TY - JOUR T1 - Fundamentals of a Volume Market Engine JF - Open Source Business Resource Y1 - 2010 A1 - Fred Holahan AB - This article discusses the unique challenges commercial open source companies face in bringing their products and services to market. It recommends an overhaul of traditional software vendor market approaches in favour of a volume market strategy and identifies the core technology, content, and best practice methodologies of that strategy. The article is organized into five sections. The first section discusses the nature of open source customer relationships. It explains why the traditional sales funnel metrics do not apply in a commercial open source context. The second section introduces the concept of "progressive engagement" and discusses the lifecycle of open source relationships. The third section, multi-channel demand generation, identifies techniques for improving lead flow and quality by incorporating traditional lead sourcing techniques into the volume market model. The fourth section makes the case for marketing automation software and discusses some of the critical elements of an automated marketing infrastructure. The fifth section covers high-value content - the raw fuel of a volume market engine. It offers helpful insights for marketers to build and manage their content portfolios. PB - Talent First Network CY - Ottawa UR - http://timreview.ca/article/363 IS - July 2010 U1 - Open Source Advisory Fred Holahan is founder and president of Open Source Advisory (OSA). OSA helps early stage software companies design and implement high-powered volume market distribution strategies. OSA specializes in the unique challenges facing commercial open source start-ups, including licensing strategies, product/service mix, free-to-fee crossover, and volume demand creation. Fred has over 25 years of technology market experience and has been the founding CEO of three prior companies: LexiBridge Corporation (acquired by Level3 Communications), GemLogic, Inc. (acquired by Silverstream Software), and Active Endpoints, Inc. Fred is a recognized open source expert and pioneer of the progressive engagement model of volume market interaction. He holds a MBA from the Olin School of Management at Babson College and a BS in Management Science from the University of Maine. ER -