Another suggestion for next release

[Agents]

But I did not say "focus on new users", did I?  I said "emphasize" which is different.  Also I did not say that they should restrict 
themselves to current users for reasons that are self-evident and you mentioned.  Paying a small annual maintenance fee is 
reasonable if the users are offered enhancements, bug fixes etc. in a timely fashion.  If, on the other hand, nothing is offered in 
return for the annual maintenance fee, it is of course, a non-starter.  Selling PMMail to someone who is using a different 
software package is a conversaion, as is selling it to someone who has not used e-mail till now (conversion from non-user to 
user).

Hakan

On Thu, 30 Sep 1999 14:32:25 -0700, Steve Lamb wrote:

>Thursday, September 30, 1999, 3:10:47 PM, Agents wrote:
>> I beg to differ -- instead of focusing on selling copies of PMMail to people
>> who are new users, B&I should emphasize current users.
>
>    This is a self-defeating tact to take.  Focusing solely on the current
>user base means you are focusing on an ever decreasing number of people.  The
>current user base, without an influx of people, will always diminish for a
>variety of reasons.  This means that your pool of potential revenue also
>continually diminishes.
>
>> An example would be an annual maintenance fee whereby you would
>> automatically get all updates during a year, more frequent updates offering
>> new benefits to users etc.
>
>    How many will really take to being charged an annual "maintenance fee"
>when currently they do not?  Furthermore, in the venue of email clients where
>the two big heavyweights are given away for free, how successful do you think
>such a restrictive fee will fly?
>
>> Focusing on new customers means converting new users, a lengthy and mostly
>> unsuccesful process, emphasizng current customers means you are working with
>> customers who are already using PMMail, know its features and benefits
>> etc.and thereore it is a shorter process.
>
>    It is more successful than focusing on an ever decreasing user base which
>is certain failure.  Also, focusing on new users doesn't mean "converting" new
>users.  Each year there are more users on computers and the internet than the
>year before.  That means there is a segment of users who really haven't used
>anything else who may be looking around for something decent.  IE, no
>converting.  However, not being on winfiles.com or tucows.com is really
>hurting that effort.
>
>-- 
>         Steve C. Lamb         | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
>         ICQ: 5107343          | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
>-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
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