Marketing Issue [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Kurt and David,

This is probably not the place to trash Homepower (all things considered!)
for their marketing policies, but I agree with you completely. I don't
believe that turning your customers on to HP is a very wise move if you
actually plan on selling them something.

HP has very nicely done articles and editorials that seem to be primarily
targeted toward the do-it-yer-selfer, which dovetails nicely with the
plethora of ads from the McSolar guys in the mag. If your intent is to offer
in-depth technical information without the unwanted written SPAM, probably
the best technical publications available are Photons (Germany), and Solar
Today. Both publications are nearly devoid of ads from the Solar Trolls.

Then there's the internet. There's just no way to avoid your customers
getting unwanted propaganda if they're looking for it (or even if they
aren't), so ya just have to have that "value added" service that only a
local business can provide to sell your product. I recently found myself
lowering my margin to almost 0 just to keep a deal out of the hands a
cut-rate internet outfit from Tennessee, and I'm in California! It's hard to
be a mom and pop business when Wal-Mart comes to town.

Matt T
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sunwise" <sunwise at cheqnet.net>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 9:55 PM
Subject: Marketing Issue [RE-wrenches]


> Greetings all,
>
> We've had this discussion before, but I need to re-visit it or
> something.  I also want to mention that
>
>
> As a solar guy, I highly encourage people to purchase HP Magazine, and
> even bought a couple subscriptions for my area libraries (they're half
> price for libraries!).  I also used to have a policy of offering a free
> one year subscription to anyone who bought a system from me.  I also
> sell HP mags retail out of my shop during the summer (retail outlet
> closed for winter).
>
> This said, it is difficult for me to have an SP75 hanging on the wall
> with a $385 dollar price tag on it, and a stack of HP magazines directly
> below with a centerfold ad from Terra Stellar (or some such outfit) with
> the same PV listed for little more than my cost.
>
> Do I stop selling HP (please, no), post a list of the ten commandments
> (including "if you bought it from them, call them with your
> questions/problems), or consider it to be part of the whole solar
> process (of going broke?).
>
> I believe we need RE to move into more conventional markets if we expect
> it to become more widely accepted, but does this directly translate into
> a Walmart and Sam's Club mentality?
>
> I had planned to post this to marketing, but the address is missing from
> my newer computer (almost a year old) and apparent no one is using
> Marketing any longer.
>
> Kurt Nelson
> SOLutions
>
>
>
> This issue may be of interest to Wrenchs and MArketeers alike, and as
> the
>
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>
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>
>
>

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