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A way ahead? (Wishlist)
A way ahead? // Wishlistdavid wattDec 19, 1998, 1:56am
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------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BE2B5F.C6198000 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_000D_01BE2B5F.C6198000" ------=_NextPart_001_000D_01BE2B5F.C6198000 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Warning long post <MBASpeakOn> OK, I've read back and absorbed most of the basis for your gripes. My = basic analysis is that COF is an undercapitalised IT start-up suffering = the fate of many of its ilk -it is product focussed. They have become = so busy chasing their tales that customer focus has been lost, yet they = dont have the time to stand back and het a helicopter view of the = operation, nor the $ to effectivey get out of their rut. They have fallen into the "build a better moustrap and the world will = beat a path to your door" trap. I believe, and Rick or Roland could = comment on this, that not enough attention has been paid to marketing: = and by this i do not mean selling, i mean the concept of: 1. Identifying the range of customners (individual, corporate, = potential buy-out) 2. Identifying their needs 3. Tailoring the 4 P's to meed these actual and future needs ie: Product tailoring the product to meet the needs of all customers = (not just individual users) Price tailoring the product to market mechanisms (this is not a = premium product hence in general=20 terms higher price =3D lower sales above te market = expectation baseline) Promotion personal selling, sales promotion, publicity and = advertising...perhaps COFs biggest failing...the quality of the product = and its innovation caused reasonable offline attention in the early = days, but have you seen anything since? and finally Place how the product is available...options might include = bundling with other higher profile products and so on... 4. Once growth is established in identified markets, we can go into the = improvement cycle..both improving the means that COF itself does = business (ie the internal system how new products and ideas are = developed), and product quality based on active customer research, = rather than passive wiating for users ideas. 5. once we go down the continuous improvement path, new markets can be = identified for product development and growth. Basically, what i am saying is that COF needs to get more market = focussed and less product focussed. capital inflow from expaning and = retaining the client base will get them out of their stuck at small = position. OK, Options: 1. COF pays for a marketing consultant to come and solve the problem, = or 2. we the community help them do it (if they dont have the $ for = additional programmers, i doubt they will pay for a marketing = consultant) I propose that we set up a small working group of individuals who are = prepared to do some research and thinking (and those who will contribute = and not gripe), come up with a preliminary study and plan option, = present it to COF and ask to be allowed inside their decision making = process. if there is any one interested in doing this work, please email me at = watt at cia.com.au <sceptics flame here> Does anyone have a AW web site that could be the central point for such = a working group? As we meet new users in AW with business expertise we = could refer them to our page. I would suggest the following phases: Market segmentation : lets broadly break the task up (at first) into=20 1) individual users (current and potential),=20 2) individual world owners (current and potential) 3) corporate world owners (current and potential) 4) corporate advertisers(current and potential) 5) individual third party developers(current and potential) 6) corporate third party developers(current and potential) 7) potential buy-outs We can then do market research based on=20 a) geographic segmentation b) demographic segmentation=20 -age,=20 - sex,=20 - education,=20 - lifecycle stage (child, teenager, young adult, married = with children,=20 profession couple-nochildren) middleages, pensioner etc) - occupation c) psychological segmentation - social class - interests - opinions - personality types d) behaviour segmentation - usage rates - loyalty status (what would make you change environments?) - buyer readiness stage Competitor analysis We need to provide COF access to all information, plus our analysis, of = all current and potential competitors. We can actively go out and find = this information which will provide insight into where we can and cant = compete. Strategic Planning based on Market Research Once the current and potential users have been analysed, it should = provide pointers of which market segments to target. COF will need to = be in on this process. Determining the marketing mix. =20 Based on the 4P's above, COF strategic guidance, and targeted markets, = effort can be made in price, promotion and place, not just in product = development. Things we can ask COF to do=20 1) Provide access to their strategic planning documents, or at least a = summary of their strategic goals and intermediate objectives. 2) Access to, or summary of any previous market research. 2) conduct a lost user questionaire based on existing db email = addresses...ie why did you stop using AW? </MBASpeakOff> Overall, if we want COF to move ahead we must help. I am sure that = there are any number of users with business experience, not just users = full of complaints. Your thoughts appreciated. ------=_NextPart_001_000D_01BE2B5F.C6198000 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type><BASE=20 href=3D"file://C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft = Shared\Stationery\"> <STYLE> <!-- body, PRE, BLOCKQUOTE, a, MENU, dd, UL, DT, dir, ADDRESS, h1, h2, h3, = h4, h5, h6, HR { font-family: "Arial"; font-size: 12pt; color: 000000; } --> </STYLE> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY background=3Dcid:000301be2b03$9276ad60$LocalHost at watt = bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Warning long post <MBASpeakOn></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>OK, I've read back and absorbed most of the basis for your=20 gripes. My basic analysis is that COF is an undercapitalised = IT=20 start-up suffering the fate of many of its ilk -it is product = focussed. =20 They have become so busy chasing their tales that customer focus has = been lost,=20 yet they dont have the time to stand back and het a helicopter view of = the=20 operation, nor the $ to effectivey get out of their rut.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>They have fallen into the "build a better moustrap and the = world will=20 beat a path to your door" trap. I believe, and Rick or Roland = could=20 comment on this, that not enough attention has been paid to marketing: = and by=20 this i do not mean selling, i mean the concept of:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1. Identifying the range of customners (individual, = corporate,=20 potential buy-out)</DIV> <DIV>2. Identifying their needs</DIV> <DIV>3. Tailoring the 4 P's to meed these actual and future needs = ie:</DIV> <DIV> <STRONG>Product</STRONG> tailoring the product = to meet=20 the needs of all customers (not just individual users)</DIV> <DIV> <STRONG> Price</STRONG> tailoring the = product to=20 market mechanisms (this is not a premium product hence in general </DIV> <DIV> &n= bsp; =20 terms higher price =3D lower sales above te market expectation = baseline)</DIV> <DIV> <STRONG>Promotion</STRONG> personal = selling,=20 sales promotion, publicity and advertising...perhaps COFs biggest = failing...the=20 quality of the product and its innovation caused reasonable offline = attention in=20 the early days, but have you seen anything since?</DIV> <DIV>and finally <STRONG>Place</STRONG> how the product is=20 available...options might include bundling with other higher profile = products=20 and so on...</DIV> <DIV>4. Once growth is established in identified markets, we can = go into=20 the improvement cycle..both improving the means that COF itself does = business=20 (ie the internal system how new products and ideas are developed), and = product=20 quality based on active customer research, rather than passive wiating = for users=20 ideas.</DIV> <DIV>5. once we go down the continuous improvement path, new = markets can=20 be identified for product development and growth.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Basically, what i am saying is that COF needs to get more market = focussed=20 and less product focussed. capital inflow from expaning <EM>and=20 retaining</EM> the client base will get them out of their stuck at small = position.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>OK, Options:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1. COF pays for a marketing consultant to come and solve the = problem,=20 or</DIV> <DIV>2. we the community help them do it (if they dont have the $ = for=20 additional programmers, i doubt they will pay for a marketing = consultant)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I propose that we set up a small working group of individuals who = are=20 prepared to do some research and thinking (and those who will contribute = and not=20 gripe), come up with a preliminary study and plan option, present it to = COF and=20 ask to be allowed inside their decision making process.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>if there is any one interested in doing this work, please email me = at <A=20 href=3D"mailto:watt at cia.com.au">watt at cia.com.au</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><sceptics flame here></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Does anyone have a AW web site that could be the central point for = such a=20 working group? As we meet new users in AW with business expertise = we could=20 refer them to our page.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I would suggest the following phases:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Market segmentation</STRONG> : lets broadly break the = task up=20 (at first) into </DIV> <DIV> 1) individual users (current and = potential),=20 </DIV> <DIV> 2) individual world owners (current and=20 potential)</DIV> <DIV> 3) corporate world owners (current and=20 potential)</DIV> <DIV> 4) corporate advertisers(current and=20 potential)</DIV> <DIV> 5) individual third party = developers(current and=20 potential)</DIV> <DIV> 6) corporate third party = developers(current and=20 potential)</DIV> <DIV> 7) potential buy-outs</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We can then do market research based on </DIV> <DIV> a) geographic segmentation</DIV> <DIV> b) demographic segmentation </DIV> <DIV> = -age,=20 </DIV> <DIV> = - sex,=20 </DIV> <DIV> = -=20 education, </DIV> <DIV> = -=20 lifecycle stage (child, teenager, young adult, married with children, = </DIV> <DIV> &n= bsp; =20 profession couple-nochildren) middleages, pensioner etc)</DIV> <DIV> = -=20 occupation</DIV> <DIV> c) psychological segmentation</DIV> <DIV> = - social=20 class</DIV> <DIV> = -=20 interests</DIV> <DIV> = -=20 opinions</DIV> <DIV> = -=20 personality types</DIV> <DIV> d) behaviour segmentation</DIV> <DIV> = - usage=20 rates</DIV> <DIV> = -=20 loyalty status (what would make you change environments?)</DIV> <DIV> = - buyer=20 readiness stage</DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG><STRONG>Competitor analysis</STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV>We need to provide COF access to all information, <EM>plus our=20 analysis</EM>, of all current and potential competitors. We = can=20 actively go out and find this information which will provide insight = into where=20 we can and cant compete.</DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Strategic Planning based on Market Research</STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Once the current and potential users have been analysed, it should = provide=20 pointers of which market segments to target. COF will need to be = in on=20 this process.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Determining the marketing mix. </STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG>Based on the 4P's above, COF strategic guidance, = and=20 targeted markets, effort can be made in price, promotion and place, not = just in=20 product development.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Things we can ask COF to do </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) Provide access to their strategic planning documents, or at = least a=20 summary of their strategic goals and intermediate objectives.</DIV> <DIV>2) Access to, or summary of any previous market research.</DIV> <DIV>2) conduct a lost user questionaire based on existing db email=20 addresses...ie why did you stop using AW?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV></MBASpeakOff></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Overall, if we want COF to move ahead we must help. I am sure = that=20 there are any number of users with business experience, not just users = full of=20 complaints.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Your thoughts appreciated.</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_001_000D_01BE2B5F.C6198000-- ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BE2B5F.C6198000 Content-Type: image/gif Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-ID: <000301be2b03$9276ad60$LocalHost at watt> R0lGODlhFAAUAPcAAP//////zP//mf//Zv//M///AP/M///MzP/Mmf/MZv/MM//MAP+Z//+ZzP+Z mf+ZZv+ZM/+ZAP9m//9mzP9mmf9mZv9mM/9mAP8z//8zzP8zmf8zZv8zM/8zAP8A//8AzP8Amf8A Zv8AM/8AAMz//8z/zMz/mcz/Zsz/M8z/AMzM/8zMzMzMmczMZszMM8zMAMyZ/8yZzMyZmcyZZsyZ M8yZAMxm/8xmzMxmmcxmZsxmM8xmAMwz/8wzzMwzmcwzZswzM8wzAMwA/8wAzMwAmcwAZswAM8wA AJn//5n/zJn/mZn/Zpn/M5n/AJnM/5nMzJnMmZnMZpnMM5nMAJmZ/5mZzJmZmZmZZpmZM5mZAJlm /5lmzJlmmZlmZplmM5lmAJkz/5kzzJkzmZkzZpkzM5kzAJkA/5kAzJkAmZkAZpkAM5kAAGb//2b/ zGb/mWb/Zmb/M2b/AGbM/2bMzGbMmWbMZmbMM2bMAGaZ/2aZzGaZmWaZZmaZM2aZAGZm/2ZmzGZm mWZmZmZmM2ZmAGYz/2YzzGYzmWYzZmYzM2YzAGYA/2YAzGYAmWYAZmYAM2YAADP//zP/zDP/mTP/ ZjP/MzP/ADPM/zPMzDPMmTPMZjPMMzPMADOZ/zOZzDOZmTOZZjOZMzOZADNm/zNmzDNmmTNmZjNm MzNmADMz/zMzzDMzmTMzZjMzMzMzADMA/zMAzDMAmTMAZjMAMzMAAAD//wD/zAD/mQD/ZgD/MwD/ AADM/wDMzADMmQDMZgDMMwDMAACZ/wCZzACZmQCZZgCZMwCZAABm/wBmzABmmQBmZgBmMwBmAAAz /wAzzAAzmQAzZgAzMwAzAAAA/wAAzAAAmQAAZgAAMwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACwAAAAAFAAUAEAIQwBJCBxI sKBBAAgTKlyYUCDDhwsdQpwoceLDihYjksh4cSNHjR9BhmzocSQAjCFRflTJkWVGlxZhUiw5UiZE gzhzBgQAOw== ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BE2B5F.C6198000-- groverDec 19, 1998, 2:33am
don't wanna burst yer bubble, but yer not the first to propose any of
this... not even the 2nd or third. Believe me- an awful lot of professional corporate/consultant types have come through with big ideas, but unless you've got considerable capitol to invest, you might as well write your posts on toilet paper and chuck it out the window for the wind to deliver... (and to continue another thread- it's not that you're new in this ng, it's that you *come across* as a know-it-all that really doesn't know much.) lurk & learn :-) grover [View Quote] > Warning long post <MBASpeakOn> OK, I've read back and absorbed most of > the basis for your gripes. My basic analysis is that COF is an > undercapitalised IT start-up suffering the fate of many of its ilk -it > is product focussed. They have become so busy chasing their tales > that customer focus has been lost, yet they dont have the time to > stand back and het a helicopter view of the operation, nor the $ to > effectivey get out of their rut. They have fallen into the "build a > better moustrap and the world will beat a path to your door" trap. I > believe, and Rick or Roland could comment on this, that not enough > attention has been paid to marketing: and by this i do not mean > selling, i mean the concept of: 1. Identifying the range of > customners (individual, corporate, potential buy-out)2. Identifying > their needs3. Tailoring the 4 P's to meed these actual and future > needs ie: Product tailoring the product to meet the needs of all > customers (not just individual users) Price tailoring the product > to market mechanisms (this is not a premium product hence in > general terms higher price = lower sales above te > market expectation baseline) Promotion personal selling, sales > promotion, publicity and advertising...perhaps COFs biggest > failing...the quality of the product and its innovation caused > reasonable offline attention in the early days, but have you seen > anything since?and finally Place how the product is > available...options might include bundling with other higher profile > products and so on...4. Once growth is established in identified > markets, we can go into the improvement cycle..both improving the > means that COF itself does business (ie the internal system how new > products and ideas are developed), and product quality based on active > customer research, rather than passive wiating for users ideas.5. > once we go down the continuous improvement path, new markets can be > identified for product development and growth. Basically, what i am > saying is that COF needs to get more market focussed and less product > focussed. capital inflow from expaning and retaining the client base > will get them out of their stuck at small position. OK, Options: 1. > COF pays for a marketing consultant to come and solve the problem, > or2. we the community help them do it (if they dont have the $ for > additional programmers, i doubt they will pay for a marketing > consultant) I propose that we set up a small working group of > individuals who are prepared to do some research and thinking (and > those who will contribute and not gripe), come up with a preliminary > study and plan option, present it to COF and ask to be allowed inside > their decision making process. if there is any one interested in doing > this work, please email me at watt at cia.com.au <sceptics flame > here> Does anyone have a AW web site that could be the central point > for such a working group? As we meet new users in AW with business > expertise we could refer them to our page. I would suggest the > following phases: Market segmentation : lets broadly break the task > up (at first) into 1) individual users (current and > potential), 2) individual world owners (current and potential) > 3) corporate world owners (current and potential) 4) corporate > advertisers(current and potential) 5) individual third party > developers(current and potential) 6) corporate third party > developers(current and potential) 7) potential buy-outs We can > then do market research based on a) geographic segmentation b) > demographic segmentation -age, - sex, > - education, - lifecycle stage (child, teenager, young > adult, married with children, profession > couple-nochildren) middleages, pensioner etc) - > occupation c) psychological segmentation - social > class - interests - opinions - > personality types d) behaviour segmentation - usage > rates - loyalty status (what would make you change > environments?) - buyer readiness stage Competitor > analysis We need to provide COF access to all information, plus our > analysis, of all current and potential competitors. We can actively > go out and find this information which will provide insight into where > we can and cant compete. Strategic Planning based on Market > Research Once the current and potential users have been analysed, it > should provide pointers of which market segments to target. COF will > need to be in on this process. Determining the marketing mix.Based on > the 4P's above, COF strategic guidance, and targeted markets, effort > can be made in price, promotion and place, not just in product > development. Things we can ask COF to do 1) Provide access to their > strategic planning documents, or at least a summary of their strategic > goals and intermediate objectives.2) Access to, or summary of any > previous market research.2) conduct a lost user questionaire based on > existing db email addresses...ie why did you stop using > AW? </MBASpeakOff> Overall, if we want COF to move ahead we must > help. I am sure that there are any number of users with business > experience, not just users full of complaints. Your thoughts > appreciated. mgibDec 19, 1998, 3:38am
:) And anyway, they woudln't understand a word to what is said! LOL! Hey
dude! You aren't talking to businessmen, be simple in your advise. Actually what they first need to be told is: Be modest. Stop bragging about what you can't afford. You just lose trust of your customers. Why a wishlist if you ignore it. Better no wishlist. Save your time playing the gods with the community to focus on your business; software. It's fun for sure, but playing with the train set when your job is to sell some isn't good practice. Besides the fact you have no skill to deal with a community. Do the owner and programmers of Quake try to interfer and control their customers in the game? [View Quote] > don't wanna burst yer bubble, but yer not the first to propose any of > this... not even the 2nd or third. Believe me- an awful lot of > professional corporate/consultant types have come through with big > ideas, but unless you've got considerable capitol to invest, you might > as well write your posts on toilet paper and chuck it out the window for > the wind to deliver... (and to continue another thread- it's not that > you're new in this ng, it's that you *come across* as a know-it-all that > really doesn't know much.) lurk & learn :-) > > grover > [View Quote] |
