Re: Seeding the market (was Informix Directions)

On Mon, 9 Feb 1998, Mike Segel wrote: > Art, > I am confused. > The point I was trying to make was that grass roots marketing efforts > did work in these cases. The point I wanted to make is that these may be 'grass roots' campaigns targeting ultimate consumers but they are MOST IMPORTANTLY campaigns that target the DECISION MAKER who may or may not be the one who writes the checks. Bottom line, the Chief Financial Officer signs the checks but the VP MIS makes the decisions. A campaign directed at programmers and project managers does not reach the VP MIS and one targeted at CFO does not either. Sorry but Informix has ALWAYS had grass roots programmer support. Aren't we here arguing about it because we know and love the product and are convinced that it is the 'Best of Breed'? Yes, Informix needs to maintain and enhance that grass roots support, that is why I back the Linux port so strongly, because programmers grow up to become DBAs and Project Managers and even VPs of MIS and therefore become decision makers but that is an "invest in the future" campaign. If Informix does not reach the decision makers of today there will be no tomorrow! As a long time consultant and project manager, in former lives, I know that to make a project happen you must find the "Gate Keeper" and target that individual. Of the entire staff only the Gate Keeper has influence on the staff and management. If you cannot target the informal organization through the Gate Keeper then the only way to make the project succeed is to acquire sufficiently forceful support from management. So, from an organizational standpoint also, a grassroots campaign can help, by perhaps reaching the Gate Keepers out there, but the direct approach of reaching the management decision makers has the higher likelyhood of success in the larger marketplace because to effectively target Gate Keepers you need to know who they are and what motivates each individual (ease of use, security, familiarity, prior experience/training, hearsay, etc). The Gate Keepers' concerns can only be handled by an onsite sales person (if he/she ever hears them). Anyway, there it is. Reach for the decision maker. Advertise in MIS not DBMS, WSJ not NY Daily News, OK maybe the Super Bowl but certainly the PGA Masters and LPGA championship, also Money and Forbes and Bloomberg Magazine [shameless plug, I wonder if Mike B. monitors CDI? :) ]. > What don't you agree with these examples of grass roots marketing? [SNIP] > > > 1) Snapple > > > 2) Ben and Jerry's > > > 3) Beanie Babbies > > > 4) Iron City Beer (Its a 'burgh thing) > > > 5) Most automobiles (Saturn and Volvo comes to mind.) > > > 6) Most toys. Like Tickle Me Elmo for example. > > > > Every one of these products is marketed directly to the decision maker. > > Kids may not write the checks but my kids tell me which stuffed toys to > > buy for them, not the other way around. Same with beer and > > automobiles. Sorry Tim, Mike I have to disagree. Where Informix has > > ALWAYS failed is in advertising to management decision makers. And > > things have just gotten worse since the merger/purchase of Illustra and > > its team of database vendor killers. Art S. Kagel, kagel@bloomberg.com