Standing Out from the Pack
Creating a profile is not as difficult as you might think since Microsoft walks you through the whole process. A Solution Profile consists of several sections, which you will complete by filling in information about your solution in six different tabs:

Micrsoft Solution Profiler Micrsoft Solution Finder Microsoft PMC

• Basic Information—text based.
• Solution Overview—multiple choice.
• Customers and Capabilities—multiple choice.
• Countries and Regions Served—multiple choice.
• Contact Information and References—multiple choice.
• Preview and Publish.

Tab 1—Basic Information
Here you'll want to include your product name (if there is one), main product benefit, and the size of the businesses you target (for example, small, mid-market, or enterprise), and vertical industry (if appropriate). You can also add information such as your company's URL and logo.

A brief description of your product or solution should give customers (and other partners) an overview of your offering as well as the product name (if applicable) and key product capabilities. It's important to focus on the solution itself, rather than describing your company. You might look to structure your basic information as follows:

• Length: Eight sentences, minimum 100 characters, maximum 3,500 characters.
• Sentence 1: Company name, customer focus, and area of expertise.
• Sentence 2: Detail the specific product you are profiling and its target audience.
• Sentence 3: Detail at least three product benefits. Use bullets, as in the example below.
• Sentence 4: Describe the specific capabilities of your product.
• Sentence 5 (optional): If available, list proven, quantifiable benefits, as in the example below.
• Sentence 6: Explain why your product is different to other, similar products. Do not name your competitors or their products. Points of differentiation include: price, service, creative problem-solving, and expertise.
• Sentence 7: List any awards you have won—either for this product or as a company.
• Sentence 8: Create a customer call-to-action. This should encourage customers to contact you for more information. For example, it can take the form of a special offer. Ensure that any offers are available for at least one quarter.

Moving On
The following information shows what you'll need to complete Tabs 2-6. It's best to have this information to hand before launching the Solution Profiler since they are presented in a multiple choice format. Here are the choices presented in Tab 2—Solution Overview:

Solution Type: This classifies your solution, not your company. Select up to two types. For example, "Software Offering".

Tested Products: Select all products that apply to your solution. This information is populated with the data you entered into the Partner Marketing Center. If no data appears, you will still be able to publish your profile.

Products: Select the products that are supported by your solution. Even if your company has multiple products and solutions, it is important that you limit your answers to the one you are profiling. Products are listed in groups. For example:

• Windows Vista™
• Windows Vista™ Business
• Windows Vista™ Home Basic

When you select a group, click on the expand button next to it to see the items within it. You must select:

• Between one and three groups.
• Between one and two items within each group.
• Hardware detail: This field will only appear on the form if you have selected 'Hardware Offering' under Solution type. Select up to five types. For example, Networking
• Service detail: This field will only appear if you selected 'Hosting Services' or 'Microsoft Volume Licensing Sales and Service', or 'Service Offering' under Solution type. Example: Install business software

As with the 'Product' field, the Group field consists of groups that you can view and select using an expand button. You must select:

• Between one and five groups.
• Between one and three items within each group.
• Sales Channel: This field will only appear if you selected 'software delivered as an online service' or 'software offering' under Solution type. This describes the ways that you sell your solution. Example: Direct from organization.

Implementations: Select the number of successful implementations of this solution since it was launched. In addition, you can describe up to three ways that customers can use your solution with relevant Microsoft technologies.

Solution Price: Enter either the retail price or the price of a typical installation. Stating the true price of your solution will help you find customers who match your criteria and could shorten the sales cycle, since customers know what to expect in terms of cost.