I have a client who sells network security software, and 50% of his client base is K-12 schools and the other 50% is business and government. He wants to use the word "enterprise" in the web site copy and I feel this will turn off the K-12 crowd. To me, "enterprise" implies business. He says that "enterprise" has a technical meaning that is accurate in this case. I say that it will still not feel appropriate to the K-12 buyers. (Who are mainly school administrators, not technical people.)

Can anyone who really understands what "enterprise" means to technical people and who also understands what my marketing point is comment on this? I don't hang around with IT people so it's possible he has a point, but I am skeptical.

Thanks,
Marcia Yudkin

I'm pretty IT savy.

I mean I'm not an expert, but I know how to set up a database online or offline. I know how to make a database useful. I'm the guy that people in my family call (I have a huge Catholic family) when they have a computer problem.

I have no idea what technical implications the word 'enterprise' has. If it does mean something, it won't turn off anyone if you don't use it. It might exclude some of the audience if you do use it.

As far as how to deal with a customer like this...that's a challenge for all of us.

Why the heck do they hire us anyway? I mean what's the point of hiring a writer if you can't trust their abilities to communicate something. A person may as well write it themselves.

As an programmer for 24 years, I think I can safely say that "enterprise" is perfectly ok in the manner I think he means. That is, it is enterprise-wide software, or has the capability to be. It generally means "wide-scale." Very powerful stuff. And very scalable. It is also usually very expensive.

Even K-12's are starting to understand it, because it's very much overused, IMO. But for large companies or government agencies, enterprise is a must, especially for the network security biz nowadays.

All the best,

John

You could try putting the word in a bulleted list as part of the 'specs' or 'features' instead of in the main 'benefits' copy.

I guess the reason I didn't recognize it was because I dropped out of 12. Oh well, I still think it would exclude people if you overused it.

Aha - so it means "scalable"? I would rather say that, then, and explain what that means - it works equally well whether the network has 25 or 25,000 users.

I wish there were some way of screening these kinds of clients out to begin with. About half of them back off when I explain that it's best for them to just tell me their concerns and let me to do the wordsmithing. The rest... Aiyahhh!

Thanks,
Marcia Yudkin

Just to confirm what John said, "enterprise" does have a specific meaning when applied to IT, e.g. enterprise-wide software. I think it depends on the context within which you use it.

(I spent 12 years working in IT).

Jane

Thanks, Jane. But based on your experience, is that special meaning completely captured by "scalable" or is there something else in it?

Marcia

Scalable is one quality, but it's not a synonym. Enterprise generally means "company-wide," as in "this software is deployed company-wide." Company-wide in this case could be campuses all over the world, and that one software package is scalable and robust enough to connect everything together.

Think of a company's "Intranet" (not Internet). It is enterprise-wide, or company-wide, in that everyone in the company no matter the actual physical location can access the Intranet, it's main page, and any company-specific pages on it.

John

Marcia,

I have a question about who will be reading the copy. Will it be CEO's, or IT guys? Or a mix? If the sell is to IT guys, "enterprise" and "scaleable" are probably okay. If executives will be reading it - you may want to find different ways to express the advantages - or mention an advantage or benefit in combination with the word "enterprise". ("And being an enterprise solution it can handle any growth or demands your company throws at it")

I have a client who sells software. There is great prestige among software sellers if their solution is "enterprise" (code for very big, powerful and expensive). So I understand why your client wants to use it.

I've also watched my client recently purchase an "enterprise" solution. He gained certain enjoyment from using the word. I think it's like a little kid saying, "I wear big-boy pants now!" "We just purchased an enterprise sales effectiveness solution". When he says that, I believe he expects admiration and respect from other Entreprenuers. Like, "We just built a new factory in Singapore".

As my wife would say, "I'm talking out of my AAAAAAArea of Expertise" since I don't know a lot about this situation, but... I would be tempted to create different persuasion paths on the site for the two different markets. Someone working in a for-profit business is going to use a different decision making criteria than someone inside a non-profit.

Just thoughts...