Hey Terry,
Thanks for the input. I agree it's best to do it with as few people as possible. But one of the problems I foresee in selling is when the prospective client says: "So, Frank, what happens if you get run over by a bus?" So I want to enusre I have a good answer to that.
I hope Jos jumps in here. (BTW, I would have thought since you are in Houston and probably familiar with the oil industry you would know that Trinidad is in the Caribbean, just off the coast of Venezuela, closish to Guyana
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>A cool dude in Houston, Ed Hardin, sales a broad market data munging (postal code utility) interface. He has about 3000 users. He said - but mind you his app is "mature", he only spends 3 hours a day doin support - and of course he is always working enhancements.
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>Joe Pols also has a commercial product - and - he works on the same side of the Pond as you. I think he resides in South Africa(?). He might have some good advice if you can catch him!
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>It's best if you can do it with as few people as you can get by with. IS it going to be a eval download marketing? Is it really technical? Are you looking for funding (try to do it without funding) - but if you're in need of capital, then you need a business plan.
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>It's helpful to do a business plan even when the product is self-funded.
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>>Hi,
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>>with so many people around here who have applications for sale I thought maybe someone could give me some guidlines as to what I should expect/cater for when I start selling my vertical market application.
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>>I am anticipating between 10 and 20 clients (each with 5 to 10 users) purchasing the application in the first year. I also see the first year as being one of rapid improvement of the application as the first batch of users make requests for enhancements. Generally, I think the app should be pretty stable and don't anticipate too many support requests. After the first year I intend on seriously marketing the app regionally (I am looking at the Caribbean as my first market) and then internationally. I also do ad-hoc development for a few other clients.
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>>Currently I am just one developer with one administrative assistant working for me. The Admin Asst. is quite technically inclined and is currently doing CompTIA A+ and Network+, so may be able to help out with the support initially.
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>>One thing I do not want to happen is that I expand so quickly that I lose control over the quality of the software being developed or the support.
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>>I anticipate remaining as is initially, then adding in a marketing person prior to market the application regionally.
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>>I also think that one support person per 20 customers is a safe ratio.
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>>Should I look at hiring a fulltime developer to work along side me or should I look at outsourcing as needed, or maybe finding another developer like me who will work on this project along with other projects of their own?
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>>How would you structure your company with these goals in mind?
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>>All input/opinions welcome.
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>>Thanks.
