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Missing the point completely

Well, almost. AJ, from MarketCircle that is.

He says:

Exhibiting at a trade show like Macworld is expensive - both directly and indirectly. Many people could argue that that money is better spent on other things like our website, AdWords or other marketing efforts.

Dude, if you think someone's going to buy a CRM system because you have a pretty website or nice banner ads? Well, I'm sure the set of "Has money, No brains" will keep you in business, but are those the customers you REALLY want? They tend to be support-intensive.

Daylite's not an email application that you can test with a demo in an hour or two. It's something you have to have a reasonably large test group for, you have to have people who can jack their workflow around to test, with the knowledge that even if they like it, they might have to stop using it. You don't just do that because of a pretty ad or a nice web site. You do it because you've seen something in the product that makes it worth the effort.

But let's move on.

In the end, I’ve always decided to do it because it helps us build relationships with our partners, the media, Apple, other developers and customers. Relationships are intangible, yet they can bear big dividends. For example, if I hadn’t met some Apple folks at Macworld 2002 (who pushed us to productize and sell Daylite), I doubt that Marketcircle would be what it is today.

The Internet, trial downloads and the Apple stores have made much of Macworld obsolete over the last few years. Each year, the decision becomes harder and harder. It was only a matter of time before we hit the tipping point. I think Apple pulling out is that tipping point. Because if Apple is not there, who is going to come to the party?

He's been going to Macworld since 2002, and in six years, he can only remember Apple helping him out? If that's really true, then he should pull out, because Marketcircle obviously has the worst in-person marketing people on the planet. Or, he's being selective with his memory so as to justify a decision he wanted to make anyway. Either way, unimpressive.

I don’t think the Internet will ever replace the act of getting together. It’s always fun and you meet so many new people that you wouldn’t otherwise. It’s great for relationship building.

You can't have it both ways AJ. Either most of "getting together" is obsolete, or it has real value. Especially for a product that is not easily tested, being able to painlessly beat on it in a booth is the only way I'm even going to take it seriously, unless AJ plans to start trotting his ass out to potential customer sites with hardware in hand so that I can beat on it painlessly in a meeting room. My company's way to busy to jack our workflow around so that AJ doesn't have to go to Macworld, and if he wants me to buy his product, then Marketcircle can just happy-tap their asses down to Tallahassee. None of this "Partner" bullshit. You make the product, you sell me the product.

See, here's part of it. AJ realized it's much cheaper to have his partners do all the hard work. They do the traveling and the demos, and MarketCircle does...coding and sends them a check. That's why you have partners, so you don't have to do all the work.

So I hope there is some kind of (cost effective) replacement to serve the “getting together” need. Maybe IDG or someone else will come up with something. Or maybe Apple will change WWDC a bit to serve a dual purpose.

How many times does the "Maybe Apple will make my life easier for me" meme have to fail before people like AJ stop believing in it? Dude, they have WWDCs all the time without a vendor area. If it's convenient, they'll let you pay to play. Oh, and you'll pay. You know what you'll be paying for? A group of people who, overall are maybe one-tenth the size of a Macworld, but not even that. A good chunk of them are developers who don't care about CRM. They have relationships with code. So the overall pool of potential customers are the IT people, and a good chunk of them won't care either. Good luck on that audience.

You know who cares about CRM? Sales and Marketing people. What conferences do sales and marketing people go to? It ain't the WWDC, it's conferences like Macworld.

But hey, APPLE will make sure you're okay.

BAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA

Oh, I'm sorry, I just can't say that without laughing. AJ, you really need to talk to some people with more Apple experience about just how stupid that concept is.

I was going to make my Macworld 2010 decision on the last day of Macworld 2009. That decision just got easier.

You have a GOOD TIME selling to developers during the WWDC. Lemme know how that works out for you.

Categories: Macworld Expo

Posted by John C. Welch at 11:00 | Permalink

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Well, almost. AJ, from MarketCircle that is.\n\nHe says:\n

Exhibiting at a trade show like Macworld is expensive - both directly and indirectly. Many people could argue that that money is better spent on other things like our website, AdWords or other marketing efforts.

\nDude, if you think someone's going to buy a CRM system because you have a pretty website or nice banner ads? Well, I'm sure the set of \"Has money, No brains\" will keep you in business, but are those the customers you REALLY want? They tend to be support-intensive.\n\nDaylite's not an email application that you can test with a demo in an hour or two. It's something you have to have a reasonably large test group for, you have to have people who can jack their workflow around to test, with the knowledge that even if they like it, they might have to stop using it. You don't just do that because of a pretty ad or a nice web site. You do it because you've seen something in the product that makes it worth the effort.\n\nBut let's move on.\n

In the end, I’ve always decided to do it because it helps us build relationships with our partners, the media, Apple, other developers and customers. Relationships are intangible, yet they can bear big dividends. For example, if I hadn’t met some Apple folks at Macworld 2002 (who pushed us to productize and sell Daylite), I doubt that Marketcircle would be what it is today.\n\nThe Internet, trial downloads and the Apple stores have made much of Macworld obsolete over the last few years. Each year, the decision becomes harder and harder. It was only a matter of time before we hit the tipping point. I think Apple pulling out is that tipping point. Because if Apple is not there, who is going to come to the party?

\n\nHe's been going to Macworld since 2002, and in six years, he can only remember Apple helping him out? If that's really true, then he should pull out, because Marketcircle obviously has the worst in-person marketing people on the planet. Or, he's being selective with his memory so as to justify a decision he wanted to make anyway. Either way, unimpressive. \n

I don’t think the Internet will ever replace the act of getting together. It’s always fun and you meet so many new people that you wouldn’t otherwise. It’s great for relationship building.

\n\nYou can't have it both ways AJ. Either most of \"getting together\" is obsolete, or it has real value. Especially for a product that is not easily tested, being able to painlessly beat on it in a booth is the only way I'm even going to take it seriously, unless AJ plans to start trotting his ass out to potential customer sites with hardware in hand so that I can beat on it painlessly in a meeting room. My company's way to busy to jack our workflow around so that AJ doesn't have to go to Macworld, and if he wants me to buy his product, then Marketcircle can just happy-tap their asses down to Tallahassee. None of this \"Partner\" bullshit. You make the product, you sell me the product. \n\nSee, here's part of it. AJ realized it's much cheaper to have his partners do all the hard work. They do the traveling and the demos, and MarketCircle does...coding and sends them a check. That's why you have partners, so you don't have to do all the work.\n

So I hope there is some kind of (cost effective) replacement to serve the “getting together” need. Maybe IDG or someone else will come up with something. Or maybe Apple will change WWDC a bit to serve a dual purpose.

\n\nHow many times does the \"Maybe Apple will make my life easier for me\" meme have to fail before people like AJ stop believing in it? Dude, they have WWDCs all the time without a vendor area. If it's convenient, they'll let you pay to play. Oh, and you'll pay. You know what you'll be paying for? A group of people who, overall are maybe one-tenth the size of a Macworld, but not even that. A good chunk of them are developers who don't care about CRM. They have relationships with code. So the overall pool of potential customers are the IT people, and a good chunk of them won't care either. Good luck on that audience.\n\nYou know who cares about CRM? Sales and Marketing people. What conferences do sales and marketing people go to? It ain't the WWDC, it's conferences like Macworld. \n\nBut hey, APPLE will make sure you're okay.\n\nBAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA\n\nOh, I'm sorry, I just can't say that without laughing. AJ, you really need to talk to some people with more Apple experience about just how stupid that concept is.\n\n

I was going to make my Macworld 2010 decision on the last day of Macworld 2009. That decision just got easier.

\n\nYou have a GOOD TIME selling to developers during the WWDC. Lemme know how that works out for you.