Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company—and Revolutionized an Industry

7.15. Play #89: Don't Use a "Seagull Approach"; the Secret to Global Success Is Commitment

Perhaps the biggest mistake we made as we tried to gain traction in new markets, especially in Asia, was underestimating the importance of real commitment. At first, we believed we could tend to a market by flying in; hosting a week of great events, such as press conferences and parties; and following up from our home office. That practice required a big investment of time and money, and worse, it was perceived negatively as bespeaking a circus-tent mentality. We'd see a spike in sales immediately after an event, but then interest would fade away. The market showed us that customers wanted our commitment all year long. In Asia, business is conducted face-to-face, ...