Marketing Articles

Alex S. Brown, PMP IPMA-C

“A Brand” Not “THE Brand”

Wednesday, 28 April 2010 by Alex Brown

My brand is about “a”, not “THE”. A good brand can be about “a” not “THE”. My brand is better with “a”, not “THE”.

A Sad, Sad Day for Project Managers – PM SPAM

Thursday, 26 March 2009 by Alex Brown

The story of the first project management spam campaign.

…So you want to be an independent consultant…

Thursday, 1 May 2008 by Jennifer (Tharp) Russell and Alex Brown

Have you ever thought about becoming an independent consultant? This article gives you practical advice on how to get started, what it might cost, and how to find your target market.

Written for a panel discussion at the PMI Asia Pacific Congress in Sydney Australia in March 2008. Panelists included Jerry Ball, Frank Parth, Jennifer (Tharp) Russell, and Frank Walker. Alex Brown served as panel moderator. The paper was written by Jennifer (Tharp) Russell and Alex Brown.

Driving a Marketing Vision Using Project Management

Saturday, 12 May 2007 by Alex Brown

Most marketing professionals do not understand or profit from the discipline of project management. Learn how one company used project management as a way to drive and define its marketing vision. Learn from this case study, so your marketing and sales departments can begin experiencing the benefits of project management.

Presented at the PMI Asia Pacific Congress in Hong Kong on January 30, 2007.

Strategic Project Management

Tuesday, 21 November 2006 by Alex Brown

It is time to put project management on the agenda of the board meetings for your organization. Traditionally project management has been a tool for scheduling, planning, and execution. It brings efficiency and predictability to organizations that embrace it. Usually it is adopted by mid-level management to optimize one or two department’s activities. Learn about how the President and CEO of a 400-employee company have made project management their core method to execute their Strategic Plan. Project management is ready for the board room. Learn ways to bring it to the attention of senior managers.

Examples of Project Charters

Saturday, 8 October 2005 by Alex Brown

Four examples of possible project charters, with an explanation for each showing why it is or is not a charter. The examples are useful teaching examples, designed to challenge people’s ideas of what a project charter is and is not.

The Charter: Selling Your Project

Sunday, 18 September 2005 by Alex Brown

The best time to market your project to your organization is at the very start, in the project charter. It is the best chance you have to tie the project into the organizational strategy and to explain its value. Yet the charter is one of the least talked about deliverables in project management.

This material helps you market your projects by preparing a great charter. Learn how simple a good charter can be. Understand how this document can help build executive support and provide documented authorization for your work. Focus on creating a lasting, respectful bond with your senior managers or executive sponsors. It all starts with the charter.

Presented at PMI 2005 North America Congress in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on September 12, 2005. Presented again at a meeting of the PMI New York City Chapter on February 15, 2006.

Crossing Over from IT to Business-Oriented Project Management

Sunday, 7 November 2004 by Alex Brown

Presented at the PMI 2004 Global Congress — North America on October 25, 2004 in Anaheim, CA.

Provides career advice for IT project managers, whether they wish to leave IT or stay in IT. Reviews employment trends in IT that may force IT project managers to make tough career choices. Based on industry publications and employment trends, as well as my own experience crossing over from IT to business-oriented project management. The raw employment and industry statistics used in the presentation are available for download, as well as the paper and the presentation slides.