Importance of Free Software Product Trials

As a followup to the earlier post on the Best Sales Model for Enterprise 2.0 and 3.0 software companies; Tien Tzuo goes into a bit more detail on the importance of offering a free software product trial.

Free Software trials are equally important for both Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 companies.

OnDemand SpeedLinks Dec-26-07

Top Ten Startups to watch in 2008
Zooped.com list of the Top 10 startups to watch in 2008

Enterprise 2.0: The Death Of Slow Business Process
Bex Huffs views on true Enterprise 2.0 adoption

Web 2.0 in the enterprise: Are you prepared?
Larry Dignan on preparing for Web - Enterprise 2.0

From Web 2.0 to Web 3.0
Thoughts on how the progression from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 will take place
                                                                                                                

Enterprise 2.0 & 3.0 Sales Model

Tien Tzuo, Chief Strategy Officer for Salesforce.com, reviews how the traditional sales model for Enterprise Software should be adopted for Enterprise 2.0 and 3.0 software.

This video is from the excellent Stanford Technology Ventures Program.

Enterprise 2.0 Defined

Prof Andrew McAfee of Harvard Business School is universally acknowledged as the first to formally define the term Enterprise 2.0 in the Spring of 2006. His definition of Enterprise 2.0 was: “Enterprise 2.0 is the use of emergent social software platforms within companies, or between companies and their partners or customers.”

This definition has stood the test of time (internet time in this case) and almost 2 years later is still the most widely accepted definition of Enterprise 2.0 amongst industry analysts and bloggers.

I would expand upon this definition a bit by adding that Enterprise 2.0 is the use of collaboration, productivity and mobile software platforms within companies or between their partners, vendors and customers. Companies as a whole shun away from embracing the term “social software” and terms like productivity and collaboration software are more the norm for enterprises and or B to B interactions.

Examples of Enterprise 2.0 software platforms that are increasingly being utilized in the enterprise include Wiki’s, Blogs, Online Apps (Google Apps etc) and Mashup’s.

Send me comments on your definition of Enterprise 2.0.

NetSuite IPO Prices Next Week

Phil Wainewright; one of the Enterprise Irregulars over on the ZDNet Software as a Services Blog, broke off the wire Monday morning that the NetSuite IPO is set to price next week.

The NetSuite IPO will be in auction-style format ala Google and will be available to individual investors via W.R. Hambrecht or E*Trade Securities.

The IPO is expected to raise upwards of 99 million and I think this offering will give all a good indication of the health of the On Demand & Enterprise 2.0 markets as a whole.