A detailed article filled with best practices for refreshing technology listings appears in the May issue of Technology Transfer Tactics. To subscribe and access the complete article, or for further subscription details, click here.
You may get only one chance to make a first impression, but when it comes to technology listings, updating them with new relevant information can sometimes create the opportunity for a “second” first impression.
Refreshing technology listings, says Joseph Ferner, university liaison officer with IN-PART, an online matchmaking platform for university-industry collaboration, “is something that’s important if you want to keep promoting a technology after the initial promotion period.” After a year or so, he explains, you have had the opportunity to send the information to all relevant people, and eventually you tend to see interest tail off.
“After that, the main way to recapture interest is to update the technology,” says Ferner. “After a year or so, if things move along you can have different patent status, new publication details, and other likely updates without having to rewrite the listing. Ideally, when the updates come in you will see a benefit.”
“It’s important to keep your content current and relevant,” adds Terry Bray, PhD, director of technology licensing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “It’s also helpful to repost your content from time to time, because the original posting can get stale.”
Danielle McCulloch, vice president with consulting firm Fuentek, LLC, agrees that no news is bad news for tech listings, so be aware of any developments that would prompt a refresher. “If you have a maintenance fee or are looking to convert, that’s when you know if it’s worth it,” she says. “Understand the metrics when you look at listings. Clearly, if the technology is patented, or research shows results, or if there is some other significant change, then absolutely you should make that refresh. Then, the biggest thing is how to propagate and share those listings — creative ways to use social media.”
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