This is a guest post written by Louis Havriliuc - business simulation enthusiast and Cesim partner for Romania and SE Europe. Louis is also the founder of the Simbound e-Marketing Simulation Game - the first simulation game in the world to approach digital marketing and e-commerce through active learning.
As a business owner and an e-learning practitioner, I am constantly open to new ways to help individuals achieve superior learning experiences over the internet while securing healthy cash-flow. Being a Cesim partner for almost two years, I can confirm that the partner opportunity is a great way to scale up your internet/ e-learning business no matter where in the world your target market is located. The overall quality of the solution in terms of usability and user experience has allowed us to reach number one spot in Romania when it comes to total number of users for any type of online business simulations in this time span.
The relationship is as simple as it is efficient: you make most of your local market knowledge and handle sales & support for your users while Cesim promises continuous innovation in development and a quality online learning experience. A win-win situation which sees the ecosystem grow constantly. Another advantage is that you do not need to invest in expensive capabilities such as technology development and maintenance. You are also left with the freedom to pursue ongoing activities which you might currently have while central marketing efforts can bring new clients your way without you moving a finger.
If you appreciate the new dimension your company can enter as brand ambassador for a world-class business games platform and you wish to work with smart people such as University Professors then this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Below are some tips for partners just starting out. These may apply better to Eastern European Markets than to other regions:
- Translate the simulation platform to your language (Cesim platform is currently available in more than 10 locales so check first)
- When selling to Universities try and reach out to young professors – they are the ones passionate about new learning tools
- Be patient and continue to follow up on prospects. Sales cycles tend to be longer when dealing with public institutions such as Universities
- Promote your services online through blogs and websites. This is still a rather niche domain and you can get visibility easily.
- In some cases face to face meetings can yield better results in explaining the benefits of using business simulation games than webinars and online demos
- Seek out those who have had previous experiences with business strategy games. Most likely they will be interested in trying out a new approach
- Keep in mind the fact that technology is only but a means for people to get things done. People appreciate help from others when dealing with new tools so be quick to offer quality support if needed.
Market Quick Stats:
- Business simulator games (or Simulare de afaceri in Romanian) are rather new tools in the local training and educational settings
- Cesim Business Simulations are being used in more than 10 universities across Romania
- Student satisfaction is almost always above the 90% level after completing a simulation based course
- First course ever ran: June 2010 - University Alexandru Ioan Cuza of Iași.
- Most popular simulation: Global Challenge – the International Business Strategy Simulation Game
