Mainstream market alignment
Preliminary research revealed that a small percentage of radio stations were already using digital audio systems live and on-the-air. These “innovators and early adopters” typically modified digital devices that were made for other applications such as sound studios or post-production facilities. But Warren’s research indicated that mainstream radio stations were very interested in solving their slow-editing problem. So he identified a group of first movers in the mainstream who were willing to use VoxPro, and then also serve as a reference site. This early first-mover program led to substantial mainstream market acceptance. VoxPro soon started to become a recognized and valuable name in the radio broadcast community.
Sales channel development
The VoxPro product consisted of industry-standard hardware made by Apple and Avid Technology. However, the mainstream radio broadcast industry prefers buying equipment from well-known and trusted channels of distribution. Given this requirement, Warren set up a distribution agreement with the world’s largest distributor of radio/TV products. The reputation of Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) gave Audion and VoxPro instant credibility. Harris also dramatically expanded Audion’s sales and marketing footprint.
Positioning and communications
According to early users, the greatest benefit of VoxPro was the ability to quickly take call-ins from the listening audience. Recording and editing call-ins took less time than the length of a single commercial. This high-value feature was incorporated into key positioning messages and prioritized as the lead benefit. VoxPro quickly became known as a staple in radio broadcast. It was the only on-air digital voice editor designed to quickly record and edit phone calls on the fly.