Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market by Sramana Mitra

Released on: September 9, 2009, 2:55 am
Author: Sramana Mitra
Industry: Marketing

With an eye on keeping all dedicated to marketing a product or idea from squandering precious years and scarce resources, Sramana Mitra—a serial entrepreneur, strategy consultant, Forbes columnist, and blogger at Sramana Mitra On Strategy—offers a close look at the process of sculpting your idea into a sharply defined go-to-market strategy in Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market

“Mitra’s magic makes Positioning more than a go-to guide—it’s a trailblazing arrow aimed at the untapped potential of Web 3.0. The author suggests that old-guard holdouts rouse themselves out of the dark ages and into the new, free-market model. According to the book, capitalism is alive and thriving for those with vertical vision. Mitra also provides a query list/appendix to help fledglings find flaws in their plans.
This is required reading for anyone contemplating a start-up.
An expansive business view from leading entrepreneurs.”
-Kirkus Discoveries

In this third volume of her acclaimed Entrepreneur Journeys book series, Mitra confirms that clarity is the ultimate tool in building a successful business. But such clarity cannot be purchased or assumed—it requires asking the right questions. Mitra spotlights case study after case study of successful entrepreneurs who have answered these questions, analyzed their markets, and defined their value propositions through differentiation, competitive analysis, market sizing, and, among other core elements of a compelling strategic marketing plan—segmentation.

The process Mitra takes her readers through is akin to the grilling venture capitalists typically put entrepreneurs through. A grueling test to any business idea, Mitra’s book stimulates a due diligence exercise, you must put yourself through to avoid the various pitfalls that waste valuable time and resources for so many in the business world. Practical, actionable, and content-rich, Positioning is an in-depth and timely tool for everyone seeking success in the marketplace.

Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market is a $16.95 paperback now available from Amazon.com. Review copies are available to the media upon request.

More Praise for Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market:

“At the beginning of 2009, I found myself without a VP of Marketing in a young start-up company and a new product coming out of the door that would radically change the positioning of the company. I had been introduced to Sramana by a VC who said, ‘you have to meet this great lady just to know her.’ I contacted her to help me redo the positioning of the company. She did an excellent job in a short period of time using her crisp methodology that has now positioned the company for success. There is no better person to write a book on positioning. In this new series, she lays out the requirements for positioning and uses real world people and companies to illustrate her points. She is a no nonsense leader in our industry that must be listened to.”
-Mark B. Hoffman,
Chairman and CEO, Enquisite; Founder CEO, Sybase; CEO, CommerceOne

“Too many entrepreneurs allow their passion to drive them to take action rather than to distill their wisdom. This leads many to jump right into building out generic business functions and pursuing generic strategies. What I’ve seen over the years is that the most successful entrepreneurs are the ones that pause to deeply understand what market potential they exactly want to unleash. They then set out and test and evolve. Sramana, in her book Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market, provides the critical case studies that highlight how entrepreneurs should continually self-evaluate and refine their ideas. It’s a great reference.”
-Gus Tai, General Partner, Trinity Ventures

"Many start-up companies dissipate precious energy and capital without ever reaching a point of clear market traction. Too often, their failure stems from their inability to operationalize their vision into a compelling value proposition targeted at clearly defined customer segments. Sramana Mitra's book Positioning: How To Test, Validate, And Bring Your Idea To Market combines personalized vignettes of passionate entrepreneurs who, through trial, errors and sheer determination, have managed to integrate this important lesson across the defining dimensions of the emerging Web 3.0 environment. Aspiring entrepreneurs and experienced venture capitalists alike will benefit from this compilation of focused interviews and will want to test their own enterprises against the scrutiny of Sramana's probing questions."
-Eric Benhamou
Chairman 3Com; former CEO, 3Com & Palm; CEO, Benhamou Global Ventures

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Press contact:
Maureen Kelly
(908) 953-0602
mkelly@bizbookpr.com