Message Mechanics

10/13/2023

With a broken but full heart, I’m letting you know that our beloved Grady passed away yesterday at the amazing age of 16. He went peacefully at home with the help of a wonderful hospice vet. A therapy dog to the last, he is shown here just 3 days earlier comforting Cooper after the puppy’s neuter surgery. Farewell . I’m glad you are free from pain and struggle, but words cannot express how much you will be missed.

07/19/2023

Our beloved 16 year old Grady getting Acupuncture along with normal treatment for sudden and severe vertigo. On day 3 he is able to stand up, walk a little with support, and eat a few bites. We are hopeful that he will recover and be around to love a bit longer.

03/20/2023

Cooper’s combover.

03/04/2019

Facebook is not the main place I post business content. But I am starting to post some helpful new messaging tips on my blog and LinkedIn. Ping me if you'd like to opt in to occasional emails (probably monthly) about new content.
-Jeffrey

02/19/2015

Message Mechanics as a business is on indefinite and likely permanent hiatus. I'm happily settled in at Medidata Solutions mdsol.com as Chief Marketing Officer. As self-serve messaging help, the full basic Message Matrix workshop is now available free on YouTube at http://youtu.be/uk_PDILPAzc

Hope you find it helpful.

Thanks,
Jeffrey

"We needed a system that not only accomodated our needs but also could be easily modified during the course of the trial. Balance is a "best-in-class" solution." –Arthur Gibson, III, AVP of Bioinformatics, Reata Pharmaceuticals

11/28/2012

When focusing on differentiation actually works

The title is a bit misleading this time, because part 3 is actually concerned with when a focus on differentiation is NOT premature. When is that? When the people you are trying to reach have a high awareness your category (what it is you are selling) and a high and positive awareness of you as a ve...

11/14/2012

More fun with Differentiation.

Even when potential customers understand your product, focusing too early on differentiation can hurt your sales. Even if people know what a car is, you still have to market differently if you’re Hyundai (at least in the US market) rather than Mercedes.

11/08/2012

Differentiation, and how to screw it up.

How differentiation at the wrong time can actually hurt your sales, and how to get it right. A clip from the complete video "How Not to Bore Your Customers t...

11/08/2012

Inspired by a recent webinar I did for Cornell last week, here's the first in a series on differentiation. I'll post an accompanying video.

I’ve heard this complaint dozens of times. Software’s a competitive business, and we all want to claim that what our product does is unique or at least better. And yes, at some point in the sales process you need to be able to explain why the customer should buy your stuff instead of someone elses. ...

08/26/2011

Too Much Truth in Advertising?

08/26/2011

“Every time I think I’m out, they keep pulling me back in.” This blog has been silent for quite a while. At first it was because business at Message Mechanics was a bit too good. Then it was because I got an offer I didn’t want to refuse. That offer was to return to Oracle in order to work on someth...