What do you do when you are one of two leaders sharing a market and your key competitor brings on a new technology an entire year before you do? MME's unexpected answer: market research on the back of a bingo card. Much to the surprise of our client, this inexpensive research tool helped them to decide:

• if there was a market (the answer was "Yes"),
• where it was,
• approximately how big it was, and
• which applications to emphasize in their new product launch.

• Business plan for the new technology
• Suggested shift in technology development to make product more saleable in the microscopy arena
• Brochure and ad (both termed "best he had seen [in nearly 25 years] with the company")
• New product launch
• Technical article
• Sales book
• International Sales introduction

Time spent: 24 consulting days

Outcomes:

• Promotion:
  The engineer who had been thrust into marketing was promoted to Vice President, largely based on the success of this new product. Eighteen months after the launch he called to report the following good news:
• Increase in share value:
  "Over the past 8 months our stock has risen from $9/share to $16/share, and we believe you were the catalyst for that success". Subsequently the stock jumped to $60/share, then split.
• Market dominance:
  Within 2 years after launch the client was outselling the competition 5:1.