Comments on: Enterprise software sales materials briefing http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/ web business models, information systems, high tech, software economics, SaaS, Software + Service, innovation, new product development, digital strategy, software engineering, remote / mobile / wireless technologies, VoIP, IPTV, blogs, telecommunication business models, computer networks architecture, project management, user-generated content philosophy, entrepreneurial finance, outsourcing, operations - logistics - e-procurement - supply chain management, customer relationship management, telecom billing, clusters of innovation, e-Business, e-Commerce, start-up launch, fast-growing ventures management, globalization + some useless stuff (usually getting the most visits & comments) Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:17:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Kari Silvennoinen http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40955 Kari Silvennoinen Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:21:46 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40955 Jeremy, unfortunately I don't know that much and I can't talk about what I know. As far as I've understood, things are quite hectic and critical at the moment, so maybe in the future. The support of investors has been a great help for them, as the investors are usually a bit "grey-haired" and know the other "grey-haired" people, so their contribution in sales leads in, as far as I understood, quite important. Jeremy, unfortunately I don’t know that much and I can’t talk about what I know. As far as I’ve understood, things are quite hectic and critical at the moment, so maybe in the future.
The support of investors has been a great help for them, as the investors are usually a bit “grey-haired” and know the other “grey-haired” people, so their contribution in sales leads in, as far as I understood, quite important.

]]> By: Jeremy Fain http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40743 Jeremy Fain Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:28:49 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40743 Kari, can you tell us more on the issues your friends come accross? And the solutions they choose to implement to address those? Thx in advance Kari, can you tell us more on the issues your friends come accross? And the solutions they choose to implement to address those? Thx in advance

]]> By: Kari Silvennoinen http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40741 Kari Silvennoinen Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:58:43 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40741 Jeremy, pretty interesting stuff, especially because couple of my friends are in similar situation. They're trying to sell enterprise infrastructure solution, which of course is also a pretty hard sell for young guys to pull off. Jeremy, pretty interesting stuff, especially because couple of my friends are in similar situation. They’re trying to sell enterprise infrastructure solution, which of course is also a pretty hard sell for young guys to pull off.

]]> By: Jeremy Fain http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40688 Jeremy Fain Sun, 14 Oct 2007 22:28:06 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40688 Guys, you're both making a point. Thx Guys, you’re both making a point. Thx

]]> By: Vincent van Wylick http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40687 Vincent van Wylick Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:25:10 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40687 I think you have to structure the doc according to whom you are selling it to. Business-types: more on ROI, less on tech specs. Tech-types, more on tech, less on business. Since there is no corporate, I would focus much less on corporate. These types of clients don't care as much about vision, as they do about hard data. For investors, I would again focus more on corporate. Testimonials are very important in this business as you will not only be dealing with grey-haired/conservative folk (depending on size/phase of company), who are laying their systems in the hands of the vendors. Reputation is very important in this business, so I would either compete on price or hire some more "grey-hairs" to get clients. Traditionally, I think these types of start-ups are often spun-off from established consultancies, universities, or other well-known quantities and they often retain clients from their previous positions whom they have developed a relationship with. So, if they are hiring, that's where I would look. Probably an easier way to get into the industry would be with SaaS and aimed at SMBs. I think you have to structure the doc according to whom you are selling it to. Business-types: more on ROI, less on tech specs. Tech-types, more on tech, less on business. Since there is no corporate, I would focus much less on corporate. These types of clients don’t care as much about vision, as they do about hard data. For investors, I would again focus more on corporate.

Testimonials are very important in this business as you will not only be dealing with grey-haired/conservative folk (depending on size/phase of company), who are laying their systems in the hands of the vendors.

Reputation is very important in this business, so I would either compete on price or hire some more “grey-hairs” to get clients.

Traditionally, I think these types of start-ups are often spun-off from established consultancies, universities, or other well-known quantities and they often retain clients from their previous positions whom they have developed a relationship with. So, if they are hiring, that’s where I would look.

Probably an easier way to get into the industry would be with SaaS and aimed at SMBs.

]]> By: Marc Duchesne http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40684 Marc Duchesne Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:20:28 +0000 http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/enterprise-software-sales-materials-briefing/#comment-40684 Jeremy : you maybe have done a great job in terms of brainstorming per se, however I'm affraid the outcomes are way too complex for your friends to succeed (sorry, that's advice from a 46-yo gray hair guy who's currently building up a brand new business where sales is key - as with any business, by the way...). For instance, those 20-pages sales materials are totally useless. If you're not able to sell your product in 3-mn / 1-page, forget it. Think about the user experience : what are your customer's pains, and how your product solve those. Do you think most of the people install Word on their PC because of its 10,000 functions ? Nope. They install Word on their machine because : a) it's a word processor, b) it's the most common piece of software on the planet, and c) it does the (basic) job quite well. About the ROI : no hint, Buddy. THE WHOLE STUFF. Tell everything. Tell your customer why, when and how he's going to get his investment back. Because that is your value proposition, no matter the fancy features or the glossy front page here and there. Last, to your 25-yo friends : the gray hair guys are going to be their customers. W/o them, no business. W/o business, no money. W/o money, good luck. Remember : at the end of the day, that's the customer who's paying your salary. So, better be open to what the gray hair man says... Jeremy : you maybe have done a great job in terms of brainstorming per se, however I’m affraid the outcomes are way too complex for your friends to succeed (sorry, that’s advice from a 46-yo gray hair guy who’s currently building up a brand new business where sales is key - as with any business, by the way…).

For instance, those 20-pages sales materials are totally useless. If you’re not able to sell your product in 3-mn / 1-page, forget it. Think about the user experience : what are your customer’s pains, and how your product solve those. Do you think most of the people install Word on their PC because of its 10,000 functions ? Nope. They install Word on their machine because : a) it’s a word processor, b) it’s the most common piece of software on the planet, and c) it does the (basic) job quite well.

About the ROI : no hint, Buddy. THE WHOLE STUFF. Tell everything. Tell your customer why, when and how he’s going to get his investment back. Because that is your value proposition, no matter the fancy features or the glossy front page here and there.

Last, to your 25-yo friends : the gray hair guys are going to be their customers. W/o them, no business. W/o business, no money. W/o money, good luck. Remember : at the end of the day, that’s the customer who’s paying your salary. So, better be open to what the gray hair man says…

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