Excel VBA - Commercialise Investment Program

[davidc]

I have created an Excel 2000 VBA program that enables users to maintai
investment transactions, download stock quotes from the web at no cost
chart stocks, track investment returns, and more.

I have been using the program for many months so have gotten the bug
out, modified it and added many useful features.

Now I am thinking of commercialising it.

What is the best way of wrapping the program up so it can b
distributed through a commercial website?

For example, is VB6 a viable option? Or is there a better way of doin
it

 

[DennisE]

David, I have developed VB and Excel/VBA programs for commrecial purposes for
close to two decades now. My suggestion, before you put a dime into marketing
it, is to beta test the program by giving it away for free to a dozen or so
friends and acquaintences, asking them to use it for a while (put a 30- or
45-day cut-off in it, if you like), in return for which you want a full report
on what they liked and disliked about it, and all the bugs they encountered.
I've never written a program that didn't turn up a score of bugs long after I
thought I had eliminated the last of the critters. And of course even before
you give it away, you'll want to develop formal documentation, a User Manual,
Installation Notes, a Quick-Start Guide, an on-line help system; and then, when
you've got all that in place, go back and make it so completely dummy-proof
that even your kid sister could run it blindfolded. When all that's done, hire
a specialist who can spruce up the appearance of even the desktop version, from
layout and visual look, to icons to colorization, etc., for even when it comes
to software, "sizzle" matters.

Next develop a detailed business plan including market potential and thorough
evaluation of all the competing products out there for the same service,
keeping in mind that the only way to get business is by stealing it from others
(true whether it's software or a clothing store). Then use it to convince a
couple of rich friends or investors why they should ante up anywhere from
$500,000 to
$1,000,000 (or more) to convert the package it to a web-based operation,
purchase ad space, open an office, hire a sales manager, develop a sales force,
recruit and train a technical support team,
among other things. Skimp on any of these ingredients, and you'll wind up
sadder and wiser.

-- Dennis Eisen

 

[Toby Erkson]

David, I have developed VB and Excel/VBA programs for commrecial purposes for
close to two decades now. My suggestion, before you put a dime into marketing
it, is to beta test the program by giving it away for free to a dozen or so
friends and acquaintences...and make it so completely dummy-proof
that even your kid sister could run it blindfolded.

I agree with all of the above.

When all that's done, hire
a specialist who can spruce up the appearance of even the desktop version, from
layout and visual look, to icons to colorization, etc., for even when it comes
to software, "sizzle" matters.

Next develop a detailed business plan including market potential and thorough
evaluation of all the competing products out there for the same service,
keeping in mind that the only way to get business is by stealing it from others
(true whether it's software or a clothing store). Then use it to convince a
couple of rich friends or investors why they should ante up anywhere from
$500,000 to
$1,000,000 (or more) to convert the package it to a web-based operation,
purchase ad space, open an office, hire a sales manager, develop a sales force,
recruit and train a technical support team,
among other things. Skimp on any of these ingredients, and you'll wind up
sadder and wiser.

But this...geez, talk about taking the wind out of one's sails!

Here's another suggestion: See if you can sell it to a software company, either for a lump sum or something along the lines of a royalty. Getting the right
type of lawyer would be a smart idea.

Toby Erkson
Oregon, USA