Conference 7.286::digital

2582.0. "Being Insanely Successful in Software" by IW::WARING (Simplicity sells) Fri Jul 16 1993 13:28

This is my last day at Digital, and I couldn't post this in Marketing (I
haven't been able to get into ASIMOV::MARKETING all day). I hope someone
can cross post this with my okay when it comes back.

The software business here will continue to prosper for the new management
with attention to:

	1)	Evangalising ELIM. Our mailing lists are still hitting one
		in six software decision makers in our own base. David
		Blackmore and ELIM team have done a superlative job, and they
		need the support and drive (in conjunction with outbound
		telesales) to get that ratio up to five out of six and
		beyond. I have tasked Barry Fitzgerald with ensuring that
		at least three direct mail campaigns run against a clean
		database by Christmas. If it's not done by then, we'll
		never realise our full potential.

	2)	Carry on the work with the Software Catalogue and Software
		Catazine (DECdirect Software News). Once we have a good
		database, we need to engender an ongoing dialogue with all
		our customers. And make sure that there are plenty of free
		"surveys" in these works, with results published in the
		next issue. Successful companies for the future need to
		ensure the 4Ps and 2Ds -- Product, place, price, position
		with Database and Dialogue.

	3)	Invest in systematic market research. The EENs and major
		internal decision makers make incorrect calls because they
		work on anecdotes and with a limited view of Digital's own
		customers. We focus at Times 1000 companies when the average
		UK company is already 30 employees and declining. There are
		big markets available to us if we focus on the future profile
		of the outside world and the growth areas in it. We have all
		the right data available today -- go listen to Oxford
		Economic Forecasting if you can. And listen less to market
		research companies and analysts -- they get paid millions
		for recycling the (computer) industry bathwater. It's the
		customer who is all important.

Focus on those three, link the work back to the product creation side of
engineering, and we'll be unstoppable.

Well, that's it. It's been a privilege to have worked among you, and i'd do
it again any day. Now onto pastures new, and in the interim, my best wishes
to all of you for the future.
							Best Regards,

							Ian W.

    bye ian. you will be missed.

    I ran into Ian at the Partners Executive Seminar in Palm Springs last
    week.  He sends his greetings & best regards to all.  He can be reached
    at:
    
    Metrologie (European IT Distributor)
    Rapid House, Oxford Road
    High Wycombe, Bucks HP11 2EE
    Tel 0494 457462
    Fax 0494 521860
    
    [email protected]
    [email protected]
    
    He is ready to help you sell & deliver Digital products to your
    customers, and his Manager has promised a Lexus if he meets his
    revenue goal targets for this year.  If you need a knowledgeable
    indirect channel for your customers, give Ian a call.
    
    Regards,
    Mark
    

    I'm Ian Waring's account manager -- he only gets the Lexus if he ships
    three times his current budget...
    
    Dave K.