OT - Any software marketers here?

[Hungry Jack]

If so, any interest in talking shop with client manager?

 

[NUAlum78]

If so, any interest in talking shop with client manager?

Depending on what you mean by marketer, sure. Spent my entire career getting new solutions to market,

 

[T_Levine]

Yup. Out here in Silicon Valley. My career has been in marketing and biz dev. What can I help you with?

 

[Hungry Jack]

Thanks for replying! I work for a small SaaS firm that has a very unusual and sophisticated solution that is primarily applied to budgeting, especially for IT, R&D, capital and some operating portfolios. It's basically a benefit-cost modeling tool for project portfolios.

My implementation role involves a mix of planning and project management, facilitation, data mapping and transformation, onboarding and teaching, and analytics services for clients that want the additional help. It's a fun job as I wear a lot of different hats.

More recently I have been tasked with leading a team to devise ways to make our clients more self-sufficient and bring more data into our solution. We are targeting client-side analysts and trying to engage them in more learning, community building, and more continuing conversations with our internal analytics team, which I lead.

That said, I would love to get any insights on building this type of user community in a software firm. It's unfamiliar territory for me, but obviously vital to our company.

So if you are willing and available, I would love to tap into your expertise. If you are local, I will gladly buy (a nice) lunch.

Let me know if you can help!

Thanks!

 

[NewBocacat]

Thanks for replying! I work for a small SaaS firm that has a very unusual and sophisticated solution that is primarily applied to budgeting, especially for IT, R&D, capital and some operating portfolios. It's basically a benefit-cost modeling tool for project portfolios.

My implementation role involves a mix of planning and project management, facilitation, data mapping and transformation, onboarding and teaching, and analytics services for clients that want the additional help. It's a fun job as I wear a lot of different hats.

More recently I have been tasked with leading a team to devise ways to make our clients more self-sufficient and bring more data into our solution. We are targeting client-side analysts and trying to engage them in more learning, community building, and more continuing conversations with our internal analytics team, which I lead.

That said, I would love to get any insights on building this type of user community in a software firm. It's unfamiliar territory for me, but obviously vital to our company.

So if you are willing and available, I would love to tap into your expertise. If you are local, I will gladly buy (a nice) lunch.

Let me know if you can help!

Thanks!

Find your most passionate end users first.

They will have 10X the credibility of the vendor. Start with success stories...videos, presentations, blogs and try to coax a community to start interacting

 

[Hungry Jack]

What "sweeteners" are most effective in getting power users to engage? We have a certification for them that recognizes their knowledge and experience. One option I am considering is offering new certified analysts a free phone consultation with our analytics team. We tend to charge for services so it's bit unusual.

 

[NewBocacat]

What "sweeteners" are most effective in getting power users to engage? We have a certification for them.

Most of them have big egos and they love the press.

But maybe some free usage, Customer advisory board, or the ability to be a Beta tester is usually enough

 

[NUAlum78]

Thanks for replying! I work for a small SaaS firm that has a very unusual and sophisticated solution that is primarily applied to budgeting, especially for IT, R&D, capital and some operating portfolios. It's basically a benefit-cost modeling tool for project portfolios.

My implementation role involves a mix of planning and project management, facilitation, data mapping and transformation, onboarding and teaching, and analytics services for clients that want the additional help. It's a fun job as I wear a lot of different hats.

More recently I have been tasked with leading a team to devise ways to make our clients more self-sufficient and bring more data into our solution. We are targeting client-side analysts and trying to engage them in more learning, community building, and more continuing conversations with our internal analytics team, which I lead.

That said, I would love to get any insights on building this type of user community in a software firm. It's unfamiliar territory for me, but obviously vital to our company.

So if you are willing and available, I would love to tap into your expertise. If you are local, I will gladly buy (a nice) lunch.

Let me know if you can help!

Thanks!

I do have a lot of experience in this type of endeavor. Building a cooperative community across competitors is not as hard as it sounds. I assume you are trying to build this repository across several of your customers, some or all of whom are competitors of one another? I am in Atlanta but can be reached at wap30024 at comcast dot net.

 

[DaCat]

Introduce them to the Wildcat Report Rant Board. Oh never mind, I thought you meant to destroy a user community.