90p Admin

Vendor Member Update - 06/02/2014 Out of the original round of 12 vendors contacted last month, we have one definite Platinum (SWK / Mapadoc) and two definite Platinum or Golds. That's three spots out of 20. Tomorrow, I am calling the remainder of the original round and letting them know that we have opened up the opportunities to another 50 potential vendor members and that there are only 17 spots left. I have emailed another round of 50 potential vendor members today and will be following up with phone calls in two weeks (I'm out on vacation next week). I'll provide another update as things progress. Attached is the final PDF that I've been using. I'll post the email that went out in a comment to this post. Note: the email was modified slightly for certain vendors that I already had an existing relationship with or if they were an existing member of 90 Minds (like Joe Biasha).

[SAMPLE EMAIL] Hi xxx I am reaching out to you on behalf of the 90 Minds Admin Board (www.90minds.com). We would like to offer yyyyy an opportunity to join 90 Minds as a Vendor Member and get your products in front of our 150+ Sage 100 ERP professionals and, as opportunities arise, in front of their customers. We have reworked the traditional concept of sponsorship and have decided to offer Vendor Membership opportunities instead. We feel that Vendor Membership offers a greater degree of collaboration and visibility within the core group and will provide you with more positive exposure to our standard members. You will find that 90 Minds membership offers several unique benefits including face-to-face networking opportunities with a large and growing group of dedicated Sage 100 professionals (150+ individual professionals representing 80+ firms!). Please note that we are limiting membership to 5 Platinum and Gold members, and 10 Silver members. We expect all positions to be filled in the next three weeks. Attached is the finalized 90 Minds Vendor Member offerings. Can you please review the attached options and let me know if you have any questions around joining the group? We would love to have you become part of the 90 Minds family! I'm around to answer any questions so please feel free to contact me I'm here to help. :) Thanks, Peter Wolf Azamba Consulting Group Direct: 312.513.9333 Corporate Office: 888.724.3999 Email: pwolf@azamba.com Fax: 866.923.9444

I am hoping to close 4 spots by EOW so I can send a follow up email either Friday or next week while I'm on vacation to say ""Please note that we are now down to zz spots. Let me know if you have any questions about the opportunities."" Something like that to goose a response.

Update to the update - I have already heard from 4 potential members on this last round of emails that have said ""save us a spot"". That's encouraging.

@JeffSchwenk - Would you be amenable to a monthly or quarterly payment schedule? If so, what fee would we charge for that? [Note: Not a theoretical question - I was asked by two separate third parties.]

@PeterWolf - I am open to almost anything, but what we have to be concerned with is making it difficult for them to pull the plug before they have fulfilled their payment schedule. There is a lot of upfront work to set these folks up on the web site and schedule them for webinars, etc. I am not a collection agency going after these guys. I understand their question. Just need something that is workable. 50% upfront, with an accelerated payment schedule for the balance over the next 7 months (not 11)?

I'm ok with people pulling the plug at any time and requesting a refund so I'm not too worried about collecting if they aren't seeing the value in continuing the service. I also think that most of these folks realize that if they pull the plug, it's unlikely they will be well loved in the group ... That said ... if it's a lot of work for you to take monthly or quarterly, let me know and we can just say no.

Payment terms seems fine - whatever you guys think produces the least amount of problems from both sides.

Looks like Joe Bisaha is our first. Congrats....

I am just trying to protect the amount of upfront effort expended for the onboarding process.

2 Platinum + 1 Gold locked in. SWK, ISySair - Platinum, JDB - Gold. I have 6 others that have emailed saying to ""hold a spot.

Forward the paperwork so I can get the invoice cut....

Thanks Jeff - I replied to her but neglected to cc you!

Third Platinum sign up today! That's 3 Platinums, 1 Gold, 0 Silver - 9 commitments to get ""something"". That's 14 out of 20 spots either sold or committed.

Nicely done!

Thanks! I will be happy to have all the spots officially closed.

Thanks Peter!

That is AWESOME!!! I love it when a plan comes together!!

Send me a recap so that I know I have them invoiced. JDB and IsYSair is all that I have billed currently.

SWK - Platinum IsySair - Platinum IIG - Platinum JDB - Gold BizNet - Gold (still waiting on the signed agreement) 9 other ""Please hold a spot"" but no signed agreements yet. Soon ...

Here is what has been billed

What does CompuData sell? I thought they were just a var?

Aren't they selling hosting too?

Compudata = iSySair hosting.

Yes

Peter did you go to the existing members like DSD, Gary, Mark?

Are they a partner or is it the same company?

Is the pricing the same for me vs. a random vendor? :). I might consider doing something around our eversafe solution

It's double for you, @MarkChinsky. :D

In all seriousness, no discounts have been offered to other members.

I went to Gary. I did not go to DSD. It's not too late - if I should, who should I approach? Mark - I will email you.

I made a bet with somebody that Robert's response would be exactly that :) So predictable...

@PeterWolf - I'd check with @JimWoodhead and/or let Jim indicate if DSD has interest

I emailed him. Thanks.

@PeterWolf it's Leah at DSD. Her email is in the spreadsheet. Maybe copy Jim when you email her so he knows to follow up with her.

@MarkChinsky I can't let my reputation as a sarcastic asshole slip. What's my cut of the bet?

Thanks @RobertWood - I emailed her and cc'ed Jim.

De nada!

I've updated the Google Doc in case anyone wants to review details. 6 spots filled (1 pending paperwork). 8 people asked me to hold a spot. I sent a second email to gently nudge people telling them that my goal is to close it down by end of next week and reminding them that it's first come, first serve. I'm on vacation next week but should manage to move it along and hopefully get a good chunk of spots filled.

I think we should provide a welcome kit to our vendor members - perhaps an overview of benefits, who to contact with questions, etc. Perhaps we could start this in Docs and work on it together @RobertWood

I would like to distribute this kit if you guys are ok with that. I have been telling people that I will be their liaison for services going forward. LMK if there is a problem with that.

BTW - 4 Platinum, 4 Gold, 1 Silver are sold. 7 ""Interest-eds"". That's 16 out of 20 total spots with less than half sold to-date. Not a bad showing but I was hoping to close them all down this week. It will most likely linger through next week. The Google Doc is updated with the latest.

Gold spots are now sold out. Scanco nabbed the last one.

Nice!