The Milestone Personal Demo Marketing Campaign

By Brian Karas, Published on Oct 30, 2017

Waste of money or emarketing innovation?

In a program being heavily promoted on their social media channels Milestone is offering to take prospects through a customized one-on-one demo of their software.

We booked a demo with Milestone to see how they position their VMS, and what features they claim are most important in this segment. Inside, we examine Milestone's online demo tactics and analyze the potential effectiveness of the program.

Social ***** *****

********* *** **** *********** followers ****** ** ****** ****, ********** *** ******* frequently ** ***** ******** [**** no ****** *********] *** ******* *****.

 

**** ** ***** ***** and ****** *********** ** search ************* - "******* a ****** ** * haystack" ** ******** ** search.

Target ********

********* **** *** ******** used ** *** **** is ******** ** ****** users **** ***-*** ******* installations. **** *** ***** and *********** *** ********* demo **********, *** **** will ********* ********* ******* of *** ****** ********* on ***** ******** **** are ********** **. ********* also **** ** ***** that *** *** **** demos **** **** ***** for ********** ***** ** to *** *********** ********** partner, ** *** ******* is *** ******** ** drive ****** ***** ** any ***.

Booking * ****

*** ******* ******* ** fairly ***************, * *** form ******** ******** ******* information *** **** *** to specify ** *** *** an *** **** ** Partner. ***** ********** *** form, *** ** *********'* inside ***** ****** ********* contact ** ****** * time *** *** *******-***** demo. ********* **** **** have * ****** ** their ** ****** **** do ****** ***** *** the ***** ******** ******, and **** ********* ** 1-2 ***** **** *** day.

***** *** ***** ***-**-*** style, ***** *** ********* presenter **** ***** *** session **** ** ********* time *** *** ****. This ****** *** **** to ** ******** ** specific ********* ** *** potential ********, ** *******.

Demo ***** **** ******/******

***** ********* **** **** showing ******* ****** ************, according ** *********. *** company ***** **** **** have ***** *************** ** this ******, *** ******* to ********* ** **** ********** importance ******, ********* **** **** ***** in *** ******* ****** segment *** * *********** part ** ***** ******* benefits **** ******. 

** *** *******, *********'* Smart ****** [**** ** longer *********] *** ********** ** show ******* ** ****** for ******** ** * defined ****, ***** ***** by ******* *** ***** to ******* **** *** motion ****** ** ***:

*** ********** ** ***** Search ** **** ** relied ** *********'* ******-**** motion ********* ** ******** the ****-**** *** *** search. **** ***** **** camera-based ****** ********* ** not ********** **** ***** Search, *** **** *** results ** ***** ****** to ******* ****** ******** servers, ** *** ******** *********** ***. ****, **** *** require **** ********** ****** on **** ****** ** order ** ******** ***** motion ********* ****** ***** could ******* ****** *******.

******** **** **** ***** of ****** (***********) ***** segments ***** ******* ***** Search, *** **** ********* of ***** *** ************* Milestone *** *********** ** make ********* **** ******* video ******** ****** *** users.

Access ******* *********** ****

********* **** *********** *** access ******* *********** ********* in ******** (*** *** versions ***** **** *** **** *******). * **** **** of ****** ******* ****** can ** ********* ** a ********** ********* '******' style ***, ********* ***** reads **** *** ***** image, ******* *****, **** alarms *** ***** ****. A **** ***** **** can **** ** *****, indicating *** ****** ** doors. **** *** ****** control ***********, ***** *** link ******* ** ***** and ********* ****** **** live ***** ***** ** invalid **** ****, ** bookmark ***** **** * badge ** ******* ***** into * **** **** ********* inventory.

** *** **** **** clear **** *** ****** control *********** ******** ********** per-door *********.

Did *** ***** *****/*****

*** ************* *** *** cover ***** ** **** involved ** ******* ** the ****** ** ****** cameras. ****** ********* **** they *** **** ***** elements ** ********* ** the ****, ** ** not **** ** *** standard **** *******.

Benefits ** *********** 

***** **** ******* ** obviously ******** ** **** more ******** ********, ** Milestone's *******, ** ******** their ********** ******** ** the ***** **** ********* can **** **** ****** qualified *****. **** *** help ***** *********** ***** business **** ***********, ** they *** ****** **** spent ***** ******* ******* qualification *** ***** ******* Q&A ******** **** *********.

Less ********* *** ** ****** ******* ********* **** ***** *****

****** ***** *** ********* much ******* *** ****** to ******* **** ***** in-person ************** *** *********. While *** ****** **** loses **** ** *** ability ** **** * relationship **** *** ********, or **** **** ******** and ****** ***********, ** has *** ******* ** being **** ** ******* interest **** ***********. ********* that **** ** ****** reseller ********, ** ******** XProtect **** ** **********, can ******** ***** **** steps **** *** ****** doing *** ****. ** that *****, **** * Milestone ***** ***** ****** engages **** *** ******** they *** ** **** directly ** ********** ***-*****, budgets *** ********** *********, ***** optimizes their ****.

Cost ************* ** **** *******?

* ****** ** ******* go **** *** ****-************* of *** **** *******:

  • *** **** ** ***** spent ** ******* ********* to ******* * ****. To *** ****** **** they **** ** ******** social ***** *********, *** incremental **** ** ***. However, ** **** ***** on ****** ***** *********** (e.g.,******** ***********), **** ***** ***** somewhere ******* $** ** $50 **** ** *** someone ** **** ** for * ****.
  • *** **** ** ******* the ***-**-*** ****. ** would ******** **** ** $50+, ***** *** **** delivering *** **** *** associated ************** *****.
  • ********** ****: **** ** the *** ********. *** many ****** *** ****** these ***** **** *** a ********* ******? ** it ** **%, **** the **** *** ******* closed ** $*** ** $200 (*.*., *** ***** above / .* ***** rate) ***** ***** ** minimal **** *** * 16 ******* ******. *** if *** ***** **** is *%, *** **** per ******* ****** ** $1,000 ** $*,*** (*.*., the ***** *****  / .05 ***** ****). ** do *** **** *********'* close **** ** **** to *********.
  • ******* ***** *****: *** higher *** ***** *****, the ******* *** *********** costs (*.*., *********** *** demo *****) **** *** be ********. *** *********, it ** ** * mix ** **** **** is ****, *** **** channels, *** *** *********** that *** ******** **** ongoing **** ****. * key ****** ** *** low ** * ****** count ******** ********* **** give ***** ** ** a ***+ ****** ******** with * **** *********** of ****** *** **** allows *** *** **** marketing ****** **** ** camera, ***** ******** ****, customers.

** ******* *** ****** that **** ** ****** tried ** **** ******** is *** ***** **** and *** **** ** conversion ****. *******, ** Milestone ***** **** **** a ********** ******, ** could **** ****** ******* customers **** ********* ***** have ****** ******** *** cost ******* ** ******* for ****.

 

 

 

Vote / ****

Comments (13)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

10/30/17 01:54pm

Are the leads getting to the integrators? Thats the question...

Avatar

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 10/30/17 01:58pm

Not sure what you mean. Do you mean that the program may not be generating any leads, or that Milestone is generating leads, but sitting on them and not passing them to integrators?

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Brian Karas | 10/30/17 04:29pm

I would ask the same question - do the leads get passed on to integrators to sell/install?  In the past I have received some leads from Milestone so I would suspect they would pass them forward.  Alternately, Milestone may consider them house accounts and keep internal but I could see the backlash on this in residential/SMB being substantial.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 10/30/17 04:41pm

Is Milestone selling to SMB and Residential now?  

Avatar

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 10/30/17 04:46pm

What do you mean by 'now'? They have always sold to those markets, maybe not their primary market in terms of overall licenses/revenue, but they have had SMB-level offerings for quite a while.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

In reply to Brian Karas | 10/30/17 06:38pm

I guess I should have said - "Is Milestone focusing on SMB and Residential now?"

 

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 10/30/17 10:29pm

I guess I should have said - "Is Milestone focusing on SMB and Residential now?"

Milestone has tried to sell to everyone forever (roughly speaking). For example, they started giving away 8 channel VMS systems more than 7 years ago.

And Husky, first released 4 years ago, has primarily been an SMB play (though certainly more recently they have released higher channel appliances).

So I don't see it as them 'focusing' it 'now' as much as they have continuously tried to sell across the entire market from low to high.

Avatar

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 10/30/17 04:45pm

They stated they will pass end-user leads on to integrators, which we covered in the report. I would doubt that Milestone would want to try and keep these kinds of leads as 'house accounts', does not seem likely to be worth all the potential trouble.

 

Undisclosed Distributor #2

10/30/17 02:05pm

I voted 'effective'. This campaign would work on me if I were an end user or an integrator, I know that. 

Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

10/30/17 06:36pm

If they have the right person doing the presentation, a solid example script and access to support for the "one off" questions this could be a much more efficient use of time for the integrator sales staff.

Undisclosed #6

10/31/17 01:26pm

I voted ineffective.

It's a decent idea on paper - I just don't think it will have any real success for an industry veteran like Milestone.

This type of campaign is far better suited to smaller or less well-known VMS providers who need exposure to the market - something Milestone already has in spades.

Further, they already make their VMS free to those who wish to download and test it out... a method which doesn't come with any sales questions that seek to qualify them.  (same reason you might not want to get your show badge scanned at booths)

If the goal of the campaign was just brand messaging, then I would say that it probably helps them.

If the goal of the campaign was finding new customers, then I would say that it probably will not help them.

 

Undisclosed #7

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #6 | 10/31/17 04:22pm

This type of campaign is far better suited to smaller or less well-known VMS providers who need exposure to the market - something Milestone already has in spades.

You can never have too many spades; don’t pass them to your competition:)

Robert Lydic

11/01/17 07:34pm

This will be very effective.  The greatest scalability issue in security products is scheduling a time to demonstrate the product.  In VMS, these have historically been heavily weighted to face to face meetings.  This requires setting a time, a person driving or flying to the potential customer, setting up cameras, NVR, and VMS, and being with the customer for 60-180 minutes.  In terms of sales, this is a highly unscalable model if the goal is to reach as many customers as possible in as short of a time as possible.  If a manufacturer can get a greater number of prospects to view a demonstration remotely at one time, then the opportunities and revenue creation can and should be greater.  Key large customers will always demand face to face, but the greatest volume of customers are those that are 16 cameras and below.  Seeing each of them individually is impractical. 

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