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VoIP Marketing in 2005 Insight!

If you have been watching the VoIP marketing world, than you know there is an aggressive push to take as much of the market as possible in these early days of business and residential acceptance of the product. VoIP operators have recently launched aggressive marketing campaigns that combine new packaging, advertising, and distribution models to drive service recognition and sales. According to Forrester Research what they've left out is full integration with the Web site. To be successful, operators must make VoIP easy to find on the Web site, cross-list VoIP in multiple categories, and make sure that the call center can process orders and handle inquiries about Web information and orders. This is website development 101. It’s the VocalScape click2talk application directly from the site to the PBX, but so many providers don’t even have this up.

Forrester recently reported the acceleration of VoIP Marketing where by the market is becoming more available with the use of adapters, such as the Linksys ATA in the service provider business model. VoIP Service Providers have advanced marketing efforts by increasing ad spending (from print, radio, tv, and online exceeding an est. of $100 million as a sector in advertising.)The big push for resellers, channels, and reaching a larger audience via existing client bases such as ISPs, big box retail, and placement in large online web portals as affiliates is the rush. Nothing has been more powerful than the cheap package and word of mouth. From $50 to $15 a month, the disparity around cost and what actually gets offered is not a lot. As the market smartens up on the difference in the packages, more “all you can use” models with “free communications” options will take over the market in a blitz of marketing efforts over the next year.

Keep smart is my best tip:

1. Build a website that has categories based on industries you target
2. Use the Keywords posted within past blogs on this site
3. Launch an aggressive partnership campaign
4. Launch an affiliate program
5. Use a large mix of marketing efforts, don’t get stuck depending on one or two when there is 15 – 101 options!
6. Go after the small to medium sized business because the pushy big guys are going after residential!

Who is the small to medium sized market?

The companies with fewer than 1,000 employees. The US Census reports 23 million small and medium-size businesses. Of these, approximately 5.5 million have between one and 1,000 employees — excluding the farming industry and companies with no employees. And that’s only the US market for VoIP!

“More than a quarter of the small firms expect to purchase VoIP phones and IP PBXs within the next 12 months. However, there is an additional opportunity to service SMBs with network-based VoIP services instead of customer premises equipment (CPE) or traditional Centrex services. SMBs will find these services attractive because they offer easier administration, "pay as you grow" pricing, and the most advanced set of calling and conferencing features.” Forrester Research, 2005

What is the best thing for you to do now!

1. YOUR NOT MARKETING TECHNOLOGY…you are marketing a solution!
2. Make sure the solution is easy to explain, the offer is clear, and you have your billing in order…
3. Create Channel friendly support, marketing, and manuals

Happy Marketing 2005, if you want to build a VoIP business contact gibson at vocalscape d o t c o m