What's New?....

If you know me, you know I'm a huge fan of Apple Computer.

I like their business model. I like their products. And most of all, I like their marketing.

And it's not just about elegant product design, flashy iPod commercials or minimalistic ads and packaging. It's about strategy.

Recently Apple unveiled the newest iPod -- the video iPod. Before that it was the Nano. Before that the Shuffle. Before that the iPod Mini. Before that the special edition U2 iPod. Each perfectly timed to pre-empt the competition. And that doesn't even touch on Apple's computer and software.

Steve Jobs and his crew know a thing or two about product innovation and roll-out.

And any marketer who wants to maintain market share, much less grow it, knows the modern-day sales growth mantra: "Innovate or perish." R&D is an integral part of marketing.

Gone are the good old days where you could depend on the good old boy network.

Maybe you need to add more to your product line. More versions. More features. More power. Maybe you need to add less. Wireless. Cordless. Simpler products.

No matter what it takes, your sales force needs to answer one question to get more meetings with key buyers: "What's new?"

What innovation are you working on?

- Phil Sasso