When I read your slogan it makes me think it is promoting building friendships with coworkers. In no way does it strike me as allowing teams to collaberate remotely.

You may want to work on the image the message is sending.

Sheilah

posted October 12, 2007

I would focus on how your company can help clients leverage true business value out of social networking. Meaning, while we all can see the power and potential of social networks as a way to connect individuals, what is the value to the business? How do you tie back to profitability? You can also take inspiration from supply chain networking companies. Ultimately, why does a company bring all its suppliers together: to Cut Costs, to Accelerate Product Time to Market, to Streamline Processes, to Exchange Information etc etc

posted October 12, 2007

Axel,

Try the following: place yourself in the mind of a user then imagine yourself telling someone else why they should use Xeequa.

You might tell them 'Xeequa keeps my address book updated’ or 'Xeequa helps me find people'. Pick the ONE thing that is most beneficial to users – often what will save them the most time or make them the most money -- and state it using a few words.

For example, 'Xeequa keeps my address book updated’ might become “Xeequa: stay connected automatically” or 'Xeequa helps me find people’ might become “'Xeequa: find your next VIP”. These examples are overly simplistic, but it’s a simple way to kick-off this type of activity.

Omar

posted October 12, 2007

Hi Axel

1) not really, because most of my "social" networking is for busines already.
2) yes, a bit better but it is ont strong enugh. email and IM has been doing that for years, so I am at a loss for a pain point or a critical benefit yet.
3) I take issue with the first statement - look at how you are using it, very actionable.
4) Yes - I think it needs works. If we don't know you, I am not sold that this is the most powerful business network in the owrld.
5) Lastly, I really struggle with pronouncing the name and it means nothing to me (or is it memorable)
Wanted to give you actionable input and I know this is what you want. I admire your achievements and your drive, so my comments are towards that end to help you get it right. Best of luck, Barbara

posted October 12, 2007

I would say #2. The rest of them give me a headache from trying to parse meaningless business slang.

posted October 12, 2007

You should be careful not to loose the value of your solution in the current social networking hype cycle. Is leveraging the "business graph" (social networking of businesses) the main value you provide? If it is not, I'd back away from the social networking hype and try to zero-in on your fundamental value. Is it collaboration or social networking? Collaboration tends to involve close-ties. Social networking is all about leveraging loose ties. Perhaps emphasizing close-tie collaboration is a stronger message than giving into the social networking hype.

posted October 12, 2007

Hi Axel,

obwohl ich meist kein Freund von amerikanischem Marketing Geblubber bin (und wir kriegen das täglich auf den Tisch) find ich es wirklich gut.

Quote 1 ist richtig gut

Quote 2 würde ich verkürzen auf: “Xeequa connects companies and teams, like social networks connect individuals.”

Quote 3 ist mir etwas zu oberflächlich

Quote 4 finde ich nicht zu verkäuferisch und superlativiert. Das passt wunderbar.

Ich wünscht mir nur noch mehr genaue Details. Auch auf der Webseite. Was kann ich genau machen. Wo ist nicht nur der Mehrwert, sondern die Mehrfunktionen, die ich nutzen kann. Wie würde so ein Neugeschäftsanbahnungsprozess im Detail aussehen.

Es klingt alles wirklich gut, sollte jetzt aber mit harten Fakten, Funktionen und Details unterlegt werden.

Ich widerspreche auch den Kommentaren von Sheila Eteridge und Peter Bishop - so´n Quatsch.

Und der Name Xeequa muss nix bedeuten, der muss hängenbleiben und das tut er.

Sehr interessant fand ich den Ansatz, statt auf Social Networking auf Collaboration aufzusetzen. Cisco setzt voll auf diese Karte!

Alles Gute, Mathias

posted October 13, 2007

Hi Axel,

I think I'd reduce all of that marketing hype to just "How much new business did you get through YOUR social network today?" It's short, simple, and begs anyone who read it to learn more. Then I'd create a short non-hype paragraph explaining in VERY simple terms what the benefits of the service is.

I'm a big fan of the videos from CommonCraft, you should check them out. They're experts at making the most complicated topics dead simple.

Mario

Links:

• http://www.commoncraft.com

posted October 13, 2007

Hi Axel.

A slightly different take on things and a little direct, but with exceptionally good intentions.

You shouldn't mention social networking. That's what you are.

Your messaging has to articulate benefits, not explain yourself.

Currently, nothing, and I mean _nothing_ in the messaging articulates a single benefit. In the whole question block one unbelievable, 'non-provable' benefit ( ..."I have almost no idea what my alliance development cost is, how do you know I can halve it...") is buried at the end and qualified with the 'may' - how confident are you on that?

'What you do' is not my benefit, what I get out of what you do, is.

You must identify and pitch the benefit. Connection (of any sort and any sophistication) in itself isn't it, and subsequently you are not going to connect to your prospects without an awful lot of work, every time.

All sit down, take a chill pill, and nail 3 short, unstoppable benefits first.

Do this and your copy will come alive, so too your website, your scripts, elevator pitches and life in general, because everyone will know what you are talking about, and that will make it easier to explain how you do it.


Philip

posted October 13, 2007

I think it's a great start, but I am still not entirely clear. For example, I first paused when I read this: "...While you can’t really DO anything with a social network other than enjoy the fact that you have a lot of connections..." and said to myself: "Wait a minute, I don't agree with that".

I don't necessarily agree that going after the social networking angle in general is a bad idea (I'm not necessarily sure it's a good idea either), but I would suggest being very clear if you do - including a clear understanding of your audience. Is the primary audience going to be people who are already familiar with/involved in social networking? If you can't justify a big positive with this angle, then I suggest being careful because too many people are carelessly throwing it around these days – you don’t want to be labeled, “just another……..”

So by the end, I feel that I am starting to get the idea of what you're offering, but I am still not sure. To really get my interest, I think I need to have a better idea of why I should look at your product/service further. Initially, I don't need to understand all the aspects of how it works, but I do need to know why I should stop and consider the product/service.

posted October 13, 2007

It sounds clunky, to be honest. Aren't you a social network of sorts? Yet the second half of sentence essentially says you aren't. Whatever the case, it hits me as odd as saying "we're an apple, without the taste of an orange." I stumbled over your company name--it was a bit exotic and unpronouncable at first glance.

posted October 13, 2007

Is the subject of your messaging the product, the company, or explaining your niche? The questions to answer are, What misery do you relieve? What dreams do you fulfill? To the prospect, the how is not as important as the what's-in-it-for-me. "Leveraging Xeequa will give you more connectivity to your partners, alliances, suppliers and other business relevant connections than any other system" should be all you need in your overall messaging to explain what your product does. (This is a feature, not a benefit, and you need to message the benefit.) The rest of your message and your effort need to focus on the impact to the customer.

Are you the first to provide this kind of product or service? If so, you should be selling the product category itself and positioning yourselves as pioneers in your field. If you are a me-too company, you need to show how your product/service is better than that of your competition. One of the most compelling ways for a company to do this is the customer testimonial. That is, after all, what networking is all about, right? Give some serious thought to letting your customers do your selling. Your prospects will be far more interested in what satisfied customers have to say than anything you could claim on your own.

How well defined in everyone's mind is your brand? A solid brand strategy should guide everything you communicate about yourselves, and be the guiding force behind everything your company does. What is your company's archetype? I recommend two books as must-reads for anyone responsible for company messaging (which is just about everyone in the company):

1. Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World by Carol S. Pearson

2. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Ries and Laura Ries

They are fast and easy reads and you can get them both from Amazon. They should be your company's branding bibles. Then, through interviews and surveys of company insiders and your various publics you can develop analyses that show what each of your audience segments perceives your archetype to be, as well as what they percieve your competitors' archetypes to be. Then it becomes a simple matter of selecting the archetype that best describes your company in the mind of the audience, but is also unique among the players in your field. In this way you will make a positive presentation of your company, and it will be entirely credible to your prospect and distinct from your competition.

Links:

• http://www.amazon.com/Hero-Outlaw-Building-Extraordinary-Archetypes/dp/0071...
• http://www.amazon.com/22-Immutable-Laws-Branding/dp/0060007737/ref=pd_bbs_s...

posted October 14, 2007

If my mother doesn't understand it, it doesn't count. She's 87 and still thinks I'm a "programmer trainee," even though she doesn't know what a programmer trainee is.

So, mom...

"Imagine if everyone in your business knew everything you do about your business. That's the power of Xeequa."

This should have come been the result of developing your value proposition.

Cheers,

t.

posted October 14, 2007

Axel -

Bottom line is that people are looking to save money, become more effective and make more money. That said, connecting to the right people is what business is all about. Is social networking different than traditional "networking?" Not sure there is a difference, besides using the tools of the Web to facilitate and expand networks.

How about this:
"Xeequa helps you quickly make the connections you need." I'm not certain about sharing project or opportunity information over the Web...I wonder about competitive situations.

My opinion is make Xeequa the best networking site on the Web and make it clear in a few words what Xeequa brings to the table (alliance building, channel building, etc...) over the other Social Networking sites out there.

posted October 16, 2007

Axel,

You are always better off selling the problem, not the solution. This will help first time visitors to get an impression of how your business will make their life easier.

If I understand the general principle of your company, Xeequa helps leverage the expertise and skills of people within your social networking circles. Therefore, Xeequa is a global sandbox that helps all your connections work together and discover new and creative ways to make ideas come to life (or something to that effect).

Something along these lines will help people get a visual that you are trying to capitalize on all the resources that a person's social network contains for the good of new ideas or lower alliance costs. Then in your overall explanation, tap into the 3 keys to marketing "Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt" where you explain how Xeequa reduces costs and fosters bigger and better solutions.

Most importantly, your message alone will not be effective, it should be dove-tailed into other forms of marketing to gain value. I know you are avoiding large consulting fees, but it sounds like a person with marketing focus can really help you. If you like these ideas, try contacting Cosine Media (www.cosinemedia.com), Anna is an independent marketer and helps companies such as yourself deliver ideas like I have suggested.

Aaron K also suggests this expert on this topic:

• Anna K

posted October 17, 2007

As a 40+ year old marketer, specializing in business to business marketing, I've heard of social netwroking, but I'm not exactly clear as to what it is. I've heard of Facebook, et al, but what do they really do and offer users? So by comparing your new business with another loosely defined business you are clouding your message.

My advice is to focus on the BENEFITS of what your firm provides. You suffer right from the start with a techy name circa 1999, and then you compare your company to an amorphous new business. You immediately sound like the multitudes of other fuzzy technology companies that can not simply explain what they do in a single sentence.

Try this: Answer what PROBLEM you solve. How does your network solve a common business pain. Then go from there. You may be surprised how simple it is to then communicate what you do and why it is valuable.

PL

posted October 19, 2007

Axel:

I have found a good rule of thumb to be:

Explain what you do in such a way that your mother would understand what you are talking about.

And in all honesty, dropping buzzwords like "social networking" kind of cheapens and confuses the message.

posted October 12, 2007

Hi Axel-
I’m not a messaging guru, but as you know, I’m an alliance professional (prospective user). In my years of sales and strategic alliance development/management with leading consulting, hardware, and software companies, I’ve spent a significant amount of time in the field working with and listening to input from other sales and alliance professionals. My conclusions, based on what I’ve personally experienced and researched, is that there is one constant- across the board, there is a dearth of existing, effective tools that support the partnering process between companies and as a result companies are leaving $$ on the table.

There is no question there are significant inefficiencies, a lack of standardization, and use of true partnering best practices. Although partnering is responsible for significant bottom and top line revenue and is a leading focus (in many cases, top 5) for Global Enterprises, the supporting process and tools are ineffective, not cost justified and just plain “prehistoric”. PRM systems have failed at market penetration, not only because of lengthy and costly implementations, but because they have focused too much on management and not the end-users. With SAAS, we are entering a new era for partnering productivity tools that actually make sense and will be cost effective, easy and quick to implement.

I think your messaging and specific offering, as is, needs re-factoring, but the concept is right on! The completive edge benefits of what you’re offering (in theory/if delivered effectively) will only be realized by companies and individuals who take advantage of them in this growing world of partnering!

Best wishes,
Tamer

posted October 13, 2007

Hey Axel: Sounds interesting but I am not really understanding what makes it different. How can I interact? Who can I interact with? What part of the IT industry are these 30,000 IT people from (programers, channel, vendor, etc.)? How do I avoid interacting with those I don't want to? How can this make me money? Before I can give you an answer, I would need to try the product.

Cheers.

posted October 13, 2007

Axel,
the header sounds like you are creating a network of VPNs... a nogo

A couple of thoughts;
What is the target market over the next 3-5 years as you build the base? Net savvy 20 something professionals - or jaded high level execs? Either way its WIIFM (What's in in for me) Personally, cutting development costs is closer along with help reducing the learning curve to make use of a social net.

Why are you making an LI clone? What is better about Xeequa? What is that brutal darwinian paradigm changing UVP that makes Xeequa the dominant specie of the future? (Unique Value Proposition - a.k.a. evolution)

If you read "Made to Stick" you've heard about the "Curse of Knowledge" - the fact that an expert has a deep knowledge of the topic and no longer sees the world through the eyes of a neophyte user. To combat this find a deep sceptic in your target group and as they relentlessly ask you Why?, Why?, Why? you should eventually get to the core emotional appeal.

Regards,
Mark

posted October 17, 2007

The second explanation is way too wordy. You need something simple and to the point. Sort of like the first phrase.

The problem is that a social network for companies really isn't a social network. Companies don't write in each others guestbooks and chitchat, employess do. :) So you're probably on the edge of what I'd call a social network (but that's how I see LinkedIn as well).

I'm not fond of marketing talk either, so your last paragraph made me sleepy. ;)

posted October 18, 2007