Page 135 - 100 Great Marketing Ideas (100 Great Ideas)

established a self-help online technical support system that allows
engineers to troubleshoot the systems. What the site also does is
allow engineers to share information and discuss problems, so that
they can help each other to solve problems that they themselves may
or may not have experienced.
This encourages engineers to become more involved with Cisco,
and also generates word-of-mouth (more properly word-of-mouse)
recommendations. It also means that, as engineers change jobs or
are perhaps hired to set up systems elsewhere, they are more likely
to use Cisco products in their new jobs.

In practice

• Find out who the final users of your products are.
• Find out how you can help them to make better use of your

products, preferably by direct contact with your company.

• If possible, establish links between all the users of your products,

whichever companies they happen to be working for.

• Remember that companies do not buy or use products—people

buy and use products on behalf of companies. Address the needs
of the people, not the needs of the customer companies.

126 • 100 GREAT MARKETING IDEAS