I'm amazed every time I think about the great benefits and programs now available to Microsoft Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners and I believe that now's the best time to be a breadth ISV on the Microsoft platform. These benefits and programs reflect Microsoft's increasing focus around helping ISVs grow their businesses and sell more products. Of course, it is self-serving for Microsoft too in the sense that more ISV solutions sold mean that eventual end-customers see more potential value from the platform. So, it's a win-win proposition for Microsoft and ISVs to help maintain a healthy ecosystem of compelling ISV solutions.

Here's a sampling of the programs and partner benefits specifically tailored for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs):

  • Marketing
    • SQL2005 Frontrunner Initiative -- This is such an exciting new program run by one of the nicest people on the US-ISV team. It provides ISVs with the technical help they need to upgrade their products to use SQLServer2005, some great marketing benefits, including an opportunity to receive $5,000 of funding. An excellent press article on this initiative and FrontRunner site.

     

    • Channel Builder -- We've heard many great things about this benefit and how it allows ISVs of all sizes to break past regional barriers by leveraging Microsoft's global channel of partners and resellers to sell more software. This article shows how Ten Digits was able to succesfully leverage this benefit to grow their customer base.


    • ISV Royalty Licensing -- This program allows ISVs to license products like SQLServer 2005 as part of their packaged solutions sold to end-customers. Since the royalty fees are less than even volume-pricing, it either allows the ISV to make money from the price difference or provide better value to the end customer by lowering the total solution cost. More information about this program here.


    • Competitive Sales Assistance -- This is truly exciting stuff and allows certified partners to help sell their products in competitive situations. Whether the ISV is competing against other platform vendors or maybe older versions of the Microsoft platform, they can leverage this unlimited service on as many deals they see fit to pursue. More info here.

 

  • Technical Enablement
    • ISV Empower -- Hands-down the best value package for smaller ISV's to technically enable them to get started on the Microsoft platform. For a $375 fee, program participants receive 10 hours of ISV advisory services, an MSDN subscription, and software licenses all worth upwards of $2,000. Yeah, the last statement sounds like it came from a TV infomercial, so I might as well add... "You have to try it to believe it!"

      Here's a great 3rd-party description of this program from the Gurock's.

     

    • ISV Advisory Services -- Nice 1:1 technology enablement service benefit for thousands of Certified ISV's and ISV-Empower members. For ISV's, it complements the static webcasts and developer content on MSDN with interactive 1:1 voice discussions and livemeeting workshops with our ISV Advisory Services engineers worldwide. Link.

     

    • ISV Touchdown Briefings and Community Days -- These sessions are held several times a year in various worldwide locations and allows ISVs to meet with our worldwide team of Developer Evangelist. Link.

 

I'll stop here for now with the thought that there are other programs and benefits to help Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) succeed in the marketplace. I'll blog about other ISV programs and benefits as they are announced and as I remember them <G>.

If you've gotten this far, you're probably an ISV, and I would like to hear your comments about other types of benefits or services that you think would be valuable to you. You never know, one of these days we might just implement your suggestion.