Our national award–winning course is now even better!

Developed for the semiconductor equipment and materials industry, Fundamentals of Product Marketing 2.5 focuses upon professionals in product marketing, product management, and program management functions, and as a knowledge source for executive management. Fully revised in 2017, the content represents a major update of the industry gold standard for product marketing approaches and builds upon the national award-winning content of its predecessor.

The program's purpose is to enhance each participant's skillset, and provide a high degree of expertise in successful review, analysis and improvement of a product or product line to assure ongoing profitable growth and market position.

Who should attend

Fundamentals of Product marketing 2.5 is developed for participants from companies of all sizes. The course is recommended for industry professionals interested or working in product marketing or product management, regardless of experience.

What you will learn

• Industry life cycle changes and their impact on your product(s)
• Industry marketing roles and refinement of them for your position
• Developing new/refined product definition and timely introduction
• Differentiating your products and developing enticing value definitions
• Pricing for optimum profitability
• The use of segmentation, positioning, and pricing to develop strategies
• Professional effectiveness through communication and interaction
• Realistic forecasting
• International marketing
• Numerous current models and tools for executing your role

Participants receive a comprehensive industry product marketing manual and templates for implementing a number of the tools presented in the seminar. With these tools you will cut the time it takes to function as a highly competent professional.

Special Feature: The Experts Panel

Over the three days of the course, questions arise on specific marketing issues that the students have encountered. The Expert's Panel is an open forum held on the last day of the course and dedicated to answering those questions. Students gather collaborative information from industry experts on "real life" marketing challenges.

Course outline

1. Setting the Stage – Product Marketing and Current Challenges
   1. Strategic marketing versus product marketing
   2. Industry life cycle
   3. Disruptions in the semiconductor equipment & materials industry
   4. Implications for product marketing
   5. Tools for market analysis and strategic options
2. Industry Overview
   1. Industry environment
   2. Critical supply chains
   3. Clues to future opportunities
   4. Industry direction
   5. The significance of IoT to marketing
3. Industry Product Marketing Roles
   1. Working definition of product marketing
   2. Exploration of marketing roles in each function
   3. Specific knowledge and skills required for the professional
   4. Tools available to product marketing
   5. Identification of participant responsibilities and priorities
4. Keys to Success in Product Development
   1. Stage-gate new product development process
   2. Product marketing role in new product development
   3. Business Model Canvas and Kano Model
   4. Business Ecosystem and Value Net Framework
   5. Key takeaways and deliverables
5. Market Requirement Document (MRD),
   Customer Requirement (CRD), and
   Marketing Action Plan (MAP)
   1. Defining the Product through the MRD/CRD
   2. Commitment without the use of power
   3. The MAP – implementation process
6. Product Launch: Distribution and Field Support
   1. Elements that need to be defined or developed
   2. Clear definition of field support
   3. Promotional Support
   4. Keys to success
7. Differentiated Value Propositions: Talking the customer's language The Human Mind – Triggering Reactions
   1. Features/Advantages/Benefits
   2. Proofs – The Binding Factor
   3. The competition and the customer
   4. Composition and development of Value Propositions
8. Approaches to Pricing
   1. Pricing – both art and science
   2. Different pricing models and their application
   3. Involvement of both the marketer and senior management
   4. Is there a default model for the industry?
9. Market Segmentation and Strategies
   1. Purpose of and the payoff from market segmentation
   2. Determining criteria for segmentation analysis
   3. Identification of viable segments
   4. Determination of strategies for targeted segments
10. Positioning of Your Product/Product Line
    1. The noise of over-communication
    2. What to do if you are #1 or #2
    3. Positioning strategies and examples
    4. Proactive positioning
    5. Your Positioning Starter Kit
11. Forecasting
    1. The forecast cycle
    2. Consensus forecasting
    3. The Bookings Forecast
    4. The Factory Demand Schedule
    5. Forecasting when selling through reps; through distributors; through OEMs
12. How to Build a Roadmap
    1. Roadmap purpose
    2. Tools for project prioritization
    3. Roadmap maturity model
    4. Assessing success
13. Competitive Intelligence
    1. The key to increasing your competitiveness
    2. How to develop CI
    3. Where to apply it
    4. Case Study – real world application
14. Pulling it All Together – The Implementation Plan
    1. Evaluating the session concepts
    2. Determining Priorities
    3. Keys to effective action planning
    4. Moving concepts from seminar to the workplace
15. The Marketing Mission
    1. Timeless message from Bob Graham of SEMI's Bob Graham Marketing Excellence Award