Author Archives: Dave Berkus

Question: Do you know three types of advertising?

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Dave Berkus

If we never advertised, we’d never sell anything.  Right? Perhaps right, but there are three major types of advertising, some requiring large outlays of cash, some not. The types of advertising First, you can advertise your brand so that people … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, General, Positioning | Leave a comment

Sometimes your gut is the best you’ve got.

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Dave Berkus

How I didn’t follow my own advice Years ago, I led a deal and invested in a company that looked like it had lots of promise to disrupt the women’s clothing industry with special algorithms and an online store.  But … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Raising money | Leave a comment

Go ahead. Revert to “old school” marketing. If you dare…

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Dave Berkus

“Broadcast the message and they will come!”  “Segment my broadcast and I will have better response.”  Both of these time–honored methods of reaching our customers have worked for as long as there was print and radio–TV to get the message … Continue reading →

Posted in Positioning | 5 Comments

Steve Jobs’ “aha moment!”

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Dave Berkus

There is a process to innovation that can be summed up with four words: “Whoa. Wow! Hmmm. Yes!”  Credit Dr. Mark Goulston with this. He states, that’s exactly how Steve Jobs described his “aha moment.”  So, let’s paraphrase the late … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Surrounding yourself with talent | 1 Comment

Branding yourself: A critical decision

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Dave Berkus

We’re talking about brand strategy here.  Not advertising, and certainly not an easy grasp for amateur marketers.  So how developed is your company’s brand?  Is your message clear, concise, and consistent? Here’s the professional’s process: There is a process used … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Positioning | 1 Comment

Customer empowerment? Blame the Internet.

Posted on March 10, 2022 by Dave Berkus

Customer empowerment is moving so fast nowadays that many of us are running to just catch up.  Yet if we don’t or can’t, it is a sure thing that someone else will. Yes, we can blame the Internet for this.  … Continue reading →

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Good, cheap, fast. Pick any two.

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Dave Berkus

This one is attributed to Red Adair, the famous oil and gas fire suppressing expert.  And boy, does it apply to most of us and our offerings. “Quality” products and services… …should not be positioned as “cheap,” or your potential … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Positioning | 2 Comments

The lion and the ant: A managerial lesson

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Dave Berkus

This story has turned out to be one of the most enduring posts ever for me, well worth repeating.  And what a lesson for us all.  I confess that our research cannot find its source.  So, with thanks to whomever … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Protecting the business, Surrounding yourself with talent | Leave a comment

How credible are you to others?

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Dave Berkus

How do you define credibility in business? A friend of mine recently told me his story of how his very career rests on his credibility with his major supplier–partners.  He stated that everything rides upon his credibility when he declares … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Positioning | 1 Comment

Finding “stinky clauses” in legal investment documents

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Dave Berkus

Here’s the problem: Investors sometimes join into investment rounds that have been pre–negotiated by others, receiving the paperwork already created by attorneys from that negotiation.  It is not uncommon for a sharp investor to discover a “stinky” clause or two … Continue reading →

Posted in Raising money | Leave a comment