolitical and health shocks, buyer demand is increasingly focused on the way in which a product is manufactured. Compliance with product specifications and price are no longer enough: the origin and quality of components, manufacturing
Is the promotion of the process more important than the promotion of the product? Read Post »
In companies that invest in innovation, the asymmetry of knowledge between R&D and marketing teams is striking: On the one hand, R&D teams are made up of experts who have often been in their positions for many years, who have accumulated decades of knowledge and experience in specific fields, and established long-term collaborative relationships with
Three rules for a winning relationship between R&D and marketing Read Post »
The decision to stop an innovation project is an uncomfortable one. What is at stake goes beyond the rationale for the decision and the consequences for project team members. And, if it is a major project, it may impact the company’s history. This decision is much more than a one-off judgement developed by management. It
Stopping an innovation project is still innovation! Read Post »
Nothing is simpler than pressing a push-button, or activating a manual control. Does this elementary and barely conscious act deserve the attention of innovators? Why not relegate these objects to the vintage catalogue of 20th century technologies, when each of us carries a touch screen in the pocket? When the metaverse industry is preparing a
Even push-button manufacturers will never stop innovating ! Read Post »
A difficult decision Our era of crises, disruptions and daunting challenges brings companies back to essential questions. Addressing them in earnest requires time. Building a product roadmap allows to answer to one of them: “What will we offer tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?”. It encompasses a vision of the major trends at work in
Should I embark on a product roadmap? Read Post »
A marketing career in industry has given me many opportunities to deep-dive into the customer experience. And I have also been lucky to team up with systems engineering practitioners. I have discovered the decisive competitive advantage a company can gain from bringing together user experience and systems engineering practitioners, especially for innovative design. In this
How to make system engineers and customer experience experts work together? Read Post »
Having spent most of my career in marketing, I never miss an opportunity to champion the added value of this function, and the importance of acquiring solid training and experience before taking on responsibilities. It is therefore with perplexity that I sometimes discover the gap between the advertised function and the actual skills of the
Industry: What to do with the usurpers of the marketing title? Read Post »
A McKinsey paper estimates that companies that focus on satisfying their existing customers grow twice as fast as others. And yet, who among those of you who works in an industrial company has not heard the sales forces lamenting: “we are a product-oriented company anyway”, or harsher: “the engineers have here all the power”? To
Can a product-centric company become customer-centric? Read Post »
Until recently, financial investors in industrial companies where keen to slash first marketing and communication costs to improve cash flow and short-term profitability. Geopolitical crises, economic sovereignty policies, the digitalisation of production, and efforts to reduce CO2 emissions have increased the interest in relocating factories closer to end markets. A new generation of investors is
Industrial CAPEX:Do not forget to invest in marketing! Read Post »
Communication is an integral part of the innovation process. Those of us who have worked with both R&D and communication teams may be surprised by this assertion. The profile of communication teams is obviously different from that of R&D teams. Communication teams are usually involved well after the development and testing phases of R&D. A
No Innovation without Communication! Read Post »