Also-ran to bestseller

The Cheyenne Division of Computer Associates had a very expensive problem. They had spent millions of dollars to promote an anti-virus product that had achieved a microscopic market share against Norton and McAfee, the two heavyweights in the category.

They weren't alone. In fact, they were #213 in the field. Norton and McAfee controlled 85% of the total market, leaving the other 200+ vendors to fight over the remaining 15%. This was definitely the hottest and most competitive market in the small business software segment.

In 10 months I turned this around, and took Inoculan Anti-Virus from less than 100 units a month to more than 20,000, and became a respectable #3 in market share.

How'd we do this? Simple. We created a sales plan and then we executed it flawlessly. We redesigned their package to help them get noticed on crowded shelves. We unleashed a stream of direct mail and Web advertising to gain traction in the hot SOHO and SME markets. (Without increasing the marketing budget, by the way). We didn't spend any more than they were spending, we just spent it more effectively.

The results speak for themselves - #3 on the bestsellers list, 13% market share, and profitable.