Marketing Podcast – Top 10 Reasons Marketing Fails

Listen to this quick fun podcast and see the reasons marketing departments often fail.

Rising Media Launches the Frontier Tech Forum to Drive Business Innovation with Emerging Technologies – 3D Printing, Robotics, and Virtual Reality; To Debut in San Diego on December 14-15, 2016

Rising Media announced the launch of the Frontier Tech Forum, an umbrella brand encompassing the Inside 3D Printing, RoboUniverse, and Virtual Reality Summit global conference and expo series. The Frontier Tech Forum is set to debut in San Diego on December 14-15, 2016.

(San Diego, California – October 18, 2016) – Rising Media announced the launch of the Frontier Tech Forum, a new worldwide event series dedicated to accelerating frontier tech innovation to enhance business success across a variety of sectors.

The Frontier Tech Forum is comprised of three existing global conference series that focus on the next frontier of innovation – Inside 3D Printing, RoboUniverse, and the Virtual Reality Summit.

Launched in 2013, Inside 3D Printing is the largest professional 3D printing and additive manufacturing event worldwide. Inside 3D Printing is hosted in more than 10 countries annually, including Germany, Japan, China, India, the United States, Australia, France, Brazil, South Korea, and more.

RoboUniverse debuted in 2015 as the premier professional robotics conference and tradeshow series dedicated to innovation in service robotics and has hosted events in New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, San Diego, Singapore, and Berlin.

Launched in April 2016 in New York City, the Virtual Reality Summit is the newest event in the Frontier Tech Forum portfolio and focuses on leveraging VR/AR technology to enhance branded experiences and creative opportunities in entertainment, marketing & advertising, media, education, healthcare, and more.

“With the launch of the Frontier Tech Forum brand, we're excited to offer innovators across a myriad of industries the opportunity to exchange ideas and establish powerful strategic alliances that will contribute deeply to the future of technology,” said Adam Kahn, Chief Operating Officer, Rising Media.

“By offering attendees the opportunity to seamlessly explore 3D printing, robotics, and virtual reality at one event, we aim to break down barriers and encourage invention and innovation that highlights these industries' synergies. We look forward to seeing what the next frontier of innovation brings,” he continued.

The Frontier Tech Forum launch event in San Diego features two days of conference sessions across five simultaneous tracks; keynotes from Amazon, Samsung, Columbia University, Wohlers Associates, Inc., and more; a robust expo hall; plus a full day of pre-conference workshops on December 13. The event is aimed at facilitating relevant training and industry updates, as well as critical connection building and networking opportunities among innovators, investors, business leaders, practitioners, and more.

The Frontier Tech Forum also features the Frontier Tech Showdown, a pitch competition which brings together early-stage startups in 3D printing, robotics, and virtual reality. The winner of the competition will be awarded a $15,000 Uncapped SAFE courtesy of Asimov Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in 3D printing and robotics. The competition takes place on December 14 and is sponsored by Asimov Ventures. For more information and to apply to compete in the Frontier Tech Showdown, visit frontiertechshowdown.com.

Rising Media also announced the Frontier Tech Hackathon, a multi-platform hackathon hosted by Paul Cutsinger of Amazon Alexa, which will focus on building voice-enabled technology. If your company is interested in participating in the hackathon alongside Amazon, contact sponsorship@risingmedia.com.

Prices for Frontier Tech Forum San Diego increase on October 28, so register before to save. For more information and to register, visit frontiertechforum.com.

If your company is interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Frontier Tech Forum San Diego or an upcoming event, please contact sponsorship@risingmedia.com.

About Rising Media

Rising Media is a global events and media producer excelling in Internet and technology-related events and content. Events include Inside 3D Printing, RoboUniverse, Virtual Reality Summit, Inside Fintech, Data Driven Business, Building Business Capability, Predictive Analytics World, Text Analytics World, eMetrics Summit, Conversion Conference, Email Innovations Summit, AllFacebook Marketing Conference, Search Marketing Expo, Affiliate Management Days, Influencer Marketing Days and Web Effectiveness Conference in the USA, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, India, China, Korea, Singapore, Australia.

For more information, please visit www.risingmedia.com.

For press inquiries, please contact media@risingmedia.com.

 

3D Printing News About 3D Printed Car Parts

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3D Printing Radio – How Do You Handle 3D Printing Investors

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International Business Video – Should You Use Agents To Get Into Global Markets?

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3D Printing Video – From Idea To 3D Printed Concept In 1 Minute

From idea through modeling to printing and installing, this video gives a glimpse into what's involved in 3d printing our new projector mount.

OpenScad used for modeling, RepetierHost and Cura used for slicing into gcode, Wanhao Dupicator i3 (prusa clone) used for printing. While the whole project didn't take an actual minute, the 3D Printing Video shows how it all fits together.

International Business Article – Is Getting A Distributor Enough In International Business?

Here is a case for distribution:

A U.S.-based software firm was attempting to enter Asian markets. It thought the quickest way to success was to find accomplished distributors who would carry its software. U.S. firms experience an 85 percent failure rate selling to Asia, so this firm wasn't willing to undertake heavy investments there. After spending months finding a Singaporean distributor, the firm thought it had gained a foothold in Asia. All the signs were good: Singapore is a technologically advanced, English-speaking market. While its population is only about 3 million, it can be a springboard to the rest of Asia. This distributor was selected because it had many major accounts, and experience selling them foreign software.

The firm learned the Singaporean legal process mirrored the United States' in terms of due diligence, negotiation and contractual obligations.

A year after this distribution partnership was formed, there were no sales. The U.S. firm thought the distributor was lazy. Additionally, the firm thought that since the distributor wasn't keeping its end of the bargain, its partner was unethical.

To start to understand this quagmire, let's see what the expectations were - and what went wrong.

The reality of a distributor not selling aggressively isn't unique to Singapore. This complaint is commonplace throughout Asia and the rest of the world. It's important to understand what distributors do and what they expect.

Think of a distributor as a convenience store. The store may carry many items, but doesn't seem to vigorously sell or market most of them. The store leaves the marketing up to its suppliers. Thus, Coca-Cola will run promotions in convenience stores more often than the store itself will push the soft drink.

The same is true for distributors. It's best to think of them as aiding in logistics more than marketing. There are exceptions to this rule, but usually distributors are driven by their clients.

Once demand for a firm's product is stimulated, good distributors can work well with qualifying prospects, financing, delivery, merchandising and collection. Generally, they leave the marketing to their vendors. This can often be a huge mistake in International Business.

Distributors often have two main questions when they meet with suppliers:

1) What will you do to stimulate demand (advertising, public relations, direct sales)?

2) What is my cut?

Researching the market, the promotional tools available and answering these questions satisfactorily will give the partnership the right start. In the United States, a software distributor will have a sales force, but the sellers will have a selection of products to offer. In software, we often refer to these parties as VARs (value added resellers).

The VAR will be interested in how its suppliers will aid in sales.

Will they advertise?

Will they attend sales meetings with them?

Will they train its sales force?

Will they supply relevant, professional marketing materials?

Will key executives be available when needed?

Have they built a strong brand, and are they protecting the brand?

Are they providing any marketing dollars or in-kind contributions (such as company vehicles, cell phones, offices and call center services)?

Obviously, a distribution strategy needs to be well thought out. Add a foreign country like Singapore to the mix, and it gets even more complicated.

In examining our example firm's assumptions, it's wrong to suggest the distributor is “lazy” when much of the above criteria aren't met.

“Unethical” is a term that should never be used in international business. Ethics are a suit of clothes, and your ethics don't equal my ethics, which don't equal Singaporean ethics. The distributor may think the U.S. firm is “unethical” in that it expects to immediately enter a new market and displace longstanding vendors.

U.S. firms fail in Asia often because they haven't invested enough. Investment is necessary in, for example, research, market strategy, training of key personnel and distribution support.

Singapore offers several advantages to U.S. firms wishing to lose their innocence in Asia, but in reality, Singapore is very Western. This English-speaking modern market is relatively small, and engages in customs and protocols quite different than those of Japan or even China.

Much of U.S. firms' discussions with the Singaporeans were of a legal nature: minimum sales requirements, margins, product rights, etc. Yet discussions with distributors should be largely focused on client support and marketing. Talking about legal matters was of little help.

While Singapore's technological advantage eases business transactions, it tends to also narrow the United States' technological lead. Singaporean technology works well. The U.S. firm's added value would be greater in a different Asian market.

Last, many firms throughout the world feel that “once distribution is won, the deal is done.” In addition to many of the support techniques, it's vital to develop a personal relationship with any Asian business partner. Frequent visits to the distributor and its key clients are necessary.

A solid Asian distribution strategy should encompass continuous support, both on business and personal fronts.

When was the last time you took your distributor to dinner?