"If you build it, they will come." This famous line from the movie Field of Dreams may hold true for a baseball field in Iowa, but it certainly doesn't hold true for the overwhelming majority of product companies. These companies typically spend large amounts of time, energy, and capital developing a product, and then find themselves asking "now what?"

At Ernstmann Consulting, we help answer the "now what?" We're focused on defining and implementing marketing strategies that take the next step and propel your product into the market. We've worked with startups and growth-oriented companies--both inside and on a consulting basis--to ensure the proper strategy, plans, and programs are in place to achieve business objectives.

  • Strategy and Planning -Your marketing strategy sets the tone and direction for all subsequent marketing efforts. We start by developing a detailed marketing plan that identifies target markets, competitors, positioning, unique value proposition, and messaging. Once we've built this "foundation," we identify marketing goals and objectives, then build your go-to-market plan.

  • Product Marketing - Product marketing is the set of activities associated with promoting and selling a specific product. The focus is on portraying the value, benefits, and features of the product to the target market. Product marketing also includes those activities focused on preparing your internal team to market, sell, and deliver the product.

  • Demand/Lead Generation - Demand/Lead generation programs drive awareness of your product and fill the top of the "funnel." These activities are tailored to your specific product to maximize its exposure to the target market. Activities may include SEO, PPC, email, digital advertising, or events. Our quest is to find your "Sustainable Marketing Vehicle"--the one program that drives the best results on a consistent basis.

  • KPIs, Analytics, and Marketing/Sales Ops - Now more than ever there is an intense focus on marketing data and analytics. Executives want to know where budget is spent, and what the return is on those investments. Ernstmann Consulting takes a "closed loop" view of marketing, meaning that every dollar invested and every program implemented is closely tracked from beginning to end. Terms we use include the Waterfall method, sales funnel, cost per lead, conversion rates, MQLs, SQLs, opportunities, and deals.

  • Content Development - A key component of any marketing strategy is content development and marketing. Blogs, whitepapers, reports, and articles are your voice in the market and give you the opportunity to "indirectly" market your company and products. Ernstmann Consulting has a long history of developing content and leveraging it for demand and lead generation. We can ensure you're engaging in conversations with your market on a professional, relevant, and consistent basis.