How to promote FileMaker to my potential clients?

[Spidey]

Hi,

I am just wondering how do you guys promote FileMaker to my potential clients? And what are pro and cos of Filemaker vs Access? Thanks.

K.C.

[David Jondreau]

I don't sell Filemaker. I sell me. And I come with Filemaker. I sell my ability to develop a product that meets the client's needs.

Filemaker is easier to develop on than Access, but Access is more robust. Filemaker is more stable, I've found Access crashes a lot. Filemaker isn't cheap and Access is basically free for business PC users. But Filemaker is cross-platform and Access is PC-only. ALL of my FMP clients are Mac only or cross-platform shops.

[Ted S]

Filemaker is easier to develop on than Access, but Access is more robust.

Robust probably isn't the right word. I think DJ probably meant Access is more widely used or has a bigger market share. Robust means healthy and vigorous and as DJ noted, it crashes more frequently than Filemaker.

I'd say that Filemaker is simpler and more intuitive for regular people if they have to do any development or modifications on their own. It's also much quicker to develop than Access. I believe some developers actually build demo applications using Filemaker because it is so fast and then rebuild in whatever technology the customer is asking for.

My 2 cents.

[David Jondreau]

I meant robust in the sense of "full bodied". Access is more "full featured".

You can do more with Access than you can with Filemaker, things like subforms, more triggering events, easier separation of data and interface, etc.

[Russell Barlow]

And what are pro and cos of Filemaker vs Access?

Here is marketing material from Filemaker that speaks to exactly this.

http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-pro/docs/11/comparison_fm_access.pdf