Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Offering a free trial is a good start. So to is promoting to companies through affiliates.

Roxana,

Actually one of our clients also has such a solution. The most effective for us has been direct sales to the end user.

Michael

Sagehill and Phil's comments are abut focusing your marketing message, while Michael suggests an effective tactic.

They're valid comments and closely related. Work though your marketing message as Sagehill and Phil suggest, then engage a sales force to call prospects.

Because if you don't have your marketing messages and benefit statements created in advance, any tactic (Direct, PPC, SEM, TV) has a higher chance of failure.

Speaking of tactics, don't discount the power of SEO and SEM. You're offering a Web Based service, so it make sense to play in that arena.

Best of luck.

I think you need to let people know what the big gain is on having online meetings.

No travel - Save money on airline tickets, save on hotel rooms, save time. These are all big deals in the present economy. You could even approach this for the echo friendly crowd that all this travel is a big drain on resources.

Connecting with clients. This allows a way to connect wtih clients when face to face is not possible

You have stated that you give a free trial. Perhaps you need to present this different. Instead of just saying you will give a free trial tell people you will host their next meeting, online, for free. If you product is really that great you need to get people to take the first step. After that they will be sold on it.

Be sure that it is clear that meetings are hosted with your solution. This way participants will be more likely to look into your services when they have a need to host an online meeting. These people will have already experienced your service. Perhaps you need to extend all the participants an offer to host a free meeting.

Sorry for my rambling. Hopefully something is useful.

Mike

You have two potential groups: people that use a competitor's product (but are unsatisfied) or people that haven't used a web conferencing product (because of techno-fears).

It's easy to find the first group: they're already searching for web conferencing products online. The second group is harder: they may be using teleconferencing products (for simplicity's sake) or only face-to-face meetings.

The problem is that you want results fast. Neither of these groups is likely to come in droves quickly for your product, because few clients need to regularly web conference. The "regulars" have found a solution that is acceptable (if yours is much better than the competition, and you can prove it, then that's your USP). The "occasionals" may need education to teach them WHY online meetings are much better than face-to-face, and how to make money doing online meetings. This takes time, though.

Your best bet is to start networking with businesses in your community to find those that do frequent meetings, and build testimonials. Alternatively, create an affiliate program to encourage others to help you sell the services.