Black Rake in a Dark Room: Internet Project Marketing
Most recently, one good person asked a philosophical question: “And if you had the opportunity to start the Transaction project 24 at first, would you change something?” And I replied, "Of course!" Actually, this “of course!” Is dedicated to this post.
To begin with, when the first idea about the client and the product was already formulated, it would be well thought out that from the immediate environment it can greatly influence our project. We at one time limited analysis of competing Internet services and, apparently, in vain.
Indeed, it does not happen that the problem exists, but there is no solution. This solution is in most cases a substitute for our product. And for software, a substitute can be anything from another software to a piece of paper. And for each substitute, it was necessary to think out well - how to build up - one, but strong reason that would encourage people to switch from it to our decision. At the same time, the words “conveniently”, “beautifully”, “available”, “many functions” are not at all an argument, because the word “familiarly” is much stronger.
')
For example, let's take about accounting Internet services (conditionally competing): My business , Transactions24 , Elba , Minibuh , Accounts.ru . The substitute products for us are: 1C (...), Business pack (a powerful document generic), Excel (yes, many calmly do all the templates with automatic filling in Excel), Accounting software for the USN (there are many different things).
And, alas, the phrase: “Internet services are promising” - cannot convince a person to abandon the cozy exelki or the usual 1C and start using something new.
Elba and My business are trying to take delivery of electronic reporting, but this at once cuts the market to them, restricting the audience to those who submit reports themselves. Needless to say, most small businesses use an “accountant” class for this special person (theirs or those who come in are not important). We decided to make friends with accountants and did unloading for them in 1C, but this did not solve the problem. No, for the time being, near Internet accounting services of such a value that would encourage users to massively abandon their offline applications.
A proper understanding of competitors, substitute goods and the power of consumers at the start of the project would allow a more precise definition of the product development strategy, save unnecessary gestures and protect from unwanted stresses.
But not only the immediate environment lives project.
In the previous step, we found out: it’s difficult to push a person to use a new product when he already has a habit of old. Just want to assume that there is an opportunity to attract new people who are just starting to do business and have no such habits (the project refers to b2b SaaS).
It would have worked perfectly if the policy of the state would not in words but in deeds contribute to the growth of small business. But again, alas ... And on Habré there is a wonderful article about it. You should not hope for the rapid growth of small business, but in order to collect the few heroic madmen who start small businesses in Russia, you have to make tools like the Documentary Study (purchased by the Contour) or free of charge IP registration (implemented in My Business).
Yes, and we can also thank the state for 152-FZ, but this is a separate topic for a separate discussion.
Let us ask ourselves the question: what would make the businessmen (the majority) reject incoming accountants and theirs? We have decided to cut expenses in a crisis, accordingly, it can be assumed that a normal crisis like this (and a half or two) would result in a greater number of entrepreneurs in near-accounting Internet services. Cynical, but most likely true. It is easy by the way to note that all products in this class began to work actively at the beginning of 2010. However, it is better without crises ...
Here we have a mentality, fairy tales, legends, toasts, business traditions.
A separate topic is how generally the national consciousness is compatible with the idea of SaaS, but this is more likely a reason for flooding, so I will not develop it.
Had we appeared again in 2009, we would have studied and described the macro and microenvironment, as a result, the typewriter “Dealki24” would look somewhat different: we would have had our own printed forms and facsimile loading a year earlier, we would not have written many of the implemented ones. , but functions that are not currently used, but earlier they would start to think about those functions and capabilities that have to be implemented now in a hurry.
This short post briefly describes the use of two standard marketing techniques " Porter 's 5 Forces " (for the microenvironment) and PEST analysis (for the macroenvironment). These techniques are easy to googling and are described in textbooks, encyclopedias, even in abstracts. You can have different attitudes to marketers, but an independent study of the macro and microenvironment at the start of the project can be very useful, at least, will reduce the number of those black rakes, made to attract attention in the title.
To begin with, when the first idea about the client and the product was already formulated, it would be well thought out that from the immediate environment it can greatly influence our project. We at one time limited analysis of competing Internet services and, apparently, in vain.
What have you forgotten? Mainly - substitute products
Indeed, it does not happen that the problem exists, but there is no solution. This solution is in most cases a substitute for our product. And for software, a substitute can be anything from another software to a piece of paper. And for each substitute, it was necessary to think out well - how to build up - one, but strong reason that would encourage people to switch from it to our decision. At the same time, the words “conveniently”, “beautifully”, “available”, “many functions” are not at all an argument, because the word “familiarly” is much stronger.
')
For example, let's take about accounting Internet services (conditionally competing): My business , Transactions24 , Elba , Minibuh , Accounts.ru . The substitute products for us are: 1C (...), Business pack (a powerful document generic), Excel (yes, many calmly do all the templates with automatic filling in Excel), Accounting software for the USN (there are many different things).
And, alas, the phrase: “Internet services are promising” - cannot convince a person to abandon the cozy exelki or the usual 1C and start using something new.
Elba and My business are trying to take delivery of electronic reporting, but this at once cuts the market to them, restricting the audience to those who submit reports themselves. Needless to say, most small businesses use an “accountant” class for this special person (theirs or those who come in are not important). We decided to make friends with accountants and did unloading for them in 1C, but this did not solve the problem. No, for the time being, near Internet accounting services of such a value that would encourage users to massively abandon their offline applications.
And in the micro-environment it is harmless to analyze:
- potential new competitors (which, for example, prevents 1C-y, acquired “MoySklad”, to use the accumulated experience and expertise to create its easy and convenient Internet service),
- ease of transition of consumers to competitors (high consumer power increases competition),
- suppliers (in the case of an Internet project - development tools and hosting, etc.).
Why was this needed?
A proper understanding of competitors, substitute goods and the power of consumers at the start of the project would allow a more precise definition of the product development strategy, save unnecessary gestures and protect from unwanted stresses.
But not only the immediate environment lives project.
Let's look at the big world that surrounds the project at launch.
Let's start with the policy
In the previous step, we found out: it’s difficult to push a person to use a new product when he already has a habit of old. Just want to assume that there is an opportunity to attract new people who are just starting to do business and have no such habits (the project refers to b2b SaaS).
It would have worked perfectly if the policy of the state would not in words but in deeds contribute to the growth of small business. But again, alas ... And on Habré there is a wonderful article about it. You should not hope for the rapid growth of small business, but in order to collect the few heroic madmen who start small businesses in Russia, you have to make tools like the Documentary Study (purchased by the Contour) or free of charge IP registration (implemented in My Business).
Yes, and we can also thank the state for 152-FZ, but this is a separate topic for a separate discussion.
Economy
Let us ask ourselves the question: what would make the businessmen (the majority) reject incoming accountants and theirs? We have decided to cut expenses in a crisis, accordingly, it can be assumed that a normal crisis like this (and a half or two) would result in a greater number of entrepreneurs in near-accounting Internet services. Cynical, but most likely true. It is easy by the way to note that all products in this class began to work actively at the beginning of 2010. However, it is better without crises ...
Social environment
Here we have a mentality, fairy tales, legends, toasts, business traditions.
A separate topic is how generally the national consciousness is compatible with the idea of SaaS, but this is more likely a reason for flooding, so I will not develop it.
Total
Had we appeared again in 2009, we would have studied and described the macro and microenvironment, as a result, the typewriter “Dealki24” would look somewhat different: we would have had our own printed forms and facsimile loading a year earlier, we would not have written many of the implemented ones. , but functions that are not currently used, but earlier they would start to think about those functions and capabilities that have to be implemented now in a hurry.
Regarding what used
This short post briefly describes the use of two standard marketing techniques " Porter 's 5 Forces " (for the microenvironment) and PEST analysis (for the macroenvironment). These techniques are easy to googling and are described in textbooks, encyclopedias, even in abstracts. You can have different attitudes to marketers, but an independent study of the macro and microenvironment at the start of the project can be very useful, at least, will reduce the number of those black rakes, made to attract attention in the title.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/125945/
All Articles