MultiLink Solutions 7.0 Product Marketing Plan Contents 7.1 Product Concept 7.2 What GroupWare Provides 7.3 Marketing Target 7.4 Market Needs and Barriers 7.4.1 Market Needs 7.4.2 Meeting These Needs with GroupWare 7.4.3 Phase I: Large Corporations 7.4.4 Phase II: Independent Software Vendors 7.5 Market Image and Position 7.6 Standardizing RMP 7.7 Rollout and Distribution 7.7.1 Announcement 7.7.2 Distribution 7.1 Product Concept Network protocols are the languages of computer communication. Just as natural languages allow humans to communicate, protocols allow computers to "talk" with each other. MultiLink Solutions introduces the Reliable Multicast Protocol (RMP), a new network protocol that allows computers to communicate with high efficiency, reliability and security. Since a network protocol is a simply a technical description of how computers using that protocol should communicate, MultiLink Solutions' product will be the software that implements RMP. However, we also plan to evolve the protocol itself into an industry standard. Figure 1 depicts this important distinction between the protocol and its implementation, the software package we call GroupWare. Figure 1 In this section we present our market plans for GroupWare and related efforts to standardize RMP. This entire market plan is based on the market research and analysis detailed in section 7, "Marketing Analysis." 7.2 What GroupWare Provides The GroupWare software consists of program instructions written in the C programming language. A person writing network software simply incorporates these instructions into his or her own software to use the Reliable Multicast Protocol. Returning to our human analogy, much like the English language is a collection of words and rules for using them, GroupWare is a collection of software programs that implement the rules established by RMP. Thus, to gain the benefits provided by RMP (mainly, reliable, efficient and secure communication), a network programmer simply needs to use the pre-packaged programs included in GroupWare. 7.3 Marketing Target The end user of the RMP programming tools will be a programmer with the following general profile: *develops network programs such as client-server applications or would like to boost existing software's performance by incorporating RMP *understands at a very low level how computers transfer information across a network *programs in C or C++ Our market research indicates that such a user likely uses network protocols already to implement network software. Thus, our marketing efforts must persuade potential customers that RMP's benefits justify the investment of resources to purchase and use GroupWare. 7.4 Market Needs and Barriers A generally-accepted market observation is that customers using a product resist purchasing a similar replacement product. However, that resistance can be reduced by a product that offers substantial advantages over the existing product. Herein lies the marketing power of GroupWare and RMP. 7.4.1 Market Needs Numerous network protocols used throughout the computer industry reliably and efficiently allow one computer to communicate with another. However, an extremely few number of protocols extend this efficiency and reliability to multiple computers communicating simultaneously. The Reliable Multicast Protocol provides multicast (i.e., simultaneous multiple communications) functionality with high efficiency, security, reliability, and tolerance for network faults that threaten data integrity and network services. Additional market need analysis can be found in the Market Analysis section of this business plan. 7.4.2 Meeting These Needs with GroupWare As a startup company, MultiLink Solutions benefits from highly focused marketing efforts. During the first five years following inception, MLS is following a two-phased marketing plan. In Phase I, we market GroupWare to large corporations developing mission-critical applications. We work closely with the MIS managers and network programmers of these companies to demonstrate the advantages of RMP over existing network protocols and also help these corporations develop in-house software. The small size of this segment will allow MLS to focus its efforts on building momentum for the larger Phase II. Phase II will target independent software vendors (ISVs) such as Intersolv, Microsoft and other companies developing network applications. 7.4.3 Phase I: Large Corporations Unlike smaller companies who may purchase their network applications from independent software vendors, many large corporations develop their own custom in-house network applications. To overcome these customers' resistance to using a new protocol, MLS will closely aid their conversion to RMP. We can exploit the unique benefits of RMP's reliability and security, two features critical to the privacy of the corporations' networked data. MultiLink Solutions will send to each prospective company a video tape promoting the features and benefits of RMP and also highlighting the ease with which GroupWare allows the use of RMP. To minimize costs, the video will be produced by MLS itself and will include depictions of GroupWare's use in a corporate setting. The video will be accompanied by a demo version of the software and also a letter inviting the customer to contact MultiLink Solutions. 7.4.4 Phase II: The Mass PC Market Independent software vendors compose the largest market target group for GroupWare in that they develop general network applications used in the mass PC market. These vendors provide software such as Internet access programs, database systems, accounting software, network games, or even low-level network operating software such as Novell's Netware or Microsoft's Windows NT. Still other ISVs such as Intersolv, for example, provide programming software that allows other companies to develop their own network applications. Thus, the ISV market could be further divided into those companies that develop their own network applications and those that sell network software programming tools. MLS will exploit Phase I case studies in marketing GroupWare to the mass PC market. By demonstrating how RMP formed the basis of corporate software, MLS will gain market credibility in demonstrating how RMP also can form the foundation for popular network software, including games, databases, operating systems and Internet software. To reach this market segment, MultiLink solutions will actively participate in software development conferences (such as Software Development 96 and the popular Interop conferences held throughout the country) and promote its software in magazines (wherever costs permit) and published articles describing RMP. 7.5 Market Image and Position MultiLink Solutions is positioning its RMP tools as the most efficient and fault-tolerant network protocol available today. These two features allow MLS to exploit many benefits specific to a particular market segment. When targeting the corporate financial software market, for example, MultiLink Solutions emphasizes GroupWare's ability to guarantee the data integrity so critical to this market. To the independent software vendor who develops teleconferencing software and who is concerned with taxing the network's bandwidth, MLS highlights GroupWare's high efficiency in transferring data. Ultimately, MultiLink Solutions will work towards making RMP an industry standard. Such positioning would make MLS a well-known and trusted ally to all network software developers. 7.6 Standardizing RMP Throughout our five-year marketing efforts (that is, concurrently during Phase I and II), MultiLink Solutions is promoting RMP as a new Internet standard. This procedure usually takes several years of market presence and lobbying of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which is responsible for establishing Internet standards. We begin this lobbying process by publishing a Request For Comment, or RFC. An RFC is a formal document that addresses a technical topic or issue of interest to the Internet community. The RFC is presented to the Task Force, which in turn makes the RFC available to the Internet. The RFC would include a technical description of the Reliable Multicast Protocol and also offer guidelines for its implementation. Thus, by standardizing RMP we also allow potential competitors to market their own implementations of RMP that directly compete with GroupWare. However, we believe this increased presence of RMP also expands GroupWare's potential market and also enhances MultiLink Solutions' market image as the creators of RMP. FTP Software, Inc. and NetManage have both successfully marketed their implementations of the extremely popular File Transfer Protocol (FTP, see Appendix) and the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP, see Appendix) respectively. In addition to lobbying the IETF, MultiLink Solutions will also publish articles targeting the software developer. We will present these articles to trade journals and magazines dedicated to network software development or to the science of networking such as the journal Communications of the ACM. 7.7 Rollout and Distribution 7.7.1 Announcement MultiLink Solutions will announce GroupWare at a major software development conference in the Fall of 1995 and to appropriate forums on the Internet. Both announcements will offer a demonstration package on display at the conference and through FTP access at an FTP site (see Appendix for a brief discussion of FTP). The demo will highlight GroupWare's efficiency and reliability under different degrees of stress. 7.7.2 Distribution GroupWare's distribution varies by marketing phase. Phase I: Large Corporations During Phase I, MultiLink Solutions will market GroupWare through Direct Sales. Because RMP is a new technology, we want to ensure that GroupWare is presented accurately to potential customers. Furthermore, the highly-focused efforts of Phase II require focused distribution that directly supports large corporations. This distribution mechanism is the same employed by ISIS, our primary competitor. Phase II: Mass PC Market - Mail Order, Distributors and Internet During Phase II, the mass PC market will require broader distribution channels than direct sales. Thus we will supplement direct distribution with mail order catalogs such as those produced by Island Software and through reseller distributors such as Ingram Micro and Merisel. Finally, MLS will also distribute GroupWare through the Internet, fast becoming a popular commercial distribution channel. In the March 27, 1995 issue of NetworkWorld, Adam Gaffin and Ellen Messmer write, "U.S. businesses are turning to the Internet in droves to conduct business." In a survey of 522 Network World readers, nearly a third said the Internet has already become a key tool for reaching customers. Thus, MLS will take advantage of this new low-cost yet vast channel. Standardization During efforts to standardize RMP, MultiLink Solutions will offer the technical description of RMP and a minor subset of its implementation (that is, a small part of GroupWare) freely throughout Internet sites.