charrington
09-15-2002, 08:25 PM
I would like feedback on the following business plan. I am developing
a browser-based web site creation tool - typically referred to as
a Content Management Systems (CMS). Based upon XML and XSLT templates,
it allows an end-user to quickly build and easily maintain their
web presence. In my world view of the web, there are three things
that need to come together to have a good web site:
1. web design
2. web hosting
3. content management
My plan is to focus on providing the third edge of this triangle. I have
been reviewing WHT forum postings as part of my research into the market
for such a service. And this has strengthened my opinion that designers
and hosting providers might be interested in different partnership
scenarios. In a scenario with a designer, I would contract with the designer
to produce one or more site templates. I'm talking about real templates
- not the junk most template sites sell. I would pay perhaps $500 for the
template to be created. The designer would maintain the copyright for
the template. The end customer would create their web site from a template
which they choose from our catalog. Typically there would be lots of
customization work which would go to the designer. But the best part
for the designer is that they would be due a monthly license fee
for each customer who uses their template.
In a scenario with a hosting company, my company would provide the hosted
CMS service to their clients who would benefit from and be willing to pay
for a high-quality (and with high-quality templates) browser-based web
authoring add-on to their existing site hosting services. Again the partner,
in this case the hosting company, gets their cut - between 20% and 40% of
the monthly subscription paid by the end customer.
In another scenario, all sides (design, hosting, CMS) work together and
equitably share the revenue.
I plan to begin offering the CMS service to local clients before the
end of the year. To broaden its reach, I will need to find like-minded
businesspeople with a track record of exceptional customer service
and a desire to explore new territory. Again, I am interested in your
critical and insighful feedback. I am also interested in your opinions
about the key features of a hosted CMS.
a browser-based web site creation tool - typically referred to as
a Content Management Systems (CMS). Based upon XML and XSLT templates,
it allows an end-user to quickly build and easily maintain their
web presence. In my world view of the web, there are three things
that need to come together to have a good web site:
1. web design
2. web hosting
3. content management
My plan is to focus on providing the third edge of this triangle. I have
been reviewing WHT forum postings as part of my research into the market
for such a service. And this has strengthened my opinion that designers
and hosting providers might be interested in different partnership
scenarios. In a scenario with a designer, I would contract with the designer
to produce one or more site templates. I'm talking about real templates
- not the junk most template sites sell. I would pay perhaps $500 for the
template to be created. The designer would maintain the copyright for
the template. The end customer would create their web site from a template
which they choose from our catalog. Typically there would be lots of
customization work which would go to the designer. But the best part
for the designer is that they would be due a monthly license fee
for each customer who uses their template.
In a scenario with a hosting company, my company would provide the hosted
CMS service to their clients who would benefit from and be willing to pay
for a high-quality (and with high-quality templates) browser-based web
authoring add-on to their existing site hosting services. Again the partner,
in this case the hosting company, gets their cut - between 20% and 40% of
the monthly subscription paid by the end customer.
In another scenario, all sides (design, hosting, CMS) work together and
equitably share the revenue.
I plan to begin offering the CMS service to local clients before the
end of the year. To broaden its reach, I will need to find like-minded
businesspeople with a track record of exceptional customer service
and a desire to explore new territory. Again, I am interested in your
critical and insighful feedback. I am also interested in your opinions
about the key features of a hosted CMS.