THINKstrategies

Practical Solutions to Complex Client Challenges

Project-Oriented, Trusted Advisor

Unlike industry analysts who lack the real-world experience to give their clients realistic advice or management consultants who attempt to embed themselves within their client organizations, THINKstrategies provides practical insight and tangible support that help its clients achieve their business objectives.

As a peer, THINKstrategies understands and respects its clients' challenges. As a firm, THINKstrategies' works to win the confidence of its clients to address their most challenging sourcing or marketing needs.

Strategic Consulting On-Demand

THINKstrategies is pleased to be the only consulting firm that offers On-Demand consulting services for IT vendors, service providers, enterprise decision-makers and venture capital firms.

Unlike traditional IT research and consulting firms that require vendors and service providers subscribe to their syndicated research programs or commission large-scale consulting engagements, THINKstrategies' On-Demand consulting services are designed to quickly and economically meet your strategic planning or specific marketing requirements.

Depending on your requirements, THINKstrategies can deliver written assessments, conduct on-site review sessions or simply provide ad hoc feedback via phone regarding your plans, products, services or programs. We can dedicate the hours, days, weeks, or months you need based on the urgency of your request.

For instance, this is the time of year that poses a tremendous challenge for many companies that must balance yearend sales pressures with new year planning. You can leverage THINKstrategies' On-Demand consulting services to overcome these challenges, and accelerate and improve the development and execution of their plans or programs.

Services for IT Solutions Providers

Unprecedented market dynamics are shifting IT buying behavior away from purchasing hardware and software products to solving complex business issues. THINKstrategies has a history of success working with IT Solutions Providers attempting to differentiate themselves in highly competitive markets. Our services for IT Solutions Providers include,

- Corporate Strategy Assessments

- Strategic Marketing Plans

- New Solution Development Skills

- Thought Leadership Programs

- Targeted Marketing Campaigns

- Individualized Press and Analyst Relations Programs

- Corporate Profiles, Client Success Stories and Whitepapers

- Solutions Selling Training and Sales Effectiveness Audits

Software-as-a-Service and Managed Services Readiness Assessment Services: Click here to learn about THINKstrategies' new consulting services aimed at helping aspiring SaaS and managed service providers (MSPs) properly package, price, deliver, sell and support their SaaS and managed services.

Click here if you would like to read Jeff's views in Mass High Tech Journal regarding the challenges facing IT marketing organizations.

Or, click here to read about the industry implications of the movement toward software services. 

Or, click here to read about why many managed service providers fail.

Click here to learn how hardware and software vendors can expand the scope of their maintenance agreements to satisfy their customers and protect this important revenue stream.

Or, click hear to read about how the web hosting indusry is evolving in response to the growing demand for utility computing solutions.

Or, click here to learn how web hosting companies can partner with VARs to better serve SMBs.

Click here to read Jeff's views regarding the marketing implications of On-Demand Computing and the IT Industry Inversion.

Or, click here to read about how grassroots service providers are responding to the rising demand for utility computing among small- and mid-size businesses (SMBs).

Click here to read about how CIOs view utility computing.

Or, click here to read how IT vendors must rethink their marketing strategies as a result of the demise of major industry tradeshows such as Comdex, CeBIT America and Comnet.

Services for Enterprise IT Executives
Economic pressures are forcing corporations to reassess their IT strategies to meet their business objectives. THINKstrategies has extensive experience working with senior enterprise IT executives helping them evaluate their management capabilities and needs. Our services for IT Managers include,

- IT Strategy Assessments

- IT Skills and Staffing Audits

- IT Sourcing Strategies and Selection

Click here if you'd like to read Jeff's views in Mass High Tech Journal regarding utility computing.

Or, click here if you'd like to read about CIOs' views regarding utility computing.

Click here to read Jeff's criteria for selecting a utility computing provider in NetworkWorld.

Or, click here to learn about specialized utility computing providers (UCPs) serving small and mid-size business (SMBs).

And, click here to read Jeff's views in NetworkWorld on the pro's and con's of IT outsourcing.

Or, you can click here to obtain an Executive Report by THINKstrategies regarding on-demand computing trends and adoption strategies for enterprises published by the Cutter Consortium.

Services for Venture Capitalists
THINKstrategies also provides specialized Portfolio Company Assessments and new investment Due Diligence Studies for venture capital firms seeking to shift their focus from technology-oriented to solutions-oriented companies.

THINKstrategies’ Catalyst Services

We offer clients three ways to leverage our independent perspective, real-world experience and practical advice to immediately improve the effectiveness of their IT sales and marketing efforts.

Retainer Services

Clients receive regular strategic review sessions and a continuous flow of information and insight that helps them better understand,

• Changing customer needs and market dynamics
• Escalating competitive pressures and new players
• Emerging market opportunities and strategies for success

THINKstrategies provides,

• Continuous market updates and analyses
• Competitive alerts and assessments
• Ongoing feedback and advice

Clients benefit by using THINKstrategies to,

• Review plans, programs, and tactics
• Revise strategies, policies, and collateral
• Recommend positioning, programs, and partners

Strategy Sessions

Via a choice of full- or half-day interactive sessions, clients gain valuable input and advice about how to refine, restructure, or refocus their strategies and tactics to increase their sales and marketing effectiveness based on changing client needs, competitive pressures, and emerging market opportunities.

Customer/Competitor Market Scans

Clients receive a targeted digest and analysis of the latest news and industry events shaping customer requirements, driving competitor initiatives, and fueling important market trends that can help clients better focus their sales and marketing efforts.

Online SaaS and Managed Services Showplace Directories

THINKstrategies has also created and administers two online directories--SaaS Showplace® (www.saas-showplace.com or www.thinksaas.com) and Managed Service Showplace® (www.msp-showplace.com or www.thinkmsp.com)-- that are the only independent resource centers that provide an easy-to-use listing of SaaS solutions by application and MSPs by service category. These sites also include extensive information and insight about industry best practices to help organizations fully leverage the growing array of SaaS solutions and managed services.

These directories are a free service for enterprise decision-makers, as well as SaaS and managed service providers and enabling technology vendors who simply want to be listed on these sites. There are also site sponsorship and other added visibility opportunities for providers and vendors. These opportunities are outlined on each of the sites.

StrategicThinking Profiles

THINKstrategies publishes a series of two-page profiles of innovative IT/telecom service initiatives that represent important business models for enterprise decision-makers, solution providers and VCs. These profiles are published and distributed to THINKstrategies' over 8000 clients and key contacts, including industry and business press, via our monthly e-newsletter.

Vendor-Sponsored Whitepapers/Webcasts

THINKstrategies publishes whitepapers on behalf of IT/telecommunications hardware and software vendors, value-added resellers, and a variety of service and solution providers.

These whitepapers focus on the most important IT/telecommunications issues facing enterprises of all sizes, as well as the most critical business challenges facing IT/telecommunications suppliers today.

The whitepapers can either be published by the sponsors under their own names and logos, or published as THINKstrategies-branded papers based on the sponsors' priorities.

THINKstrategies also hosts and helps organize and execute online, webcasts regarding various topics, including IT management and sourcing strategies, managed services, software-as-a-service and utility computing. Click here to learn more about our Market Leaders webcast series.

You can find examples of THINKstrategies' vendor-sponsored whitepapers and webcasts on our Pubs/News/Views webpage.