Choosing the right seminar

1. Which seminar should I attend?
Click here to see which seminars address the challenges you face in managing and marketing technology products. Our market-driven, practical approach to product management and marketing is designed to make your job easier, whether you are a start-up or Fortune 500.

2. I am not a product manager. Do you have seminars for me?
Yes, we do. Please review the seminar list to see which seminar is the best fit for your learning objectives.

3. Is there any reading or preparatory work required before attending the seminars?
No, there is no preparation needed prior to attending the seminars. Our two-day sessions have a short evening reading assignment to prepare for case studies on the second day. Laptops are also not required for these seminars and access to power may be problematic in hotel conference rooms.

4. I am not working at a software company. Can I still benefit from attending the seminars?
Our seminars focus on the principals of solving problems for the market, and these solutions may include any combination of hardware, software, and services. While most of our attendees come from software companies, those with hardware-only, services-only, and hardware/software combination products confirm that Pragmatic Marketing seminars address their needs perfectly.

Most of our examples represent business-to-business software sales with a direct sales force but we also talk about some special aspects of selling services and consumer products, both direct and through multi-tier distribution. In addition, some consumer products examples are used since they are so easy to understand for a varied group of attendees. We have worked with many hardware-only companies who tell us that the courses are quite applicable to them. A few have commented that we do not get into the hardware-only aspects of product management such as component design and selection or using focus groups to evaluate prototypes.

Our seminars, while leveraging our software experiences, are applicable to anyone responsible for marketing technology products. We emphasize an outward-focused, market-driven methodology that reduces the risk of failures in the marketplace.

5. How much of this seminar discusses software products and how much other technology products?
We have been teaching our seminars since 1993 and you can see from our alumni list we have trained all types of technology companies including software, hardware and services-only organizations. Most of our customers are a hybrid. We prefer to think of these companies as being in the "technology problem-solving business," delivering software, hardware and services as needed to create a complete customer solution. We use both enterprise and consumer examples in our classes.

6. Do you offer seminars for both inbound and outbound marketing people?
Companies all seem to define inbound and outbound marketing a little differently. We typically see inbound marketing working primarily with Development, and outbound marketing working with Marketing Communications and Sales.

7. Do you conduct international seminars?
Currently, we do not conduct international public seminars. However, we do conduct many on-site seminars around the world for multi-national companies. Please call (480) 515-1411 for more information.

8. Should I attend the Practical Product Management seminar prior to Effective Product Marketing?
The Practical Product Management seminar is recommended, but not required, as your first Pragmatic Marketing seminar.

9. Should I attend the Practical Product Management seminar prior to Requirements That Work?
Requirements That Work is an advanced course that builds on the concepts taught in Practical Product Management. Product managers who write requirements should attend both classes. Technology professionals, such as developers and analysts, who review requirements, need only attend Requirements That Work.

10. I have product managers reporting to me. Which seminars should they attend?
Review the seminar list to see which seminars address the challenges product managers face in managing and marketing technology products. Our market-driven, practical approach to product management and marketing is designed to make their job easier, whether you are a start-up or Fortune 500.

11. I am a product management executive. Should I attend the seminars with my staff?
By attending the seminars with your staff, you show support of this market-driven methodology and help build a stronger team. Review the seminar list for more information.

Seminar logistics

1. How do I register for a seminar?
We recommend registration via our secure web site. Please have a credit card ready as payment is required at time of registration. If you have additional registration questions, please call (480) 515-1411.

2. Is there a registration cut-off date?
We encourage early registration and recommend you register as soon as possible as our seminars fill up quickly. Pragmatic Marketing can usually accommodate last minute registrations if the seats are available but please wait to receive your confirmation e-mail from us before making your travel arrangements, in the event a seminar has sold out.

3. Can I be wait-listed for a sold-out seminar?
Yes, we wait-list attendees for sold-out sessions. It is not uncommon for seats to become available as the seminar date draws near.

4. I am not ready to register, yet. Can you reserve a seat for me?
Seats cannot be reserved. We encourage early registration as our seminars frequently are sold out.

5. How much do the seminars cost?
$1,595 US for Practical Product Management
$2,195 US for Practical Product Management with Requirements (our most popular seminar)
$995 US for Requirements That Work
$995 US for Pragmatic Roadmapping
$1,595 US for Effective Product Marketing
$995 US for New Rules of Marketing

6. Is the seminar tuition in US Dollars?
Yes, seminar tuition is in US Dollars and includes course materials, continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks.

7. What is your cancellation policy for public seminars?
If you are unable to attend and are not planning to send a substitute to the seminar for which you are registered, you must notify us within five (5) business days of the seminar date to be entitled to a full refund. Substitute is defined as a single person attending for the entire duration of the registered seminar in lieu of the original attendee. Pragmatic Marketing does not permit more than one substitute to attend any portion of the registered seminar. If you cancel or transfer within five (5) business days, there is a $250 US cancellation fee for the Practical Product Management and Effective Product Marketing seminars, a $150 cancellation fee for the Requirements That Work, Pragmatic Roadmapping and New Rules of Marketing seminar. If Pragmatic Marketing must cancel for any reason liability is limited to the registration fee only.

8. What time do the seminars begin and end?
The seminars begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 4:30 pm each day. There is a registration from 8:30 am - 9:00 am on the first day at which time you can pick up your class materials.

9. The room block at the hotel has been released or is sold out. What are my options?
Give us a call at (480) 515-1411. Contractually, there is no guarantee the hotel can accomodate you, but we can ask if they will assist in getting you the lower rate or add more guest rooms to the room block.

10. Do you provide driving directions to the seminar location?
Upon registration, each attendee is e-mailed a confirmation notice that includes the seminar specifics, a paid receipt for seminar tuition, as well as transportation/hotel amenities information.

11. Does Pragmatic Marketing make my hotel reservations, or do I?
Complete hotel information is included in the e-mail confirmation. We ask that each attendee make their own hotel reservations.

12. Does Pragmatic Marketing issue certificates of completion for the seminars?
Yes. Each attendee receives a certificate of completion as part of the course materials.

13. What about CEP credits?
We currently do not offer CEP credit for our seminars. We will be happy to write a letter verifying attendance, which includes a detailed course description and the number of hours attended.

14. Who is the instructor for the seminar?
The instructor scheduled to conduct the training session is assigned a few weeks prior to the seminar date. If you have an instructor preference, please let us know when you register.

15. Can I purchase course materials without attending?
Our seminar materials are only made available to seminar attendees and are not for sale.