Marketing advice for Ms Access business please

[zimezy]

Hello.

I will be starting a Microsoft Access (windows) database design, implementation and maintenance business in the next few months after passing the Microsoft Access MOS exam. Are there any business, marketing, computing and any other tips you can give to me to assist me in this venture?

Any help is appreciated.
Best regards.

 

[Cromulent]

Hello.

I will be starting a Microsoft Access (windows) database design, implementation and maintenance business in the next few months after passing the Microsoft Access MOS exam. Are there any business, marketing, computing and any other tips you can give to me to assist me in this venture?

Any help is appreciated.
Best regards.

Well who is your target market and why would they choose an Access database over something that is more compatible with modern devices such as a web app?

I think the days of Microsoft Access are coming to an end. Now people need to access their company databases from their smart phones and the best way of doing that is to have a web app serve it to them. You can then use any database you like on the back-end and two of the best (and free) are PostgreSQL and MySQL.

I just don't see how Microsoft Access can compete with these open source solutions that offer way more features, are more robust for multiple simultaneous users and can be run on open source operating systems like Linux or FreeBSD.

I guess if I were you I'd try and market my business in such a way as to answer those criticisms of Microsoft Access and say why a company should use your solutions over other available solutions.

 

[zimezy]

Well who is your target market and why would they choose an Access database over something that is more compatible with modern devices such as a web app?

I think the days of Microsoft Access are coming to an end. Now people need to access their company databases from their smart phones and the best way of doing that is to have a web app serve it to them. You can then use any database you like on the back-end and two of the best (and free) are PostgreSQL and MySQL.

I just don't see how Microsoft Access can compete with these open source solutions that offer way more features, are more robust for multiple simultaneous users and can be run on open source operating systems like Linux or FreeBSD.

I guess if I were you I'd try and market my business in such a way as to answer those criticisms of Microsoft Access and say why a company should use your solutions over other available solutions.

Many thanks for the advice.
Best regards,
Simon

 

[carlos75]

I have worked with many companies that still have legacy systems still running Access without the internal skills to support and extend them. There is money that can be made with Access skills but I agree with Cromulent, most clients are happy to move away to a more modern web/database server solution especially when they can see the benefits of stability, performance, security and cost savings from licensing.

 

[positivesparks]

A quick marketing tip would be to use a site like boardreader.com to search our people asking questions about Access online? These people may well be potential customers?

 

[webgeek]

There's a lot of people out there searching for everything from design, designers and consultants to data exporting and importing, migrating to/from sql server or excel, and about any functional task you can imagine relating to getting data in, out and manipulating it while it's in MS Access.

Broaden your view beyond the core function, into the related and necessary steps for a user and use your website to post articles explaining easy step by step solutions to a lot of common/easy problems.

As you become known as the Access expert, people will remember who to contact when they need help that's beyond their skill set or comfort level.

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When you're explaining what it is you do, think in terms of what the people really are looking for. No one wants an MS Access Database Design done. They want a way of storing their business information, are familiar enough to know they want to store it in Access, and want it created for them with a minimal cost, time lag and effort on their part so that they can get their project done and get back to managing their work.