Marketing and entrepreneurship are one

‘Marketing is present in each and every activity of our company: technology road map, product road map, sales, distribution network, pricing, and even recruitment. Every major decision involves some facet of marketing. In fact, we cannot be successful without it. Therefore, marketing should not be seen as a side activity, but rather as an essential component of a company.’

Continue deciding oneself

‘Because marketing is so important for a company, it is essential for an entrepreneur to remain in control. One cannot always depend on an external advisor to make decisions and react rapidly. Although it is very useful to be able to count on an expert now and then - for instance to straighten out a tangle - I want to stay in control and chart my own course.’

External knowledge gives extra push

‘In my early days as an engineer, I developed a certain sense of marketing as I was involved in technical sales to industrial customers. Such a feeling, however, is not the same as in-depth knowledge and experience. These are indispensible to be able to always make the right choices for one’s company, whatever the circumstances. Instead of establishing the lessons learned on my own, I decided to call upon external expertise.’

Technology and marketing

‘It is difficult to find external advisors in Belgium that are able to understand our technology, our channel, and our markets. In fact, I have only found that combination at Forte. Their experts are quick in understanding our situation and excellent at linking technology with the market. Based on their specialization in business marketing, they also know how I can convince my target audience on a limited budget.’