http://Nebula-RnD.com/blog/tech/mv/2007/09/mixed-messages1.html Welcome to the Nebula Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:57:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 http://Nebula-RnD.com/blog/tech/mv/2007/09/mixed-messages1.html#comment-94 devonosborne Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:46:19 +0000 http://Nebula-RnD.com/blog/tech/mv/2007/09/mixed-messages1.html#comment-94 I suspect your approach to "productize" your offerings is probably the best solution to this problem. I had a client who needed to go to the Web. I seemed to be the LAST person they'd trust for advice on how to do that although they'd been a client for 20 years. In the MV world, I had their trust but as soon as they looked beyond that, nothing I said could make a difference. They paid several Web providers tens of thousands of dollars for off the shelf shopping carts, duplicated data all over the map and generally got nothing for it all. Finally, I threw up my hands and left them to the wolves. I wasn't making any money giving them advice they didn't follow anyway although time proved me right. They finally threw the baby out with the bath water and moved to another platform losing all their MV expertise, speed, efficiency, and low-cost. But... they're on the Web now! You can lead them to water, but sometimes, they'll drown themselves in it and you really can't make them drink anyway. By productizing your offerings, you are providing the community with some sort of "shrinkwrapped" tool that we can point to like Accuterm (for example). We can offer a tangible item that our customers can touch and feel. That seems much easier to present and sell than a 'trust me, I know what I'm doing" approach. Anyway, painful as it's been, I think you're on the right track with this idea. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and, hopefully, it's something that will sell like crazy! I thnk the book is a good idea and look forward to buying it! I suspect your approach to "productize" your offerings is probably the best solution to this problem.
I had a client who needed to go to the Web. I seemed to be the LAST person they’d trust for advice on how to do that although they’d been a client for 20 years. In the MV world, I had their trust but as soon as they looked beyond that, nothing I said could make a difference. They paid several Web providers tens of thousands of dollars for off the shelf shopping carts, duplicated data all over the map and generally got nothing for it all. Finally, I threw up my hands and left them to the wolves. I wasn’t making any money giving them advice they didn’t follow anyway although time proved me right. They finally threw the baby out with the bath water and moved to another platform losing all their MV expertise, speed, efficiency, and low-cost. But… they’re on the Web now! You can lead them to water, but sometimes, they’ll drown themselves in it and you really can’t make them drink anyway.
By productizing your offerings, you are providing the community with some sort of "shrinkwrapped" tool that we can point to like Accuterm (for example). We can offer a tangible item that our customers can touch and feel. That seems much easier to present and sell than a ‘trust me, I know what I’m doing" approach. Anyway, painful as it’s been, I think you’re on the right track with this idea. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and, hopefully, it’s something that will sell like crazy! I thnk the book is a good idea and look forward to buying it!

]]>