•  It's no secret that the CAD marketplace, like other technologies, is characterized by a broad spectrum of buyer influences due to the growing strategic importance of IT solutions to businesses. CAD technology evaluation, recommendation, and approval decisions are made by an executive team made up of senior IT and non-IT executives. Consider the chart (below) which clearly illustrates that the enterprise software purchase process involves a wide spectrum of individuals, none who can be ignored when considering the buyer continuum process.

The CAD software and services purchase process demands that CAD vendors understand the information habits of the entire IT population (both IT and non-IT), whether a CAD designer, CAD manager, Vice President of Manufacturing, Chief Information Officer, or Chief Financial Officer. Developing relationships with ALL relevant contacts is a must if lead generation is to be effective.

                                                                       Source: 2004 IT Marketing Metrics Guide, MarketingSherpa

• The CAD software market is quite saturated, with literally millions of CAD software seats licensed. Gone are the days of selling hundreds of copies of CAD software to a single business entity. Rarely are companies making massive switches from one software vendor to another. There are only a few firms in developed countries where CAD is done manually. What's a vendor to do? Offer outsourcing services? Perhaps. Offer software for a monthly subscription fee to differentiate your company? Perhaps. But regardless what marketing strategies and tactics you employ as CAD industry marketers, one thing is clear. You must address the needs of the current installed base. To do that well will require an increasingly greater understanding of CAD market segmentation and user perceptions regarding CAD software and service alternatives.

• Compiled lists, if appropriately targeted for mailers, can offer a rich amount of information about business buyers, especially if the list compiler is focused on a specific market niche. Compiled lists are not just about demographics anymore. Consider that CADnet has profiled CAD software usage information for over 175,000 CAD industry professionals...covering literally hundreds of CAD applications in over a dozen CAD Market segments.....and growing.  No other list provider even captures this detailed CAD software intelligence. Engineering magazine subscriber lists certainly don't. As a CAD vendor, you now have important psychographic  information about your target companies and contacts with which to articulate your unique message benefits.