Transcript SBIR/STTR Proposal Assistance

Marketing Your Innovations
Kris Johansen, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Office of Intellectual Property and Technology
Transfer
Iowa State University Research Foundation
[email protected]
(515) 294-3208
Outline
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“Cold” e-mailing tactics
Creating targeted direct mail campaigns
IP package
Using the Web to snare licensees
Invention
Disclosure
The Technology
Marketing Cycle
Licensed
IP
Monitor license
and assist with
follow-on IP
Understand technology &
convey to business community
(non-confidential)
Marketing
Abstract
Determine appropriate
industrial partners
(customers)
Negotiate &
close deal
List of
Contacts
Licensable
IP
Contact Industry
or academic
experts & discuss
Actively &
passively market
technology
Protect if
commercially
valuable
IP
Assessed
Technology
“Cold” e-mailing tactics
• Who do you contact?
– Scientific champion
– Decision maker
– Both?
“Cold” e-mailing tactics
• Where do you find contacts?
– Inventor contacts
– Personal network
– AUTM/LES
“Cold” e-mailing tactics
• Other tools for finding contacts
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Google
Scientific Literature
Conference Proceedings/Agendas
SBIR/STTR Award Information (http://tech-net.sba.gov/)
Subscription services (e.g., Hoovers, Frost and Sullivan,
ZoomInfo, Knowledge Express, etc.)
– Professional networking sites (e.g., LinkedIn)
– Financial resources (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg,
EDGAR)
– Trade magazines
“Cold” e-mailing tactics
• Building a targeted list
– Is an iterative process: begin with a few key companies and
identify their competitors, then identify competitors of competitors
– Can take time to identify the “right” contact and find accurate
contact information
– Requires some judgment: Will the contact be interested? Will
they forward on the information? Are they still with the company?
– Can be improved by soliciting inventor feedback
“Cold” e-mailing tactics
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How many companies should be targeted?
What about spam filters?
How do you track and measure success?
How do you follow up?
Creating targeted direct mail campaigns
• Identify the “right” contact
• Make your letter effective
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Write person-to-person
Use formatting to identify subsections
Avoid industry/technical jargon
Keep it short
Goal is to get a response
Creating targeted direct mail campaigns
• Include informational materials that are benefit-oriented
• Include your direct contact information
• Follow up with a phone call(s)
IP Package: What to include
• Non-confidential information:
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Marketing brief
Relevant publications
Presentations (public)
Posters (public)
Performance data (non-enabling) in industry context
Other information that supports the technology’s value
proposition
Marketing Brief
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Reference Number
Title
Non-technical Summary
Description of Technology
Advantages
Application Areas
Related Technologies
Stage of Development
IP Status
Licensing Contact
Key Words
Supporting Documents
Marketing Brief Tips
• “Sell” the technology, but avoid hyperbole
– Emphasize benefits and not features
• Avoid the use of jargon
– Aim for an educated but not necessarily expert audience
• Use images to illustrate advantages or applications
• Get inventor input, but prepare it yourself
• Double check spelling and grammar
Marketing Brief-Example 1
Marketing Brief-Example 2
Supporting
Document
Example
Marketing Brief—Examples of Benefits
• Biodegradable (does not persist in nature)—Insect Control Agent
• Versatile (response to a broad variety of environmental signals has
been demonstrated)—“Smart” Material)
• Economical (uses less space and can be retrofitted for an existing
processing operation)—In-line continuous flow meter)
• Comprehensive (the assay detects an antigen conserved among all
swine influenza virus subtypes)—Assay for Influenza A virus)
• Environmentally friendly (uses biorenewable resources and the sole
by-product is non-hazardous silica)—Catalyst for reduction of
polyols)
IP Package: What not to include
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Confidential information
Data (non-public)
Enabling information (non-public)
Anything related to claims that may become part of a
patent application
• Patent applications
• Somebody else’s IP
IP Package
• Other materials:
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“Technology cards”
Briefs from a portfolio of related technologies
Informational materials on your organization
CDs
USB memory
Consider providing inventors with marketing materials to use at
conferences
Using the Web to snare licensees
• Let potential licensees find you:
– Technology search:
• Post available technologies on your Website
• Categorize by technology or industry area
– Make your Web site “search friendly”
• Include high-quality content, especially on your homepage (but avoid
duplicate content)
• Have other sites link to yours
• Make your site accessible
• Have accurate and compelling page descriptions
• Use targeted key words
Using the Web to snare licensees
• Have a subscription option for Automatic Technology
Updates
– Subscribers choose technology areas of interest
– Have the option to receive updates when patent(s) issue
Using the Web to snare licensees
• Have dedicated pages for non-exclusively and frequently
licensed technologies
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Include marketing information
Include sample agreements or standard licenses
Include inventor and licensing contact information for questions
ISU examples: germplasm, 1% linolenic soy oil, lead free solder,
corn gluten meal
Using the Web to snare licenses
• Monitor “hits” on your Website
• Identify where they come from
• Use to contact directly; add to your database of contacts
Using the Web to snare licensees
• Market your technologies on other Websites:
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Lead Discovery DailyUpdates (http://www.leaddiscovery.co.uk/)
TechEx (http://www.techex.com/)
Sensor Technology Information Pages (http://www.sentix.org/)
Tynax Technology Trading Exchange
(http://www.tynax.com/TTX1/Default.asp)