Last week, I was invited to present and hold workshops at the European Innovation Academy. The 2013 European Innovation Academy was held between 8-26 July in Tallinn, Estonia. This intense, three weeks long workshop-based event aimed to give start-up companies a flying start by increasing the entrepreneurs´ skills, knowledge and network in a truly international and intense environment.

I spoke about the importance of product positioning and its direct positive impact on sales. Entrepreneurs got insights on how to segment their customers, understand the customers´ needs (consumer insights) and develop sales argumentation and pricing that will better reach their customers.

In my opinion, too often companies develop products/services that they believe are great “innovations” (often technical or based on individual beliefs), which they hope they will sell in large volumes to many potential customers. By doing so, the product might drown into the competitive mass without necessarily differentiating itself from what is already there. Starting on the other hand by identifying customers needs (not always expressed or known) and then develop solutions that answer those needs, will enable to better explain the advantages of that solution and express it with a competitive sales argumentation for the targeted customer.

More information can be found on the European Innovation Academy website.