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A collection of timely and important topics posed to our panel of experts.

1What is the best strategy for selling into China; reps, direct sales from the US or other countries, or local people?

2How do you get soft data and discern what is relevant?

3Customers lie about their needs and wants. How do you sift through the BS to get to the truth?

4Customers lie about their needs and wants. How do you sift through the BS to get to the truth?

5What is the best strategy for selling into China; reps, direct sales from the US or other countries, or local people?

6How often should supplier product marketing managers go see key customers? Any rule of thumb?

7What are the pitfalls and good ideas for making the transition from a technology to a market driven company?

8When you are a small company with limited budget where can you get data such as TAM and SAM?

9What red flags can we identify that might signal a pending downturn?

10Give some examples of market driven companies and contrast them with technology driven companies.

11What would be the most important advice you would give a new product marketing person?

12What is the best way to forecast sales on a new product or product upgrade?

13What are good activities for a Product Manager to delegate?

14What are the marketing challenges of the future. Especially the impact of technology improvements and drivers slowing down?

15What are good arguments to executive management when you are being pushed to release a product to soon?

16What is the most important lesson you have learned that makes you a great marketer?

17What are the current (2007) main drivers for semiconductor equipment and materials?

18What are legal and good practices for collecting competitive information? Also that which is beyond the public domain- what are the channels and methods to justify the acquisition of this information?

19How do I obtain contacts and research to ensure my product in a new market, for my company, addresses the needs of the key industry players?

20When in the product development cycle should a product be announced? There is often tremendous pressure to introduce a product at the trade show/exposition, even though it won’t be ready to ship then.

22What is the bigger risk: Selling an immature product and relying on your strong field service to fix it; or delaying the product until it is perfect?

23How can we sell value in Korea, China and Japan. Our customers appreciate our better product, but are unwilling to pay a premium for it? Our competitor's product that is lower in price is often viewed as "good enough".

24Is there any strong research tool for predicting future markets and the technical environment?

25What are the tools you would use to define a product life cycle?

26What is the expenditure structure of chip manufacturers; percent of manpower, utilities, water, chemicals, gases, etc.?

27Discuss the use of customer’s positioning, using well known players and their people to position you in the industry.

28What are some suggestions for rejuvenating old products?

29What are the advantages and disadvantages of joint development as part of product development positioning?

30Do you see more consolidation not only in chip makers, but equipment and materials suppliers?

31What are some good tools for acquisition of soft market data? So often the customer tells you what you want to hear and not what they really think.

32What are the major causes of failure of a marketing plan?

33What are the critical assumptions in marketing plans? When and where do we typically have the least data?

34Other than market share and gross margin, what metrics are good for marketing organizations?

35How do you change an engineering driven company into a market driven company, and how do you increase the influence of marketing in such a company?

36How do you successfully conduct market surveys - format, media, incentive for customers, etc.?

37What are the best 2 or 3 examples of superbly marketed products in our industry's history?

38Discuss hostile competitors. How do you deal with half-truths, sometimes lies that they feed to your customers?

39How do you establish good, productive relationships with upper management? What are the effective ways to get them to buy-in to your marketing plan or roadmap?

40You haven't talked much about market segmentation and the associated tactics to prevent cross over. Doesn't this basic marketing strategy play a role in our industry? How should we segment the market? How do we use segmentation?

41What is the next growth area in equipment after CMP and Cu Electroplating?

42Explain Beta Site preparation and management.

43How do you evaluate cost of ownership data from multiple sources? Is there a polite way to get people to cough up real data? Why don't people use the SEMI Cost of Ownership formula?

44How do you deal with the constant pressure to reduce prices?

45Customers want cheap tools but they continue to demand customization. All of the options make sense in and of themselves, but they drive up costs and reduce manufacturing efficiency. How can we get customers to accept more standardized products?

46How do you protect your market share when you are market share leader?

47What are the priorities of product marketing?

48What is the difference between strategic marketing and the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) responsibilities and how do you control a CTO?

49What are your thoughts on the organizational trends to separate sales from marketing and combine sales with field service?

50What type of trade show promotion has caught your eye?

51How do you see the distinction between product marketing and product management?

52Cite examples of effective promotions for capital equipment.

53What are the effects of new technologies such as copper on the design rule shrink?

54What is the typical capital equipment product development time?

55Of the marketing roles and responsibilities we discussed, which fall into inside sales or strategic marketing as opposed to product marketing?

56How do I sell senior management on the importance of marketing in my company?

57How can you impose restraint an over enthusiastic technologist when you have him participate in marketing business? Correcting him in public is rude, but you don't want misstatements to stand.

58What mechanisms can you recommend for changing a bad or poor image- with product, a company, a department internally?

59What is the skill set and how do you grow into a good product marketer?

60How can a market leader minimize or prevent an erosion of gross margins when competitors attempt to gain market share via market penetration pricing?

61What are the general methods for proving product positioning?

62How do you best gather competitive information?

63How do you promote advantages when you are not the leader in the field, especially when your advantages are service, commitment to customer satisfaction, etc. These are things that are not tangible and often overlooked.

64Provide some examples of how products are properly positioned.

65How do you deal with dysfunctional engineering (e.g. completion dates with sign-offs that are consistently missed)?

66How do you take your biggest customer's strong suggestion as the initiative to develop an MRS (Market Requirement Statement) when there is no other information available to confirm that the suggestion might represent the technology direction?

67What global trends do you see in the SEM industry?

68How do you manage customer expectations?

69How is marketing able to drive a project in non-market driven companies?

70Talk about positioning the company in that many customers are looking for supplier partners and not just tools?

71How would you split your limited time between strategic and tactical marketing?

72How do you convince the customer of your product line's value without hard data?

73Our machine configurations and order entry are not linked and we experience many errors. What would you advise?

74Elaborate on the MRS (Market Requirement Statement) and how far you can push your engineering staff to get out of their comfort zone and relate to the MRS?

75How do I best approach the CEO to support my product line when executive management support of my division is low?

76In regard to pricing, it is becoming more of an industry practice for OEMs to meet and share pricing about components they buy from suppliers in order to obtain better prices and therefore be more competitive against the industry leader. What, if any, legal aspects does this violate?

77My competitor owns the top 10 – 20 customers. How do I approach those customers?

78How do you establish the price the market will pay when determining product pricing?

79What are the key elements of a market survey?

1
What is the best strategy for selling into China; reps, direct sales from the US or other countries, or local people?

2
How do you get soft data and discern what is relevant?

3
Customers lie about their needs and wants. How do you sift through the BS to get to the truth?

4
Customers lie about their needs and wants. How do you sift through the BS to get to the truth?

5
What is the best strategy for selling into China; reps, direct sales from the US or other countries, or local people?

6
How often should supplier product marketing managers go see key customers? Any rule of thumb?

7
What are the pitfalls and good ideas for making the transition from a technology to a market driven company?

8
When you are a small company with limited budget where can you get data such as TAM and SAM?

9
What red flags can we identify that might signal a pending downturn?

10
Give some examples of market driven companies and contrast them with technology driven companies.

11
What would be the most important advice you would give a new product marketing person?

12
What is the best way to forecast sales on a new product or product upgrade?

13
What are good activities for a Product Manager to delegate?

14
What are the marketing challenges of the future. Especially the impact of technology improvements and drivers slowing down?

15
What are good arguments to executive management when you are being pushed to release a product to soon?

16
What is the most important lesson you have learned that makes you a great marketer?

17
What are the current (2007) main drivers for semiconductor equipment and materials?

18
What are legal and good practices for collecting competitive information? Also that which is beyond the public domain- what are the channels and methods to justify the acquisition of this information?

19
How do I obtain contacts and research to ensure my product in a new market, for my company, addresses the needs of the key industry players?

20
When in the product development cycle should a product be announced? There is often tremendous pressure to introduce a product at the trade show/exposition, even though it won’t be ready to ship then.

22
What is the bigger risk: Selling an immature product and relying on your strong field service to fix it; or delaying the product until it is perfect?

23
How can we sell value in Korea, China and Japan. Our customers appreciate our better product, but are unwilling to pay a premium for it? Our competitor's product that is lower in price is often viewed as "good enough".

24
Is there any strong research tool for predicting future markets and the technical environment?

25
What are the tools you would use to define a product life cycle?

26
What is the expenditure structure of chip manufacturers; percent of manpower, utilities, water, chemicals, gases, etc.?

27
Discuss the use of customer’s positioning, using well known players and their people to position you in the industry.

28
What are some suggestions for rejuvenating old products?

29
What are the advantages and disadvantages of joint development as part of product development positioning?

30
Do you see more consolidation not only in chip makers, but equipment and materials suppliers?

31
What are some good tools for acquisition of soft market data? So often the customer tells you what you want to hear and not what they really think.

32
What are the major causes of failure of a marketing plan?

33
What are the critical assumptions in marketing plans? When and where do we typically have the least data?

34
Other than market share and gross margin, what metrics are good for marketing organizations?

35
How do you change an engineering driven company into a market driven company, and how do you increase the influence of marketing in such a company?

36
How do you successfully conduct market surveys - format, media, incentive for customers, etc.?

37
What are the best 2 or 3 examples of superbly marketed products in our industry's history?

38
Discuss hostile competitors. How do you deal with half-truths, sometimes lies that they feed to your customers?

39
How do you establish good, productive relationships with upper management? What are the effective ways to get them to buy-in to your marketing plan or roadmap?

40
You haven't talked much about market segmentation and the associated tactics to prevent cross over. Doesn't this basic marketing strategy play a role in our industry? How should we segment the market? How do we use segmentation?

41
What is the next growth area in equipment after CMP and Cu Electroplating?

42
Explain Beta Site preparation and management.

43
How do you evaluate cost of ownership data from multiple sources? Is there a polite way to get people to cough up real data? Why don't people use the SEMI Cost of Ownership formula?

44
How do you deal with the constant pressure to reduce prices?

45
Customers want cheap tools but they continue to demand customization. All of the options make sense in and of themselves, but they drive up costs and reduce manufacturing efficiency. How can we get customers to accept more standardized products?

46
How do you protect your market share when you are market share leader?

47
What are the priorities of product marketing?

48
What is the difference between strategic marketing and the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) responsibilities and how do you control a CTO?

49
What are your thoughts on the organizational trends to separate sales from marketing and combine sales with field service?

50
What type of trade show promotion has caught your eye?

51
How do you see the distinction between product marketing and product management?

52
Cite examples of effective promotions for capital equipment.

53
What are the effects of new technologies such as copper on the design rule shrink?

54
What is the typical capital equipment product development time?

55
Of the marketing roles and responsibilities we discussed, which fall into inside sales or strategic marketing as opposed to product marketing?

56
How do I sell senior management on the importance of marketing in my company?

57
How can you impose restraint an over enthusiastic technologist when you have him participate in marketing business? Correcting him in public is rude, but you don't want misstatements to stand.

58
What mechanisms can you recommend for changing a bad or poor image- with product, a company, a department internally?

59
What is the skill set and how do you grow into a good product marketer?

60
How can a market leader minimize or prevent an erosion of gross margins when competitors attempt to gain market share via market penetration pricing?

61
What are the general methods for proving product positioning?

62
How do you best gather competitive information?

63
How do you promote advantages when you are not the leader in the field, especially when your advantages are service, commitment to customer satisfaction, etc. These are things that are not tangible and often overlooked.

64
Provide some examples of how products are properly positioned.

65
How do you deal with dysfunctional engineering (e.g. completion dates with sign-offs that are consistently missed)?

66
How do you take your biggest customer's strong suggestion as the initiative to develop an MRS (Market Requirement Statement) when there is no other information available to confirm that the suggestion might represent the technology direction?

67
What global trends do you see in the SEM industry?

68
How do you manage customer expectations?

69
How is marketing able to drive a project in non-market driven companies?

70
Talk about positioning the company in that many customers are looking for supplier partners and not just tools?

71
How would you split your limited time between strategic and tactical marketing?

72
How do you convince the customer of your product line's value without hard data?

73
Our machine configurations and order entry are not linked and we experience many errors. What would you advise?

74
Elaborate on the MRS (Market Requirement Statement) and how far you can push your engineering staff to get out of their comfort zone and relate to the MRS?

75
How do I best approach the CEO to support my product line when executive management support of my division is low?

76
In regard to pricing, it is becoming more of an industry practice for OEMs to meet and share pricing about components they buy from suppliers in order to obtain better prices and therefore be more competitive against the industry leader. What, if any, legal aspects does this violate?

77
My competitor owns the top 10 – 20 customers. How do I approach those customers?

78
How do you establish the price the market will pay when determining product pricing?

79
What are the key elements of a market survey?

80
Product marketing responsibilities are so vast it seems almost impossible for a person to juggle all of them. Name five responsibilities of the PME that must not fall below the cut line.

81
Suggestions on how to effectively combat the introduction of a competitor's system at a major show. What means should be used?