2014-03-06

How to Launch a Product

I am not a marketing genius – I don’t pretend to be – and honestly don’t think that is my line of work. I am just a customer.

When you announce a product – the message should (IMHO) contain the following:

  • What the product/offering is.
  • The features / benefits – including technical documentation.
  • Availability date.
  • Cost.

VMware did this at VMworld – announcing the availability of NSX. And it included 2/4 above points.
Until today – approximately 5 months after “GA” – no-one outside of VMware has seen:

  1. Any technical documentationvsan
  2. Pricing

Today VMware did it again. They announced VSAN – including a date (estimated – Week of March 10). The technical documentation is out there – at least for those who were on the Beta program – which was open practically to whoever wanted to join. And yet – there was one important thing missing.

  • Pricing

It seems I am not the only one with this feeling – but if you are trying to sell me something – I would like to get the full picture when you announce it and not wait for the sequel to get all the information.

Here’s looking forward to the week of March 10th – for the rest of the info.

(This is not to say that the technology and product has no benefit – I am just a bit peeved about the way VMware has been “launching” their products as of late – and specifically those which are supposed to the complete game-changers, the products that are to lead the evolution and revolution of the SDDC/SDDE)

What do you think?

(p.s. – If you look really hard – you can already find the licensing costs on several places on the great WWW)