I've posted before about Google and Strategy, Marketing and Giving It All Away. This week there was another great example of that strategy when Google launched a paid version of its email, spreadsheet, calendar and document programs. Fortune came first with the scoop.
This is a direct shot at Microsoft. Many small businesses already use Google (I know I do) to enable their teams and, for a nominal $50 a year, the only real restriction, storage capacity, goes away.
No more office, no more exchange, no more outlook, ouch to the Redmond giant's top and bottom lines.
Now, don't get me wrong. Microsoft isn't going away any time soon. I, and hundreds of millions of others, use their products daily. But...I definitely like the idea of injecting some competition into the market. And Google has the bankroll and marketing platform to do some serious damage.
From your perspective, I'd ask you to ponder this. How do your competitors make money? Do you make it in the same way/market/product? If no, can you attack their profit and revenue "cash cow"?
Hat tip to GigaOm for a great logo to sum this move up:
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