BUSINESS CONCEPT What happens when you put Google, MySpace and eBay in a blender and mix them on high power? You get eDOORWAYS, the ultimate gateway for business and consumers to exchange ideas, services and products in a social networking environment.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then improvement is the purest form of competitiveness. eDOORWAYS offers a highly differentiated, first-of-its-kind product. The eDOORWAYS' platform encompasses a unique combination: part social network, directory, search engine, professional network, encyclopedia and rating service.
Solving lifestyle problems for consumers while driving traffic through the physical and/or virtual doorways of goods and service providers and small businesses, is the ultimate goal of eDOORWAYS.
As a web-based consumer problem solving gateway, lifestyle information source and online business-to-business & business-to-consumer marketplace, eDOORWAYS will save consumers valuable personal resources by uniting them with the global consumer community, retailers, and manufacturers in an innovative and effective new way.
SUMMARY
eDOORWAYS is a web-based service offering aimed at America's 'net-generation' computer users. As a web based Town Square, eDOORWAYS is expected to become the ultimate gateway for businesses and consumers to exchange ideas, services and products within a highly technologically sophisticated social networking environment. eDOORWAYS will offer a way to identify, locate and engage a varying array of resources (both locally and globally). This will provide for advanced problem solving, enhanced learning, conceptualizing and taking ideas to completion, intelligent searches resulting in finding hard-to-get information, or buying and selling items through sophisticated ecommerce networks. A user will even get the opportunity to foster new and exciting experiences unique to them in a way that's timely, meaningful, productive and relevant.
Initially designed by Microsoft award winning technology and solutions partner speakTECH, a California-based firm who has consulted to many of the worlds top internet service companies, eDOORWAYS is set to capitalize on current Web 2.0 community democratic Internet service offerings like MySpace, Craigs List, and Wikipedia. However, eDOORWAYS is innovatively incorporating emerging Web 3.0 software technologies. Through Web 3.0, eDOORWAYS will possess a global reach and commerce potential exceeding current service offerings on the Internet. eDOORWAYS will offer today's generation of web users a highly collaborative personal and work space that fosters new levels of achievement and creativity. It will enable each of us and our personal businesses, offering a way to take ourselves to new levels of performance and life experience.
OPPORTUNITY
Benefits
Key benefits for eDOORWAYS include increased consumer empowerment via a higher level of engagement with vendors; 3rd party information that can be trusted as impartial; and stronger orientation toward customer service and improved ways for vendors to identify prospects and close the sale.
Revenue
eDOORWAYS revenues will be derived from the following:
CRM & Data mining (10% of Revenue Model) - reports and services will be available as the consumer base grows. Whereas initially, vendors will receive advantage from golden nugget leads, in the long run, the platform will be used to identify candidates who can possibly be convinced to accelerate a buying decision in the future. As an example, eDOORWAYS could potentially identify a candidate for a new car purchase by mining information on people with a lot of car repair questions. Local auto dealers and manufacturers may pay a premium for this service.
Prepaid Services/Subscriptions (60% of Revenue Model) - from vendors who wish to prepay for lead generation or to subscribe to receive alerts (through email or text message) when someone has indicated an interest in a product or service the vendor provides. eDOORWAYS believes it can command premium rates for golden nugget leads like these where a clear need has been indicated and a purchasing decision is imminent.
Preferential Placement Fees (10% of Revenue Model) - will be charged to vendors who wish to stand out, similar to Google keyword purchases or paying to have ones resume come up first in recruiter searches of the job boards. We are convinced that this will be a growing revenue source.
Private-label Lease/Sale and operation of the Platform (10% of Revenue Model) - may be of interest to professional associations, trade groups, and large corporations with supplier bases that could pay us for access to their own version of the service. The eDOORWAYS platform is ideal for generating topical information that assists in purchasing decisions and therefore has value.
Advertising Revenue (10% of Revenue Model) - based on a cost per thousand views (CPM). We believe that because of the targeted focus by special interest and need as well as the likelihood of near term purchase decision, that eDOORWAYS will garner a premium CPM rate.
Strategy
eDOORWAYS will capitalize on an emerging opportunity created by several developments:
the huge success of Web 2.0 community democratic Internet service offerings (like MySpace, Craigs List, Wikipedia);
innovatively incorporating emerging Web 3.0 software technologies;
the movement in marketing toward micro, or 'niche' marketing and targeted service offerings in place of traditional mass marketing;
the emergence of new technologies that enable the aggregation and presentation of information on the Internet on an immediate basis;
the changing behavior of consumers, who now actively seek online information to answer their questions and gain information prior to purchasing.
the need for transparent information the truth about satisfaction or disappointment with products, vendors, and service providers on a local basis the need for truths generated by users in the form of consumer reviews of repairmen, contractors, hotels, restaurants, books, films, and other consumer services; and
a desire on the part of small businesses and merchants who have measurable media resources for reaching consumers actively involved in the purchasing process to leverage their customer referral base and the Internet in an efficient and cost-effective fashion, unlike what is currently possible through traditional listing services and local print, radio, and cable TV outlets.
DESIGN
Product
eDOORWAYS is a platform that combines positive aspects of highly successful businesses, yet overcoming the flaws that have prevented each of them from becoming a fully comprehensive tool for consumers, experts, and businesses to connect.
At its core, eDOORWAYS is a collaborative venue that connects people with questions to experts who have the answers and solutions and who can make recommendations as to where to buy goods and services related to areas of interest. For people with special knowledge, it validates credibility, spreads fame, and provides them with the opportunity to be rewarded for their opinions. However, the outer layers of the eDOORWAYS platform provide users with unique applications and services allowing intelligent advanced search services and a commerce networking [social] capability not provided by any leisure and entertainment based social networking site.
In a manner analogous to the typical town square found in many American towns and cities, eDOORWAYS will engender an atmosphere of transparency, immediacy, and intimacy. Like the town square, where its possible to know who all the relevant vendors are, their product and service offerings, eDOORWAYS will induce a form of candor and competitiveness that can only benefit consumers and businesses alike via the web regardless of financial or social backgrounds.
Services
eDOORWAYS will offer three synergistic service modules to drive the brand:
1. A performance support feature that assists consumers in resolving current lifestyle problems and issues on a real-time collaborative basis;
2. An e-marketplace where vendors can establish 'storefronts' and communicate directly with consumers, and;
3. An omnibus lifestyle 'info-pedia' offering a broad range of lifestyle information and assistance using the 'wiki' approach.
These three service elements will be uniquely combined into a single, seamless interface to provide an environment designed to foster collaborative teamwork between the consumer, other members of the broader consumer community, retailers, and manufacturers.
Components
eDOORWAYS will be deployed as an e-commerce platform and performance support system boasting five major competitive components. These eDOORWAYS components are:
Real-time collaborative problem-solving and performance support This phase allows consumers to collaborate with various human problems solving resources in a dynamic, intimate, and engaging real-time venue that facilitates immediate problem resolution.
Intelligent search support Consumers and businesses will be given powerful new advanced search tools that yield meaningful and relevant information and support, both within the context of the moment of need and on an ongoing, longitudinal basis.
Intelligent contextual problem solving and performance support As eDOORWAYS transactions multiply, and the system develops a historical repository of problem solving interactions, the platform will offer consumers real-time intelligent assistance without the need for human intervention in the solution event.
Remote performance support via peripheral or hand-held devices eDOORWAYS is designed to accentuate the capabilities of cellular phones, digital cameras, and other electronic/digital devices that can serve as tools for remote geographic performance support. (launch by -2010)
Creation Chamber contextual problem solving and performance support All relevant information and assistance obtained by consumers can be placed into a contextual framework that can be shared with others. This Creation Chamber will offer consumers real-time performance support, guidance, tools, and content that enables the process. (launch by the end of 2010)
Vertical Topics of Focus
The company will initially focus on building a database of vendors and a wiki base of information in the following vertical areas of interest.
Automotive
Entertainment
Financial Services
Food & Wine, Restaurants
Home Improvement
Technology
As the user base grows, the topical focus will grow organically.
DESIGN ('Doorways' of the Brand)
Today, eDOORWAYS is prepared to launch with the introduction of its first 'doorway', 'SOLVE'. Additionally, there are six other 'doorways' anticipated to be components of the brand's platform and service offering. Each doorway will be given a unique name, such as the initial 'SOLVE' doorway, and will be established in the marketplace as a distinct sub-brand.
SOLVE Doorway
At its core, 'SOLVE' is a collaborative venue that connects people with questions to experts with answers, solutions, and recommendations as it relates to their area of interest. For people with special knowledge, 'SOLVE' validates credibility, spreads fame, builds popularity, and provides a forum where once little known experts can now be rewarded for their opinions.
eDOORWAYS will offer two synergistic service components to drive the 'SOLVE' sub-brand:
1. A performance support feature that assists consumers in resolving current lifestyle problems and issues on a real-time collaborative basis; and
2. An e-marketplace where vendors are allowed to establish 'storefronts' where they can communicate directly with consumers.
These two service elements are be uniquely combined into a single, seamless interface to provide an environment designed to foster collaborative teamwork between the consumer, other members of the broader consumer community, retailers, and manufacturers.
eDOORWAYS' 'SOLVE' doorway is first and foremost a problem solver, allowing 'lifestyle consumers' to quickly research and assess their problem (like installing brake pads on the car, or planting the right landscape at home) with the aid and valuable knowledge of thousands of others who have a solution at hand that they're willing to share. The idea is to put the consumer in a unique problem-solving environment that can effectively assist him/her in obtaining the right solution and acquiring the resources (i.e., products and services) necessary to put the solution in motion. To do this, we make the consumer, relevant retailers and manufacturers, and the consuming public as a whole (who have contextual experience potentially valuable to the person with the problem) part of a single goal-oriented team.
With its second service component of the 'SOLVE' doorway, eDOORWAYS will be an e-commerce business-to-consumer marketplace. Once the consumer has a solution at hand, retailers/manufacturers can help him/her acquire necessary products/services quickly and conveniently. Manufacturers also can assist the consumer by offering context-relevant information, guidance and support, promotional offers and the business-to-consumer tools geared to solve the consumer's problem.
The Other Doorways
In addition to the 'SOLVE' doorway, eDOORWAYS is preparing for the future expansion of the platform which is anticipated to boast six other doorways. Although these doorways have yet to be named, each is unique in their service offerings and is described as follows:
Doorway II Escape the confines of Google searches. Reach out and see what the world has to offer. Enhance the quality of life experiences. Investigate new areas of interest - try them all out. Enter a world of enhanced personal participation where there are no hindrances due to your lack of knowledge. Obtain a more rich and thorough experience of any lifestyle activity with the help of an environment that brings you all relevant aspects of the lifestyle. If you like to tinker and explore, this doorway will be for you.
Doorway III Access learning resources or build your own. Bring your learning experience to a higher level of intention and mastery. This doorway will offer an opportunity for anyone wishing to create a training experience for others or to further their own education to achieve their objective. It will offer a feature new to learning - the ability to tap into the skill and knowledge of others in a real-time venue to create a learning experience.
Doorway IV Bring that creative project to fruition. This doorway brings technology, tolerance, and talent together to create new ideas, products, and possibilities. Imagine being able to go to a special place where you can air your creative thinking, run it by others of a similar mind, and turn it into a tangible, productive project using the unlimited human and information resources of the web.
Doorway V Give or arrange for assistance for those in need. This doorway connects those who want to help with those who need it. This extraordinary doorway will give those who wish to serve others the opportunity to bring tremendous focus and impact to their charitable action. You will be able to make your action known to those who care so that they may assist you in bringing your unique capabilities to a world in need.
Doorway VI This doorway is about taking mental action. With it, you will be able to bring and apply focus to your mind. It will offer tools and a supportive environment for self-help and analysis. If you are interested in enhancing your personal ability, this doorway will bring you the resources you need to move forward.
Doorway VII The Cardinal Doorway that leads to and orchestrates all others. It is the source of the technology and horsepower that drives the other six doorways. Doorway VII is the all-seeing, all-knowing personal assistant. No matter which doorway you're in, Doorway VII will be standing at your side as your personal guide, assistant and mentor. It can tell you the questions you should be asking to accomplish your goal. And it is the ultimate provider of resources. Doorway VII will be the constant observer of both your actions and those of the world, reaching out to the world at the proper moment to bring you the exact knowledge and resources you need. Doorway VII will be constantly observing and learning, thereby enhancing the nature of the services it can offer.
MARKET PROJECTIONS
Target Market
Our brand will primarily focus on middle-class Americans which might span a wide age range. This market segment includes both younger (ages 18 24) and upwardly mobile people who are just beginning to earn higher salaries (ages 25 40), as well as older and more established middle-class Americans (including Baby Boomers) who possess the purchasing power and inclination to spend money on lifestyle pursuits. The young adult market is especially important as this group is also taking advantage of an influx of new media by communicating about service, products and brands through instant messaging (37.5%), text messaging (23.7%), and online communities (20.6%). This market is often referred to as the 'Net Generation' and is comprised of approximately 80 million people.
The potential market for eDOORWAYS services is sufficiently large and they are already predisposed to using the internet to help make purchasing decisions. eDOORWAYS may only need to create awareness of the advantages of our services rather than educating the market.
Marketing Plan
With three constituencies, eDOORWAYS will create a campaign that has value-chain appeal. This marketing plan will include the following components:
To Build the Vendor Listings
o Telesales to initial vendors for free and upgraded listings.
o As the consumer user base builds, eDOORWAYS will communicate opportunities to purchase lead generation and alert services.
o Ad tiles on Google, Yahoo, etc.
o Email blasts (from MPE, Clients, partners, etc)
o Trade magazine print ads (industry/segment specific)
o Local events that build the community, spotlight local vendors and attract experts and users alike.
To Build the Expert Wiki-base
o Ad tiles on partner/client website.
o Creating or buying into an alternative currency/points/frequent flyer-type program that will allow experts to earn rewards for their participation.
o Working with listed vendors to offer special discounts or SWAG (free gifts) to experts that gain a following in areas of mutual benefit. (such as a wine expert getting discounted bottles from a local wine merchant).
o Local events that build the community, spotlight local vendors and attract experts and users alike.
To Attract Users
o Advertising and PR campaign
o Local events that build the community, spotlight local vendors and attract experts and users alike.
o Ad tiles on Google, Yahoo, etc.
o Email blasts (from MPE, Clients, partners, etc)
o Vertical interest magazine print ads
o Viral and word-of-modem campaigns.
Target Cities & Rollout
eDOORWAYS will introduce local services on a city-by-city basis in order to both minimize capital requirements and optimize value creation. eDOORWAYS will initially target ten major cities with the intent of offering multilingual versions of the platform; however the ultimate rollout will include 30 of the largest cities within the US in terms of numbers of businesses and population. We will rollout new cities on a phased basis to balance the advertising/marketing costs with growth opportunity.
Branding
The branding and marketing strategy is based upon the aggregation of both static and contextual information of potential interest to consumers and rendering that information to consumers quickly in a form that is easier to find, understand and relate to.
eDOORWAYS will initially offer free lists to local and national vendors in a direct sales campaign in an attempt to up-sell vendors into first providing a special offer to customers who mention or contact them through eDOORWAYS. As users become familiar with the service, additional for-fee services will be offered (such as alerts when customers indicate interest in product/services or the delivery of pre-qualified leads).
eDOORWAYS will launch with an initial advertising thrust for each new city introduction. This would include hosting local events to build community and give a public face to the community of experts while organizing PR campaigns designed to garner significant news coverage and help educate the market.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
eDOORWAYS is an 'open' website with typical HTML interactivity which people can access through internet searches as well as from a variety of partner/client websites. eDOORWAYS will compete either directly or indirectly with the following web-based entities: Google; About.com; Craigslist; Ebay, Ask.com and various Social Networking sites. However, these competitors do not have a collaboratively-based contextual (real time) service offering of the type offered by eDOORWAYS.
Key differentiators are:
None of the primary competitors identified currently offers an intensive problem solving service of the nature of eDOORWAYS; and although Google and Ask.com offer search capabilities, these arent truly problem solving tools. With eDOORWAYS, not only are searches performed by an advanced intelligent search system, but search functions are combined with context-relevant 'info-pedia' information. This is then combined with professional match making services which in real-time, intelligently places consumers in contact with professional/expert vendors, information, and support. This feature is further enhanced by valuable context-relevant 'community chat' solutions offered by other eDOORWAYS consumers familiar with the problem.
In the case of Craigslist and eBay, both compete in the buy-sell arena but do not offer services that allow retailers and manufacturers to collaborate with the consumer on a real-time basis. eDOORWAYS provides a dedicated e-commerce marketplace with an extensive collaborative component.
eDOORWAYS also offers an omnibus lifestyle 'info-pedia'. While About.com would be the direct competitor, eDOORWAYS services focuses solely on lifestyle topics; offering much greater depth of coverage.
FOR CONSUMERS
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HOW IT WORKS FOR CONSUMERS
Sign up for eDOORWAYS and ask your question or share a pending purchase decision.
Receive an immediate suite of discounts and value propositions from merchants in your market.
Receive an immediate smart directory of rated merchants and services in your market that may be able to solve your problem.
Receive access to a database of similar questions, purchase transactions and solutions from other eDOORWAYS members. See the entire blog and see if someone else has already solved your problem.
Sit tight. eDOORWAYS experts and merchant partner have been alerted to your needs and are coming to your aid. Your anonymity is protected as both experts and merchants share their knowledge, experiences and opportunities.
The unique eDOORWAYS Collaborative Platform shows you who the experts are and who the merchants are. Like a simple chat window or blog, the answer to your question or problem is near at hand. Imagine you have you have decided to purchase an expensive product and generally know what you want to spend. While the experts tell you what to look out for or share their positive and negative experiences, the merchants have an opportunity to vie for your business.
CONSUMER BENEFITS
Simply register for eDOORWAYS and receive immediate value in the form of real and exclusive discounts and coupons from merchants and services in your market.
See an eDOORWAYS sticker on their door and enjoy an even higher level of service and opportunity than usual.
eDOORWAYS members receive real-time email, chat and even text access to eDOORWAYS experts both professionals and shade tree who know all about the things you dont know. Whether its selecting a wine for a dinner party or buying an engagement ring, real experts in your market can steer you to the right direction and help you make your most informed purchase decision.
Feel confident: eDOORWAYS experts carry a consumer rating just like eBay so you can decide whose advice you are inclined to follow.
Better than the Yellow Pages! eDOORWAYS members receive immediate access to an enhanced directory of local merchants and services - with consumer generated satisfaction ratings and Geo-specific mapping from your home to those merchants.
A rewards system that helps you to build value from every eDOORWAYS partner transaction you make. EDOORWAYS members gain valuable points towards travel and other tangible rewards each and every time they transact with eDOORWAYS merchant members.
eDOORWAYS members have access to a proprietary collaboration platform that invites, both the experts who give their advice and actual merchants who vie for your business! Negotiate in confidence and anonymity and avoid spam and harassing phone calls from sales people.
Timely, real and relevant archival solutions from other eDOORWAYS members. eDOORWAYS members have access to a community database of real consumer purchase decisions. Learn from other consumers mistakes, or take advantage of their learning curve. Avoid the Duds and find out about the real Gems who are in your marketplace.
FOR MERCHANTS
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HOW IT WORKS FOR MERCHANTS
Want to know about the people in your market who are seriously considering buying your product or services?
Accept the eDOORWAYS free listing and you are automatically put in front of smart consumers who can search for the goods and services that you provide.
Choose your levels of real-time, interactive connectivity. For less than what it costs to run an ad in the Yellow Pages, you can choose from a number of ways to be alerted to real consumer questions and purchase considerations and solid leads.
Choose from a suite of low cost business services and opportunities to help build your business and profile.
MERCHANT BENEFITS
eDOORWAYS merchant services can connect you directly to people in your local market who have expressed a need or desire to purchase your goods or services!
Sell within your budget. Subscribe to multiple levels of consumer connectivity based upon what your business can afford. Whether its an email alert, real-time chat or a text message to your phone, you have the first shot at consumers who are ready to buy.
Get round-the-clock 24 hour coverage. Just like the big guys, with eDOORWAYS, you can be there for your customers when they need you.
Real sales leads: Negotiate before the consumer comes in. Weed out the mildly interested and land the serious buyers without having to waste valuable face time in your store.
Manage your resources wisely. Focus in what you do best and let eDOORWAYS bring you the customers! eDOORWAYS wants to be your marketing department. Dont wait on (expensive) newspaper closing dates or low-tech local media to promote your business or promotions. Push the button and hot items, closeouts and last minute opportunities are delivered to pre-qualified consumers, creating immediate foot traffic to your business.
eDOORWAYS merchant members get professional sales support - you will receive templates and tools for making beautiful ads and flyers.
eDOORWAYS merchant members receive unique demos and low cost alternatives to expensive small business software for accounting, inventory control and project management that will help you succeed.
eDOORWAYS merchant partners receive premium pricing on business services from other eDOORWAYS partners. Business insurance, legal services, printing you name it. eDOORWAYS partners take care of each other.
Access eDOORWAYS experts for your own selfish purposes! You are proud of your business - wouldnt you like to know the people whose influence can make or break your sale? Embrace the enthusiasts, invite them to rate your product or provide them with new products for review and make real sales that multiply.
eDOORWAYS rewards consumers for using your business. eDOORWAYS consumer members gain valuable points each time they connect and transact with eDOORWAYS merchant partners.
eDOORWAYS wants to reward you for conducting a quality business. Highly rated merchant members benefit from free events and promotions in your market provided by eDOORWAYS promotions group.
FOR EXPERTS
HOW IT WORKS FOR EXPERTS
Everyone is good at something or rather there are many people who could be called 'experts' in one topic or another.
Join the eDOORWAYS community and fill out a personal profile and rating of yourself based upon your relative expertise in a number of programmed categories. The rating is a scale of 1-10 where you might say 'I'm a 10 for fine wines but more of a 3 for cars'. For professional experts (i.e. journalists, accredited, published, experts) there is a 'gold level' status that automatically places you above the pack - and allows you to go into deeper levels of precise expertise (Cars > French > Pre War, etc.). In addition, uniquely specialized areas of expertise like 'cellular degeneration or Tibetan literature' can be added by key word.
Choose your level of connectivity. Do you care if an uninformed consumer in your hometown is in need of some purchase advice? If so, you can choose to be alerted via emails, text pings or scheduled online chat. Share your knowledge, give advice and be rewarded for it!
EXPERT BENEFITS
eDOORWAYS experts are stars! Whether you went to school for it, or went through your own purchase learning curve, or simply know a lot about a particular thing, eDOORWAYS sees your value and rewards you for your knowledge.
eDOORWAYS experts are invited to create product reviews and stories of their purchase decisions. The more quality reviews you submit, the more points value you earn toward exclusive items and services that are specific to your interests.
Influential eDOORWAYS experts with proven ratings are on the radar and can be connected directly to those merchant who sell the very goods and services that they love. Become a real reviewer who is recognized and held in high regard by his community.
eDOORWAYS experts can even be paid for their knowledge. The highest levels of eDOORWAYS experts are provided a platform for regular user generated editorial. If you are a proven expert then we want to cut you in!
Be accessible and be rewarded! Choose to receive alerts from emails, to chat to text messages and score major rewards points. eDOORWAYS expert members gain valuable points towards their passions, as well as travel and other tangible rewards each and every time they share their knowledge.
