Sun Ending 'Try and Buy' Program
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The program is unique in that the user got brand-new equipment ranging from the Sun Ultra 27 Workstation (MSRP $2,914) to the SPARC Enterprise T5440 Server (MSRP $89,895), along with full technical support. To avoid being charged, customers only need to return the product in its original condition. Sun will honor applications for the program that are received by the close of business Friday, Dec. 18. Presumably, leads generated from the program are being passed through to Sun partners for fulfillment and upselling. However, some partners have said that the program isn't performing as expected because end users are reluctant to even enter a free trial without having a budget. Are free trials on new equipment a good way of generating leads, and should other vendors try similar programs? |
Comments (1)
Try and Buy programs in the channel can be very successful, however companies looking to do this should take the following best practices into account:
1. Factor in the channel partner - whether simply notifying them that equipment has been shipped to the prospect or using their facilities to conduct pilots, partner can provide the missing ingredient in helping customers through a pilot process where bandwidth is limited and a partner can help by filling the gaps.
2. Consider a multi-faceted offer vs simply shipping equipment to a customer and expecting something to happen. One of the main benefits of a try-and-by offer is that it compresses sales cycles by offering the customer a shortened trial period. However, shrewd manufacturers should also provide a financial stimulus offer at the end of the try-and-buy period so that customers are motivated to act at the end of the trial.
Posted by Laz Gonzalez | December 14, 2009 4:23 PM