Software Products Eco-system
Focus your Marketing for Success
5 Reasons to Focus, 5 common fallacies, 5 criteria to evaluate your focus
The most-frequent “heated” discussions I have with entrepreneurs are on the subject of Focus. Most entrepreneurs will argue, very passionately, how the need for a tighter focus does not apply to them, for reasons I have tried to summarize below. The discussion is so frequent, so passionate, and so tiring, that I decided to write this post and be done with it!
Guidelines for Pricing your Product
Product Pricing is more than a trade-off between volume and margin. The knee jerk reaction of most Indian software companies is to price low. However, price too cheaply, and you risk your positioning – do you want to be positioned as “cheap” in the prospect’s mind? Products rarely win by pricing low. On the other hand, would you dare price higher than an established, brand-name competitor? Devil’s choice? You bet! Here are some guidelines to help you make a more balanced decision.
Brand-building basics for Software Product companies
Indian product start-ups have struggled to convert superior products to sales. Very few companies have crossed the chasm, and while their accomplishments are laudable in light of the challenges, the scale is abysmal. Fortunately, the new mode of marketing and branding on Web 2.0 has made the game a lot easier for Indian product companies by reducing barriers of cost and geography. This post will address the basics of brand building for product Start-ups.
Not one, but many Microsofts in the making
Even before Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to join Paul Allen’s efforts to build a BASIC interpreter, firms like IBM, ICL, DEC, Data General, Cray and yet some more existed. However, Microsoft (MS) did not come out of their cradle. It was born in an unlikely place called Seattle, from the efforts of two very unlikely people who would not have been candidates for beatification in the first four decades after ENIAC.
An opportunity to Develop and Sell your applications to Netbook users worldwide
Intel recently launched a developer program to encourage independent software vendors (ISVs) and developers to create innovative applications for . The Intel Atom Developer Program provides a framework for developers to create and sell software applications for netbooks with support for handhelds and smart phones available in the future. The program provides tools, SDKs and community resources to develop new apps or port existing apps to Atom-based devices. Through the program, developers seeking to reduce overhead and streamline the creation of new applications may also license development tools and application modules directly from other independent developers and ISVs.
VC backed exits through M&A expected to rise
The IT boom during the last few years has helped the valuations of IT companies. However, with the markets down, their valuations are expected to be lower, which has increased interest among investors to take the M&A route since they can now take advantage of acquiring companies at a lower cost. The forecast for VC backed exits through M&A’s is expected to increase this year.
SaaS set to grow in future
“Indian product start-ups and SMBs can compete with the global companies with the help of SaaS, even though there are few challenges that need to be addressed,” said Pari Natarajan, CEO, Zinnov while moderating a session, named ‘SaaS Business Model – Will it be the non-linear growth model of the future?’ held here today as part of the two-day NASSCOM Product Conclave and Expo 2009.
Scared to join a startup?
India has become the Silicon Valley of east and a nurturing ground for startups but these startups are often targeted with wrong assumption and myths. The most common myth that an applicant assumes is that working for startup is risky and unsecure. Viswanath “Vishy” Ramachandran, CTO of Webaroo said that this is not true as it completely depends on the company a person joins. Sometimes it happens that employees working for big companies will get thrown out for not performing.While many employees might not be able to grow in some big companies.
China represents four opportunities for us: NASSCOM Chief
China presents four major opportunities to the IT industry in India, including servicing the north Asian market, Som Mittal, Chairperson of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies), said here today.
“China holds four major opportunities for us, including servicing the north Asian market” he told a press conference during the two-day NASSCOM Product Conclave and Expo 2009 which was unveiled here today.
6 useful tips which will help you to leverage your participation at Product Conclave 2009
We are few hours away from the NASSCOM Product Conclave. Both days of the conclave are filled with lot of exciting stuff, so we thought we will give few useful tips which will help you to leverage your participation and help you to carry learning’s and insights from the event:
