[AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as JC

John Bartow john at winhaven.net
Wed Mar 31 01:32:03 CST 2004


LOL (quietly its 1:30 AM).

More just the wierd hours I keep. My wife says I was born to live in Hawaii
where at least I would get up and go to bed the same time everyone else
does! She's a creature of habit and I'm a habit of creature ;o)

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin -
Beach Access Software
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:07 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected
as JC


John:

Do you snore?  Loudly?  Are you very tired upon waking up in the morning?
Is you neck circumference over 16 inches?  Might you fall asleep while
watching TV?  Does your wife say you stop breathing or gasp for air while
you sleep?  Is you body mass index over 26?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions you need to be a Sleep
Doctor beta tester.  Let The Sleep Doctor help.  Simply reply to
bchacc at san.rr.com and say 'I wanna be a beta tester!'.  Operators are
standing by...

Rocky Smolin
Beach Access Software
http://www.e-z-mrp.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Bartow" <john at winhaven.net>
To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
<accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 8:55 PM
Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as
JC


> Good thing my wife doesn't read this or she'd order a copy to analyze me
> right now :o)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin -
> Beach Access Software
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 10:39 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected
> as JC
>
>
> Sure.  I estimate it will take to the end of the year before I see any
real
> results.
>
> I've got another product cooking as well - analyzes sleep disorders. Been
> working on it with an expert in the field for 4-5 years (not continuously,
> of course).  Might be able to launch it this year.
>
> Do you want to be a beta tester?
>
> Rocky
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kath Pelletti" <SDSSoftware at optusnet.com.au>
> To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
> <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 8:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected as
> JC
>
>
> Well I wish you the very best of luck...can you let us know how the sales
> go?
>
> Kath
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Rocky Smolin - Beach Access Software
>   To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>   Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 9:42 AM
>   Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected
as
> JC
>
>
>   Kath:
>
>   In the 'old' days when I was flogging this package in DOS, I thought
that
>   some of them would be sold by word of mouth, people seeing it, or the
>   reports that got passed around (which all had my company name in the
>   footer).  So I always wanted everyone to have the latest version.  So I
>   didn't charge for it.  It was in my self-interest to have them use the
> most
>   recent release.  And I'm still going to keep to that policy for this new
>   version.
>
>   If I add a module, like Order Entry, everybody will get it at no cost.
> With
>   distribution by web, there really is no overhead cost to me to
distribute
>   it.  And good product sells more product.
>
>   I promote the product support as a 'free phone in consulting service on
> any
>   question related to the software OR manufacturing systems' for the first
>   year, and $300 a year after that (about 10% of the purchase price).
>
>   In the past I had a lot of conversations with people about manufacturing
>   issues - how to structure a bill of materials, how to make up a part
>   numbering scheme, how to solve a particular work order problem, etc -
and
>   very few questions about how to actually run the software.  This added a
> LOT
>   of value to the product and didn't really take very much time.
>
>   The key is to make a product which is so user stupid that anybody who
can
>   read and count to 20 can run it.  Then you don't get the same question
20
>   times a day, like 'how do I run a costed inventory report?'.
>
>   If a user doesn't want to pay the yearly maintenance then they don't get
> the
>   phone support.  I could tell them they don't get the new releases as
well
>   but that works against me salewise.  Many people didn't pay for the
> support
>   after the first couple of years because they never called me for
anything.
>
>   The other key, of course, it goes without saying, is to make the product
> so
>   solid that it doesn't generate bugs and errors.  Then you don't get any
>   support calls.
>
>   BTW - I'm not a marketer or salesy type person, either.  But if you have
>   something you believe in it's not really selling.  And I really believe
in
>   this product (why not, I invented it?).  I just present the product and
if
>   they like it fine.  They buy it.  If not, it's like pushing on a string.
>
>   I always wanted people to feel like they got more than they expected and
>   when you sell hard you overhype, raise expectations, and end up with
>   customers who expect more than you have to give.
>
>   When people buy E-Z-MRP they feel like they just bought a dollar for
fifty
>   cents.  That makes selling a lot easier, too.
>
>   I suppose that's why I'm successful but not rich. :)
>
>   HTH
>
>   Rocky Smolin
>   Beach Access Software
>   http://www.e-z-mrp.com
>
>
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: "Kath Pelletti" <SDSSoftware at optusnet.com.au>
>   To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
>   <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
>   Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 2:59 PM
>   Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as well-connected
as
>   JC
>
>
>   Rocky - out of interest - what support arrangements / fees are you
> offering?
>
>   Kath
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: Rocky Smolin - Beach Access Software
>     To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>     Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:48 AM
>     Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as
well-connected
> as
>   JC
>
>
>     Andy:
>
>     Don't envy me. They jury's still out.  I've got a bit of a buffer so
we
>     won't miss any meals, but that can't go on forever.  I've had two good
>     products and several bad ones.  At least this time I'm starting in an
>     economy that's on the upswing.
>
>     But I've always been a bootstrap kind of guy - we're doing a mailing
in
>   San
>     Diego county this month.  Hopefully snag two or three systems.  Then
use
>     that money to mail again in another county.  Build it up slowly.
> Instead
>   of
>     mortgaging the house.
>
>     I'm still doing some fee-for-service as well. So that keeps some of
the
>     lights on.
>
>     It's a high wire act for sure.  But when it does work, it's a thing of
>     beauty.
>
>     Rocky
>
>     > -----Original Message-----
>     > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>     > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Andy Lacey
>     > Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 1:18 PM
>     > To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
>     > Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as
> well-connected
>     > as JC
>     >
>     >
>     > I envy Rocky (sort of) but won't be trying to emulate him. Been
there,
>     tried
>     > that, and failed. Problem with the product thing is that you have to
>     > metamorphose from developer into marketer, and I couldn't. Not my
> thing
>   at
>     > all. Plus IME it involves sinking money into advertising, mailing,
>     > brochures, websites nd so on. You have to be prepared to risk big
> outlay
>     > against no guarantee of return. Done that 2 or 3 times to great cost
> and
>     no
>     > great return. Won't be doing it again.
>     >
>     > -- Andy Lacey
>     > http://www.minstersystems.co.uk
>     >
>     > > -----Original Message-----
>     > > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>     > > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of
>     > > Steven W. Erbach
>     > > Sent: 30 March 2004 04:16
>     > > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>     > > Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: A survey from somebody not as
>     > > well-connected as JC
>     > >
>     > >
>     > > William,
>     > >
>     > > >> ...don't take this the wrong way <<
>     > >
>     > > I won't. I appreciate your point of view. I have gotten
>     > > caught up in the tools as if owning the right brand of socket
>     > > wrench will guarantee me a living.
>     > >
>     > > But I hear you on the client-centered approach. I've worked
>     > > on lots of things that were outside of my skill-set comfort zone.
>     > >
>     > > I talked with a friend recently about my business and he
>     > > asked if there was anything I specialized in. I told him no;
>     > > my business is producing custom solutions to solve customer
>     > > problems. He recommended a product-centered approach, like
>     > > what Rocky is aiming for. I have a long-term care facility
>     > > marketing and donations program I wrote that might fill the
>     > > bill. We'll see.
>     > >
>     > > >> ...but I'm just me and don't have any intention of ever
>     > > working hard
>     > > >> again <<
>     > >
>     > > Not really an option for me as we're having some tough times
>     > > financially. I can dig the varietal nature of your work,
>     > > though. Thanks.
>     > >
>     > > Regards,
>     > >
>     > > Steve Erbach
>     > > Scientific Marketing
>     > > Neenah, WI
>     > >
>     > > "You must be an intellectual. No normal person would say a
>     > > thing like that." - George Orwell
>     > >
>     > > --
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>     > > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/a> ccessd
>     > > Website:
>     > > http://www.databaseadvisors.com
>     > >
>     > >
>     >
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