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I actually think Smart Bear is a pretty good brand. Think about it for a second, how does your mind respond to the name? Smart Bear Software implies a lot of t

by cjlars 16y ago

I actually think Smart Bear is a pretty good brand. Think about it for a second, how does your mind respond to the name? Smart Bear Software implies a lot of things, almost all good. Perhaps a product that is intelligently designed, with a new or alternative approach to problems? Maybe it means you bring thought leadership from an unlikely source? Maybe a wise old bear lumbering down from his cave to solve your problems? Exactly what you do right? The fact of the matter is that a lot of old guard companies have horrendous brands. SAS or HP mean nothing (by themselves) to the buyer.

Silhouette 16y ago
> SAS or HP mean nothing (by themselves) to the buyer. That's a matter of perspective. A big company identified only by initials definitely suggests things to me, they're just not very good things. Of course, that doesn't matter if they're aiming for megacorporateenterprisemultinationals, since I don't run one of those. On the other hand, it does matter when I come to buy hardware and software for a small business, or as an individual consumer. Then I want things like good customer service and the flexibility to buy exactly the configuration I want. Unfortunately, these initials-names only suggest to me overpriced, production-line, bloat-ridden products, with unhelpful or inaccessible customer support unless I buy an expensive contract I'll probably never use. I would far rather buy from vendors who appear to have some level of personal involvement in their companies and who make me feel like a valued individual customer and not just another revenue stream on some bean counter's dashboard at head office. That doesn't mean you have to look amateurish, but I find interesting names like Smart Bear much more attention-grabbing than something that sounds like an infection I don't want to catch!
deleted 16y ago
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by cjlars 16y ago

Silhouette 16y ago

> SAS or HP mean nothing (by themselves) to the buyer. That's a matter of perspective. A big company identified only by initials definitely suggests things to me, they're just not very good things. Of course, that doesn't matter if they're aiming for megacorporateenterprisemultinationals, since I don't run one of those. On the other hand, it does matter when I come to buy hardware and software for a small business, or as an individual consumer. Then I want things like good customer service and the flexibility to buy exactly the configuration I want. Unfortunately, these initials-names only suggest to me overpriced, production-line, bloat-ridden products, with unhelpful or inaccessible customer support unless I buy an expensive contract I'll probably never use. I would far rather buy from vendors who appear to have some level of personal involvement in their companies and who make me feel like a valued individual customer and not just another revenue stream on some bean counter's dashboard at head office. That doesn't mean you have to look amateurish, but I find interesting names like Smart Bear much more attention-grabbing than something that sounds like an infection I don't want to catch!

deleted 16y ago

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