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Describes the Magic Matrix, which is both a chart and a process that enables executives to manage their product/service lines, and market segments and accounts simultaneously. The Magic Matrix has proven to be a powerful planning and analysis tool for such processes as sales forecasting, profitability analysis, and resource allocation. Explains, in detail, various forms of the Magic Matrix and how they can be used in a wide variety of management processes.

The market leader has the strongest ability among its competitors to shape an oligopolistic, segmented market in its favor. Market leadership is the result of the marketing leadership process including four steps: strategic visioning, integrated planning, managing performance, and marketing controllership. To some extent, market leadership is naturally sustainable. But, there are also natural processes that undermine the market leader's ability to maintain its position. Discusses this related set of topics.

Focuses on the coordination of marketing and sales--two functions that seem alike but are, in practice, difficult to integrate. Briefly explains the challenges to coordination and provides some solutions.

Emphasizes the gradual, two-dimensional gradients between commodities and specialties. Provides a new way to improve the profit margins of commodities.

Explains the opportunities and limitations of using performance-based pricing in which the price paid is a function of the quality provided. Includes application guidelines.

This case explains the importance of closing sales quickly and provides a framework for managing the marketing and sales efforts to achieve success. It covers strategic sales management tools; related pricing, finance, product line and service portfolio issues; and selling tactics to provide a comprehensive and complete approach.

Pricing has become much more difficult in today's hypercompetitive world. This note provides managers with a comprehensive framework for a more effective pricing strategy and a set of pragmatic tools for increasing profits through better pricing.

Describes how to manage the pricing process so that your product or service does not become a commodity, and so that you have substantial price latitude. Designed for sales, marketing, and general managers responsible for price making and related activities.

Presents a call to manage the sales force actively in today's intensely competitive world. Suggests five steps that are necessary to make the sales force effective, beginning with clear specification of the sales task to be achieved.

Provides an integrated framework for creating customer value and managing the firm profitably. Focuses on the use of product/service line management and effective customer service to achieve customer satisfaction and high profitability.

Continues the plot about growth and sales strategies, and adds interesting pricing and sales compensation elements. The partners' meeting sharpens the disagreements among the five partners, and forces Anne Howard, the managing partner, to develop a clear action plan.

A medium-sized investment management firm is attempting to decide whether to try to grow, and if so, how. It is a complicated decision because the managing partner and her colleagues have significantly different views. This case provides the background on the industry, firm, and situation.

Goes to the heart of the sales strategy issues by asking discussion participants to: 1) develop a salesperson recruiting process, 2) choose among four resumes, and 3) develop a sales compensation approach.

Provides the context and hard copy material to accompany a video sales presentation. Participants are asked to develop criteria for evaluating a sales presentation and then to apply the criteria to the video presentation.

Describes the Darwinian internal and external processes that lead to poor performance from a previously well performing company. Demonstrates why any business design eventually fails and the role of organizational calcification and poor leadership in the failure. Also provides prescriptions to prevent and alleviate the problems.

Explains why sales management has become an increasingly important and complex topic for top managers. Demonstrates the financial impact of a superior salesforce and then describes a way to gain superiority. The focus is on a salesforce that is responsive to customer needs and competing imperatives. Organization and management receive careful attention.

When it comes to marketing, concentrating on the four Ps - product development, price determination, place of distribution, and promotion - no longer ensures competitiveness. Relying on short-term thinking, many companies base their marketing budgets on annual sales forecasts and then demand immediate results based on dollars spent. These companies are confusing cause and effect. They don't realize that developing a "quality" customer base - loyal customers who yield high profits - can take many years. And quality is what matters for long-term success. Companies would do better treating marketing expenditures the same way they treat capital outlays: as investments that drive revenue over time. Many industry giants - Ivory Soap, Heinz Tomato Ketchup, and Ritz Crackers, to name a few - got that way through cumulative investment of years and even decades. Newcomers can leverage to beat the odds, however, and, with a shrewd strategy, turbocharge their returns.

Presents an urgent order for repair service from an important customer who had purchased an item from a competitor. The item, which TiFab had bid on, went out at a price that TiFab predicted was below the amount necessary to ensure quality manufacture. Now the customer needs to have the unit, part of a much larger production system, repaired and is willing to pay a very high price. The student must choose a price for this order, and decide whether to take it. Should be handed out in class after discussion of the (A) case. A rewritten version of an earlier supplement.

Concerns the selection and scheduling of orders by a small industrial titanium fabricator that in recent months has been plagued by poor deliveries and a lack of capacity. Four orders are offered, from which the student must select one. Each order represents different order-mix/customer situation issues. The case forces the student to choose among the four orders, given conflicting estimates of capacity available, other business likely to come along, and the requirements of each order. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

Explains the concept of a family of performance curves. The most well known is the price/performance curve relating the prices of items in a product line to their performance. Also discusses the cost/performance curve and its impact on product positioning, product line length, and technological options. Also introduces a reservation price or value/performance curve. All are considered in the context of competitive behavior.