With customers such as Microsoft, IBM and Toshiba, Seattle-based Ethofy is hardly in its infancy; in fact, it was one of the first area startups to recognize the potential of cloud computing. Today, Ethofy automates critical sales channel activities through SaaS solutions that tackle a thorny problem: how to easily entice channel partners into using a business’s marketing materials and content. As part of our continuing series of interviews with entrepreneurs, we asked Rob Savette, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, to share his insight into Ethofy and the role social media tools can play in sales strategies.
Question: What was the problem Ethofy wanted to solve when it was founded in 2003? Since then, the company’s products have certainly evolved. Tell us a little about your goals today and what you’re delivering to the marketplace.
Answer: Since 2003 Ethofy has been primarily focused on helping companies communicate and sell more effectively through their sales channels. Obviously, that market has rapidly evolved – both in the actual market dynamics as well as the technologies and solutions that service that market. As a small, entrepreneurial company we have constantly worked to stay at the forefront of those changes. I believe that the largest shift in that dynamic has been to move from a fundamental “pull” model to much more of the “push” model we see today. Whereas 10 years ago people were developing partner portals and programs that put the onus on partners to go and get what they needed, today we not only work hard at having those resources available, but we also provide mechanisms and solutions that push information, materials and tools out to the partners as well. I believe that the recent evolution of social marketing tools will play a huge role in that push process.
Question: We’re particularly interested in your views on utilizing social media to boost business results. What social media channels and tools have you found to be most effective in the business setting? For a small business just now entering the social media arena, what advice would you give?
Answer: I’ll skip right to the second part of your question because of two reasons: 1) the list is too long to cover fairly in a short time, and 2) more significantly, I think the answer to the second part drives the answer to the first.
The main piece of advice I’d give is that before you start to research and choose social marketing solutions, get very clear about what you’d like to achieve. The decisions you make regarding what you want to address, whether it be immediate sales, building your pipeline, improving customer service, growing your customer base, defining or redefining your brand, etc. will be the absolute driving factor in your search for a social solution. Once you’ve made that decision, you can then decide what to shop for in the tool market.
Question: How do you think businesses can most effectively use microsites? We’ve seen independent or sole proprietors utilize them, and wondered about the time vs. return ratio. How can a business ensure that a microsite is appropriate for its marketing mix, and do you have any tips for how to best turn a microsite into an effective communications tool?
Answer: Wow – this is a pretty deep question that ties to many issues that are specific to an organization. In general, I would say the following:
For small organizations: if there is a specific set of business problems that can be best solved by a microsite, then go for it. An example would be a company that spends a great deal of time working through configuration questions to generate leads and sales. This type of complex problem can be solved very effectively by a microsite. I advise against “taking a shot” at a microsite because you think it will be great. This type of vagueness can lead to a lengthy development process, and produces relatively expensive and ineffective microsites.
For large companies: assuming that a large company supports either a large sales team, a large partner program or both, I would highly recommend investing in the development of microsites in your marketing strategy. Microsites are the type of tool that allow your sales people to focus more on the act of selling by allowing the microsite to provide some of the information and messaging transfer. They will also allow you to provide powerful and complex solutions to your partner (a great value add to them) while guaranteeing you control the look, feel, and messaging of the microsite.
