Websites & Other Resources

softwareCEO.com - The name says it all. An overall resource for software company CEOs. The site was developed by the former editor of Software Success Newsletter (now merged with Soft Letter). If you are in the software business, bookmark this site. It also offers podcasts here.

Chanimal - This site bills itself as "The Ultimate Resource for Hi-Tech Marketing". It has a wealth of information for people involved with software and hardware marketing. Some of the topics covered include: channel marketing plans, ad campaigns, databases, jobs, pricing, mdf, life cycle, tradeshows, consultants, PR, marcom, plus more. The Links section of Chanimal is especially rich.

WinMarkets - Is the personal blog of the founder / CEO of Rubicon Consulting, Nilofer Merchant. Her team provides outstanding help when it comes to market assessment, defending your strategic position or making more profit from a company's resources. Online marketing, customer/influencer programs and large scale strategic operating plans are some of Rubicon's specialties. Most of the name brands in Silicon Valley have worked with Rubicon.

Sales Funnel Calculator - Establishing prices for a new product (especially in a new company) always requires an estimate of market demand and an estimate of the direct costs. Here is a handy tool for estimating how many prospects will become customers (and vice versa). This website is located in Australia and is yet another demonstration how small the world has become.

Software License Agreements - Most software agreements follow a standard form. Here is a site offering license agreements (among other agreements.) Information about agreements that favors the vendor can be found here. Here is a PDF of the form's outline. There is nothing wrong with using off-the-shelf agreements but you will want an attorney to review it to make sure all the bases are covered. Use law firms with experience with software vendors that have an active software company practice area.

Volume Software Licensing resources - Software licensing affects pricing since the terms of the agreement says something about who bears or shares the risk. When shipment volumes increase, the logistics can be overwhelming. Here are some resources that may be useful. Start with microsoft's volume licensing options -- while they are often confusing they are instructive. To manage the logistics, Open Channel Solutions is a leading vendor -- think ERP of license shipments.

www.Softlicense.net This site was developed by the former chief architect of FLEXlm, a licensing solution offered by Macrovision. The site covers software licensing issues affecting end-users, system administrators, and software vendors, for today and tomorrow, including Macrovision™ products FLEXlm™, SAMreport™, FLEXbill™, GTlicensing™, FLEXnet™ and custom solutions. While primarily focused on these products, techical consulting services are available for those considering other license management products.

BusinessPlans.org - Resource site developed and maintained by Business Resource Software, Inc.. In addition to business plan software, they offer PlanWrite for Pricing. They also offer a resource page on product pricing (not software).

Website Development - We'd like to acknowledge our website designer, Telesian Technology. Telesian Technology provides outside-the-box marketing and e-business consulting services for software and technology companies. Telesian helps clients see opportunities that overworked, in-the-trenches, senior managers can't see at the moment. In lean times, when customers tend to spend their dollars on incumbents, Telesian helps sales and marketing focus their efforts on building credibility and vertical expertise. Telesian's Communications Value Chain™ provides its clients with an integrated program of services that targets customers' pain points and promotes products in a provocative and highly differentiated manner. Telesian offers strategic planning, PR, direct marketing, e-marketing, web development, databases, and more. (Thanks Shari...)