Branded CMS

This only came up once and I simply replied something like: "This (your name of program inserted here) is a proprietary CMS that I've had customized for maximizing my client's needs. It's a "Programmer's CMS" that is light years ahead of drupal, joomla, (other CMS names inserted here). It's geared for the programmer and not the end user. If you were to have a similar system built to spec from scratch it would cost you many times more than what I charged you. Then I reassure them if they ever needed someone else to program it in the future that any REAL coder could handle it and I would provide them the specifics." and then I shut up and waited for their response. After 5 seconds of silence (it seemed like a lot longer) they said "I understand. Thanks for explaining it more." Whew!!

If a client is starting to ask those questions, I normally find that they are the clients that I'm quite happy to loose.

If they do ask, I say that it's based on CMSB from interactive tools, however the implementation is from my 8 years of using interactive tools software. Basically, I'm selling the IT software, plus the implementation and my "bank" of coded solutions (my intellectual property) and the relationship that I have with IT and the community that uses CMSB.

I have used this forum, the community it fosters, and my involvement in it, to sell the value statement. I mark up CMSB dramatically.

Just because I know the brand of the hammer that a builder uses, doesn't mean I can buy the same hammer and build a house. It's the knowledge that the builder has in using that hammer that I can't compete with.

my 2 cents worth :)