Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Firstwave Technologies, Inc. (FSTW) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: hasbeen101 who wrote (32)	11/27/1997 10:21:00 AM
From: Roger A. Babb	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1205

Damien, BROC is usually a very active participant at trade shows, it must be that the Boston show is just not one of those chosen for big participation. I understand that the Chicago show will be a big deal. Maybe the Chicago show will be where NetGain makes its big debute. I am also in the software business. We rarely make sales at trade shows, but many of our important sales have come from leads generated at trade shows. I think "sell, sell, sell" will be Doug's motto in 1998, but in 1997 R&D has had equal billing or better.

To: hasbeen101 who wrote (32)	11/28/1997 4:13:00 PM
From: Bob Trocchi	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1205

Damien. Re: BROC- Marketing/Exhibiting My observations on BROC and their marketing or not exhibiting at the Boston SFA show. In my opinion, not exhibiting is may not be a bad thing. Trying to judge this from the outside is very difficult. As you know I had been involved in marketing all my life and consider trade shows a key activity. I also considered them as very wasteful and expensive unless a set of integrated activities were all done in conjunction with the trade show. The integrated set of activities for the stage that BROC is currently in, would include: 1. A web site that had a lot of info and maybe a demo of Net Gain. This needs work before the next trade show. I hope the reason it is not ready now is simply because they never intended to exhibit at the Boston show. 2. A set of invitations to as many potential customers to come and visit the exhibit in Chicago and be really ready to follow up. See #5 below. 3.. Input from potential customers to the Web site about their intentions of being at the conference and visiting their booth. Possibly some small give-a- way if they register at the web site. 4. A real sales plan to follow up on leads. This, without question, is the most significant activity. It is entirely possible and it appears that the Marketing and Sales effort has taken second place (with regard to NetGain) in relation to the effort and $ spent on getting the product out the door. In my opinion, it should take second place. I will assume that for the present that they simply are not ready to take advantage of all the efforts that are necessary to make a trade show investment pay off. To date my take on their management is that they do not hype anything until they have all the ducks in a row. I personally like that in a company that is in the "proving" stage. When you are Microsoft, you can promote (and even sell) things that are still on the drawing board. BROC cannot. Considering that they expect to announce NetGain in q1 (CY), I would look for BROC to use the Chicago trade show as a launch pad. (Note: I am not certain that Q2 is their announce date but with a major show in March, I would be VERY DISAPPOINTED if they did not make every effort to make a big splash at that time.) In summary, I will wait until March until I make an evaluation on their ability to market and sell. It appears that from what Roger has seen of NetGain, they now how to develop (or aquire and improve on) a product. Until then, I will remain patient and long. Hmmm, anyone who is long had better be patient!!! Bob T.