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Mark S. Bonchek
Chief Strategist

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Soundbridge is a global business media company.

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    Entries in advisory councils (4)

    Friday
    May292009

    Reaching the Top

    DateMay 29, 2009

    Today I had the privilege of hosting a CMO Club teleconference on the subject of marketing to the C-Suite.  In the presentation (below), I use the metaphor of climbing a mountain. 

    1. The first step in marketing to the C-Suite is acclimating to the higher altitude - in other words, adjusting to the unique ways in which executives work and think. 
    2. Second is planning your route to the top, which involves thinking about not only who you want to have conversations with, but also who your buyer will need to talk to about you, your ideas, and your product. 
    3. Third is getting the right gear -- using the strategies and tactics appropriate to an executive audience.

    The conversation highlighted some interesting issues that will be addressed next month as part of a CMO Club series on executive engagement  These include the use of social media by and for executives, how to get the most from advisory councils, the role of influencers, and the challenge of connecting thought leadership to product sales. 

    Thanks to Pete Krainik of the CMO Club for giving me the opportunity and thanks to the CMO Club members for such an engaging session. 

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    Wednesday
    Feb182009

    Events: Are They Worth The Time?

    DateFebruary 18, 2009

    A core principle of executive engagement is that time, not money, is the scarcest resource for an executive.  Before you can show demonstrate your product's return on investment, you have to demonstrate your return on the executive's time.

    Consider executive events as an example.  For a senior executive, it is not the out-of-pocket cost of the conference that makes the difference, even in this economy.  What matters is the time cost.

    So what makes an event worth an executive's time?

    According to a recent survey by the IT Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), executives are not interested in the traditional boondoggles.  Julie Schwartz writes that executives want learning and networking with peers.

    Senior client executives want to learn about new ideas and new approaches to tackling different problems they are facing, and they want to be in the room with peers and subject matter experts. The specific topics chosen are important draws.

    In addition, "senior executives want the opportunity to influence the strategy and direction of their providers," resulting in high ratings for advisory councils.   

    Overall, the ITSMA survey reinforced the cardinal rule of executive engagement.  "The one thing senior executives don’t want is a sales pitch."

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    Monday
    Feb022009

    Advisory Councils for Public Policy

    DateFebruary 2, 2009

    One of the best strategies for engaging executives is to ask their advice.

    We usually think of advisory councils in a corporate setting, but they apply to public policy as well.

    President Obama set up a group of advisory councils to advise the transition team on the policies that should be enacted when the President took office.

    The goal of these Policy Working Groups was to "develop the priority policy proposals and plans from the Obama Campaign for action during the Obama-Biden Administration."

    There were seven groups:

    • Economy
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
    • Health Care
    • Immigration
    • National Security
    • Technology, Innovation & Government Reform (TIGR)

    Irving Wladawsky Berger wrote about his experience on the TIGR group:

    "My team members represented a variety of experience in technology, public policy, business and all levels of government - federal, state and local. Some of us were external advisors, while others had taken leaves of absence from their day jobs and were working full time in the transition.

    "We had frequent meetings, some physical, many virtual. We were constantly in touch with each other over e-mail.  We collaborated in writing quite a number of documents. We had excellent discussions on a variety of topics. After a while, our work focused on a specific set of initiatives and concrete recommendations.  These were used to put together an internal briefing book that will hopefully help the appropriate officials in the new administration get up and running quickly once they are appointed and take office."

    There is also a good video about the work of the TIGR team produced by the transition team.

     

    The policy working groups have a number of lessons.  First, the ability of advisory councils to engage senior leaders in productive collaboration.  Second, the applicability of advisory councils to public policy settins.   And third, a potential model for government relations and a way for corporations to raise their profile and influence the public agenda in an era of transparency and responsibility.

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    Friday
    Jan162009

    Powerful NBC Panel on Women and Lifestyle

    DateJanuary 16, 2009

    Advertising Age reports that Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBC Universal's Women and Lifestyle Networks is convening a panel of powerful women to advise the network and its clients on how to reach women.  

    The panel will include Maria Bartiromo, Meredith Vieira, Tori Spelling, Susan Lyne, and Shelly Lazarus, along with 21 other "estimable names."  The "panel" will be offering marketing and general business advice, will blog, appear on air, and contribute to a quarterly newsletter, "Power of the Purse" about marketing to women. 

    Zalaznick, who was profiled in a fascinating New York Times Magazine article last October, says the panel will allow NBC Universal to "think like a marketer instead of a programmer." 

    The Ad Age article focused heavily on Madison Avenue's concern that the panel would be "cutting out" the advertising agencies as a source of creative ideas.  They obviously see the world through agency-colored glasses.

    However, our glasses have a different hue.  We see the panel as an executive advisory board, and Ms. Zalaznick seems to be doing everything right.  She has assembled a diverse group of well-respected peers, she is gathering advice on strategic business issues, and she is leveraging their experience and insight to benefit a broader audience. 

    We'll keep watching to see how the panel takes shape in the coming year and what impact it has on NBC's business.

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