taking a lesson form gatherinfo, et al... I fired off an email to investor relations and sales contacts this morning as soon as I had seen the website (instead of posting my initial sentiments here)...
I got a response back just over an hour later indicating that the VP of Systems Development had reviewed the changes and would have someone begin implementing the suggestions right away.
Don't know what will happen, but it sure makes me feel better.
~rdw~
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Subject: New Globetel Website & Trademark Concerns
From: ************.com
Date: Thu, Sep 22, 2005 9:30 am
To: investors@globetel.net, dsavitch@globetel.net
Mr. Cimini and Mr. Savitch,
I hope this email finds you both well. I'm an independent Globetel investor with great hopes for our future. I have some concerns about the new website and about trademark issues. I'm sure you're all very busy, but I hope you'll take a few minutes to read and respond, or to forward these issues to the individuals best able to address them.
I checked out the new website... To me, it still appears to be more focused on investors than customers. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but it leaves me (and many other investors, I'm sure) wondering what our sales outlook really looks like. Summarized below is an objective, independent review of the new website... I hope someone will take a few minutes to consider these observations and provide me with a brief response.
I'm no marketing expert, but I believe that one of the keys to effective advertising is the "call to action"... Basically to finish your pitch with a clear course of action, like in an infommercial when you hear over and over again "Call now! Operators are standing by!"...
Here's is my perspective of the four products and services sections of the website:
IP Telephony (target: service providers)... "Time is of the essence in the newly emerging VOIP industry, that's why StrateVOIP exists." and "Partner with StratePHONE and Sell Superior Phone Service to Your Customers"... Yet there is no point of contact listed or any real call to action like "Contact dsavitch@globetel.net today to start providing your customers with these exciting new services."
Stored Value Cards - (apparent target: multi-tier... businesses and consumers)... Everybody would want one... *I* want one! But there's no indication of how to get one, and definately no call to action... If the product isn't available yet then perhaps there should be a projected schedule and a call to action for partners and early entrants.
Carrier Services - (target: service providers)... This is the best of the four sections, in my opinion. There's a clear call to action w/ point of contact email address.
Wireless Solutions - (target: multi-tier)... could appeal to service providers, businesses, and co-operatives... The pitch is "The HotZone 4010 is the most cost effective Wireless Local Loop (WLL) solution ". The page could be considered to be oriented towards consumers because it reassures them the the 4010 is an open-ended, scalable solution... Wi-Fi compatible yet WiMax ready... an investment with less risk downstream than closed-end competitor solutions. But it really strikes me as being more oriented towards investors. It's more about synergy with Stratelite than about providing immediate solutions... There is no call to action... There is no link to the Hot Zone website... There is no obvious place to order a Hot Zone 4010... There is no link to authorized distributors... I thought the 4010 was already in production, if so, then we ought to be selling it. :(
More disappointing was that the first four pages of Google results for "HotZone 4010" were news related, with no hints about how I might go about buying one and no "buy now" type advertisements in the sidebar from distributors.
Is the HotZone 4010 in production yet?
The last item I'd point out (that concerns me considerably) is that there are many references to Stratelite on the website that don't include TM notations... I thought we had (or were pursuing) a trademark for the Strat... It's a very catchy name... It's likely (we all hope) to become a household name... People say "Kleenex" instead of "tissue", and that's important to Kleenex sales... We shouldn't squander the Stratelite brand by failing to protect it with proper markings in websites and press releases.
Most Respectfully,
*******
