1. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshopWorkshop n.n.n.n.4444:::: MARKETING (MARKETING (MARKETING (MARKETING (2222))))
18.00 – 18.30
Welcome and introduction of the workshop programme.
Presentation and visit of the Waste Recycling.
18.30 – 20.00
The participants start the discussion about “Marketing” focus on the
remaining questions.
20.0020.0020.0020.00 –––– 20.3020.3020.3020.30 DinnerDinnerDinnerDinner breakbreakbreakbreak
20.30 – 22.00 Continuation of the discussion on “Marketing”.
22.00 – 22.30 Closing of the session + distribution of the evaluation questionnaires
27 February27 February27 February27 February 2014201420142014 from 6from 6from 6from 6.00.00.00.00 PM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PMPM to 10.30 PM
The 4th
PLATO workshop took place in the premises of Waste Recycling
PPPParticipantsarticipantsarticipantsarticipants
Mentor/sMentor/sMentor/sMentor/s: Luca Liuni and Paolo Polverosi.
For ASEV Tiziano Cini
SMEsSMEsSMEsSMEs:
COMPUTER ASSIST – Ballini Bernardo
MM INFORMATICA – Ristori Massimiliano
IDRO BAGNOLI – Bagnoli Alberta
FONTE DEL GELATO – Scarselli Ilaria
SOVER – Pistolesi Matteo, Nadia Pieri
GREENHOUS – Sani Francesco
LABORATORIO EMPOLESE DI ANALISI – Castellari Marco
CMC Fashion – Vinicio Capezzuoli, Maltinti Alessandro
Soocietà Cooperativa GEOS – Calosi Patrizia, Angelini Alessandra

2. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
PPPPurposeurposeurposeurpose ofofofof the workshopthe workshopthe workshopthe workshop:::: exchange and share experiences and clarify the Marketing issues defined
by the participants in the teambuilding session.
Issues addressed:Issues addressed:Issues addressed:Issues addressed:
The group, leaded by the mentors, analyzes the topics related to the Marketing that was not
discussed into the previous seminar.
Below the questions collected in the teambuilding session and the main conclusions:
1. How to be more competitive within the SW licenses trade)? - how to increase its own client's
business? - how to make cross selling to the same client?
Conclusions from the group:
ease of installation
upgrade
the stability of the product
the reliability of the product
the user-friendliest
2. How to improve the choice of serious customers (that pay on time and regularly?
A discussion on this point emerges the importance of this problem and how the participants waste
time to solve this issue.
Some ideas have been collected:
preventive checks
inquire about the customer
create a net of companies (PLATO can help)
exchange opinions on customers
verify the creditworthiness of the customer (through specialized companies)
segment customers according to risk
create a credit rating
The mentors suggest to engage companies specialized in risk analysis, which provided services such
as "Check Debtor".
3. How to deal with the liberalized market
The mentors suggest: to deal with the open market, it should first well know the market where you
want to go to operate in.

3. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
For some participants it is not easy to find funds for engage a consulting firm. The solution could be
to be creative: use the media (newspaper, Internet, books) to collect information on the market and
on the competitors.
4. Sales for a new service/products
The topic “business plan” was briefly tackled again.
5. How to protect the company from defaulting customers
Risk assessment – discussion.
Participants say that sometimes in order to maintain and increase sales, they should grant credit to
customers. It is not the most profitable technique to be applied. From one side a greater deferment
of payment may attract new customers, but from the other side this has significant implications
within the company related to the cost increase.
6. Advertising on the cheap
Brainstorming: Internet, social network, create a web site, promotion marketing on line, banner,
interstitial, banner pop-up, pop-under, sponsorships – discussion.
7. How to provide my company with a good imagine/profile?
The mentor asks to the participants “When the image of a company positively affects you?” –
discussion.
List of what gives a good company image:
Name
Company logo
Coordinated corporate image
Web site
Promotional material
Company video
From the analysis of the evaluation questionnaire emerges that the participants are not ready jet for
a session without the external expert.