CLEAN TECHNOLOGY MARKETING
THINK TANK

This Marketing Think Tank was held on November 15, 2007 at GE Energy.

Mandate of Clean Technology Think Tank:

To provide a forum for the discussion of industry issues and establishment of thought leadership positions which can be communicated to marketing and sales executives in the clean technology sector.

Attendees:

  • Air Separation Technologies
  • AMEC
  • Azure Dynamics
  • Hydrogen Village
  • Pinchin Environmental

Host: Derek Lim Soo, GE Energy

The discussion was moderated by Bob Becker, Principal, SMA.

Issues Covered:

1. Attracting and retaining top talent in a rapidly expanding industry
2. Best practices for staging effective trade shows and other events

Synthesis of Group Discussion

Recruitment and retention challenges

  • Today’s high employment rates and the newness of the clean technology field results in a small pool of qualified candidates.
  • Hiring from outside Canada can present obstacles.
  • Knowledge and experience (especially of aging infrastructure) is being lost through retirement of older workers.
  • Few university graduates have the necessary depth and breadth of experience; there is a critical shortage of engineers.
  • Raiding and churn within the industry adds to recruiting and retention pressures.
  • Skills requirements are evolving; for example, companies move from needing experts in developing technology to experts in executing go-to-market strategies.
Ideas and solutions for attracting talent
  • Recruit and develop youth (as the high tech industry did in the ’80s) in a variety of areas over a period of years; build an inventory of core competencies.
    (However, a train-on-the-job approach can be problematic in a consultancy where seasoned expertise is expected by paying clients.)
  • (For global players) move work offshore for convenience and cost
  • Invest in continuing education
  • Introduce a refer-a-friend program
  • Network through trade associations and universities (career fairs)
  • Promote skills transfer and certification of new Canadians
  • Showcase interesting projects of the company
  • Build branding around attractive corporate values (i.e. being “green,” the opportunity to make a difference)
  • Don’t think about finding and attracting the “right person,” but taking the available person and making him/her “right.”
Ideas and solutions for keeping talent
  • Invest in leadership development
  • Create mobility through internal transfers
  • Use recognition and reward programs: make people feel appreciated
  • Offer a retention bonus
  • Plan social functions to build sense of community
  • Offer equity stake
  • Invest in a “career anchors” strategy that segments and targets rewards and services over an employee’s lifecycle according to key motivators (eg. money for youth, challenge for older workers)

Event Opportunities

Think tank members use a variety of event tactics:

  • trade shows (commonplace in the industry)
  • business-related conferences
  • hosting of smaller, focused seminars and workshops; for example, breakfast sessions on topical issues
  • hosting big events on a proprietary basis with high-profile keynote speaker
  • sponsorship of sporting events (eg. private boxes)

These tactics are generally done for relationship-building purposes rather than lead generation. As a result, measuring ROI on events is difficult.

Most think tank members considered trade shows to be an expensive and time-consuming proposition that should be undertaken on a selective basis. Decision-makers usually attend the conference sessions, not the trade show.

Best practices for event marketing

  • Be selective about trade show participation; attend those where you would be conspicuous by your absence
  • Walk the floor of trade shows even if you have no booth
  • Negotiate for speaking opportunities for any sponsored event or trade show
  • Consider smaller, high-value events
  • Plan some events that are purely informal and social (eg. A boat cruise)
  • Do customer events

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