Sameer Agarwal, MarTeck Consulting: Technology marketing for product tech companies

Pune-based entrepreneur Sameer Agarwal is the founder of MarTeck Consulting, which provides ‘technology’ marketing solutions for product technology businesses. Swati Maheshwari finds out more for YourStory.Tell us about the business idea behind MarTeck.

MarTeck Consulting is a team of specialist technology marketers who help technology product businesses streamline their marketing communications and thereby, build sales.

Today’s technology products are becoming more and more niche. This demands a bag of marketing and sales activities – bundled within communications as the fabric. As a technology marketing team, we offer this ‘bag’ to technology product companies. As a team of technocrats with a bent towards marketing, our activities follow the latest of why technology sells. Hence, our activities tend to produce better results. Our customers get plug-and-play marketing and sales function(s).

You’re an entrepreneur whose target audience includes other entrepreneur. What has the word mean to you?

“Entrepreneur” is a big word. For me, it means risk and rewards. In that sense, this might be the 1000th entrepreneurial venture in my life. I’m completely aware that we’re prone to falling and bruising. However, to be practical, this is the first venture that I’ve decided to sustain. With a powerful team, I’m building this venture with a great value proposition and we’re hoping to evolve in to a great company.

Tell us about your offerings.

Our offerings address 3 key areas:

Go To Market – This is a comprehensive set of marketing and communication activities for a product ready to go to market. These start at hygiene items like websites to advanced and strategic initiatives like product demos and their marketing.

Marketing Sustenance - This is a continuous set of activities that our marketing engine executes. These are time-based activities like newsletters and PR releases, as well as one off campaigns like webinars to fill pipelines quickly.

Pre-sales - We believe sales needs to follow marketing. Hence, we build a sales management function that supports the marketing initiatives.

We will also offer advisory services for tech products starting next quarter.

Are you guys looking at hiring?

We’re always looking for smart individuals with keen senses and are interested in adding value to their lives and their customers’ businesses. Our biggest asset is our people and we continuously seek to work with those who are technically competent and smart with a bent for marketing.

Actually, we frequently get into discussions that revolve around niche technologies ranging from aeronautics to industrial design and software. We’ve had individuals in the past that could not blend with this kind of a working environment.So, what does MarTeck’s client roster look like?

We’ve had a mixed bag of clients over the years. From IT services giants like MindTree to niche BFSI product companies like 3i-Infotech and financial product companies like Masteck (Majesco in the US).

We have also worked with niche product startups (software) at varied stages. In fact, we welcome every tech product to come and build a conversation with us. As a business, we think of value before money. Our success lies in our customer’s success. We want to work with you if we’re adding value to each other’s professional choices.

Tell us your biggest learning as an entrepreneur.

My biggest learning till date has been to bet on people. In this world, computers and whiteboards don’t make mistakes. And hence working with them is really not a challenge. But it is people who (need to) work together. And that’s why it’s called ‘company’.

If you’re spending one third of your day with some individuals – they better make you want to better yourself. Else, you’re just kidding yourself, your clients, and the people around you.

What is the point of difference between you and other players in the field?

Location. Location. Location. We’re in India. They’re in the west. Our competition guides Steve Jobs on his next big presentation, builds his key notes, etc. We’re working to get there with a better proposition.

However, as a team, we’re faster and with much varied skill sets. It makes us a very attractive proposition to products that are ready to scale marketing and sales.

How did you manage the initial investment?

We are fully self-funded and we’ve been profitable from day one. We’ve applied some innovation to financial management. We maintain clarity with our customers on our money management. We’ve done this from the beginning.

We also have innovative compensation structures, so that everyone feels that they’re a part of the solution. We manage money down to the rupee and every team member has the option to get absolute clarity on where the money is and coming from. Though this is easier to manage in small teams, we hope to maintain this as we continue to grow.

To get in touch with this venture in the marketing consulting space, visit http://www.martecker.com/. Also, do let us know what you think of this story by writing to us at [email protected].