Sometimes presentation or packaging can be just as if not more important than the actual product.   The ZDNet article “EnterpriseDB – Competing With Giants” talks about EnterpriseDB and how it can compete in the market by reaching out directly to its customers.  EnterpriseDB is working to introduce the Open Source PostgreSQL database to all organizations.  They must go up against industry giants such as Oracle and IBM.  Though EnterrpiseDB continues to expand their technology and can support most traditional and new applications, its luck has not been as good when it comes to grabbing attention and getting customers to actually try out their database.  The problem seems to be in how they market or introduce themselves.  They focus on pointing out the technical aspects of their technology and how it can be used with current applications.   That’s good, except for the fact that most companies do not rely just on technical merits to choose their database.  The author employs EnterpriseDB to take a more aggressive approach.

Regardless of the fact that PostgreSQL in general and EnterpriseDB’s Postgres Plus are really strong tools and really should be considered, customers must be made aware of the fact that it exists and is available before they’ll be interested in learning more. They must be persuaded to be interested in learning more before they’ll come to want what the technology can do for them. These customers must want this technology before they can be persuaded to take action and purchase it.

EnterpriseDB has the technology but with industry-vetted alternatives such as LucidWorks they must learn to reach out and touch their audience to be successful.  Remember, it is not what you say it is how you say it.

April Holmes, October 2, 2012

Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.