Günther Schoch
2005-09-06 08:45:22 UTC
Hello to all
I think it makes sense to explain here a "real world marketing case" in
order to discuss perhaps a better approach that could be made by the
borland marketing
facts:
We deliver since Delphi 1 real large software product to the army. For a
long time we were far ahead of any other product combination (e.g. C++
or VB ...).
Since about 2 years our opponents try to define Delphi as a "risky
platform".
We continued to developed Win32 Delphi code an are still a lot
cheaper/faster/stable as our oppoents. Now they do is to try to "put
Delphi on the black list = not allowed for new projects".
In the meantime we migrated some 100'000 lines and a bigger trial
project to D2005.NET. And D2005.NET is since SP4(unoffical <g>) a real
great platform!
What a great message to the customer (we would expect). They have not to
rewrite projects (Total Sum >> 10 Mio$) but can migrate with just about
10% of the initial costs to .NET (if they believe it's time to shift).
We do run Win32/.NET parallel. WHERE IS THE PROBLEM?
And there is still a problem. They do not trust Delphi's future. Purely
emotional! Microsofts marketing machine against what = the borland vacuum?
Please do not start to discuss technical. We are talking about marketing
=emotions.
Example: To show during a meeting the new book "Delphi 2005 of Marco
Cantu" was better than all the Borland marketing support for Delphi
during the last 2 years.
Borland does offer some technical sales persons for such meetings ...
forget it. Most of us in this forum do know more about Delphi and are
better used to sell projects. Ok e.g. John Kuster would be a great show
but he cannot to the whole worldwide presentation and talks by his own.
What I do need is a clear strategy.
I cannot convince my customers by "ALM" and "JAVA..Eclypse..do not know
what" ideas.
It does to not help to inform my customer that "Delphi is a nice little
cash cow" (or that "Dexter the bull" will solve all his problems).
it's up to Borland to provide a clear strategy that can be explained in
easy words to a strategic customer!
regards
Günther
I think it makes sense to explain here a "real world marketing case" in
order to discuss perhaps a better approach that could be made by the
borland marketing
facts:
We deliver since Delphi 1 real large software product to the army. For a
long time we were far ahead of any other product combination (e.g. C++
or VB ...).
Since about 2 years our opponents try to define Delphi as a "risky
platform".
We continued to developed Win32 Delphi code an are still a lot
cheaper/faster/stable as our oppoents. Now they do is to try to "put
Delphi on the black list = not allowed for new projects".
In the meantime we migrated some 100'000 lines and a bigger trial
project to D2005.NET. And D2005.NET is since SP4(unoffical <g>) a real
great platform!
What a great message to the customer (we would expect). They have not to
rewrite projects (Total Sum >> 10 Mio$) but can migrate with just about
10% of the initial costs to .NET (if they believe it's time to shift).
We do run Win32/.NET parallel. WHERE IS THE PROBLEM?
And there is still a problem. They do not trust Delphi's future. Purely
emotional! Microsofts marketing machine against what = the borland vacuum?
Please do not start to discuss technical. We are talking about marketing
=emotions.
Example: To show during a meeting the new book "Delphi 2005 of Marco
Cantu" was better than all the Borland marketing support for Delphi
during the last 2 years.
Borland does offer some technical sales persons for such meetings ...
forget it. Most of us in this forum do know more about Delphi and are
better used to sell projects. Ok e.g. John Kuster would be a great show
but he cannot to the whole worldwide presentation and talks by his own.
What I do need is a clear strategy.
I cannot convince my customers by "ALM" and "JAVA..Eclypse..do not know
what" ideas.
It does to not help to inform my customer that "Delphi is a nice little
cash cow" (or that "Dexter the bull" will solve all his problems).
it's up to Borland to provide a clear strategy that can be explained in
easy words to a strategic customer!
regards
Günther