PLAIN SPEAK
Elizabeth’s Observations – 


Put a Stake in it!

We at Winzo Group are on a mission that could fundamentally change the way technology businesses interface with their customers, markets and shareholders! We are boldly proposing that enterprise solution providers around the globe adopt the most comprehensive, incisive communications platform on the market today: the English Language. The genesis of our little crusade was Technologic Partner's Enterprise Outlook conference in San Francisco.

The program showcased emerging enterprise software companies in a number of markets. Many of the keynote speeches and panels validated much of what we all already know (sales-cycles are longer and ROI needs to be proven faster), and yielded valuable insight on how to be successful in this difficult climate (partner with the big kids).

I saw terrific presentations, met talented executives, and even spotted a few great business models. But I didn't find any clear, breakout, above-the-noise company positioning. In fact, most of the time I felt like the dog in the Far Side comic strip who hears: 'Bla bla bla Spot, bla bla bla Spot." Only, what I heard was - "bla bla bla Company Name, bla bla bla Company Name."

As usual at these conferences, buzz words flourished like cultured bacteria. Some were old standbys: "ROI, reduce costs, increase productivity, improve customer service, empower, end-to-end automation…" and some were unique to this year's trends: "real-time business intelligence, business analytics, web services, n-tier…" Some of these terms represent powerful and accepted concepts. But through overuse, misuse and a lack of specificity, these words have lost their meaning.

Buzzwords don't establish a competitive beachhead for a company. And too many companies misguidedly think they have to use them to get on to the playing field. Often I found myself a full 10 minutes into a presentation having no idea what the company did or why anyone would need them. That leads me to believe the investors and potential customers in the audience didn't know either. What a missed opportunity!

We implore you - Join the Winzo Crusade! - Tell it like it is. Put a stake in the ground. Say what you do, clearly, concisely, and tell why and how you do it. Test your messaging with customers and smart allies (trusted press, analysts, partners and a good marketing consultant, if you know one, and you do.) Don't talk in marketing speak. As an ad exec friend of ours used to say, "your strategy is showing." Talk to your customers in their language, not the language of this strange and rarefied tech community we are in. Check to make sure you don't sound exactly like your closest competitor. If these tests return less than stellar marks, contact us and see what we can do to help.