Marketing an independent software vendor

Problem

Unlocking new channels for independent software vendors

Forty percent of malpractice claims against litigation attorneys are due to missed deadlines resulting from incorrect manually updated calendars. LawToolBox, a born-in-the-cloud legal independent software vendor (ISV), was founded in 1998 to offer attorneys a simplified way to manage their calendars. The solution automatically updates and creates calendars and provides a central location to manage timelines based on roles and procedures, ensuring attorneys meet deadlines. After shifting to an API business in 2006, LawToolBox partnered with Microsoft in 2013 to drive their shared focus of transforming the legal market and became one of the first Outlook add-ins. The partnership further strengthened in 2015 when Microsoft approached LawToolBox to support them in developing a go-to-market strategy. Over time, Microsoft helped LawToolBox design integrations into SharePoint and Teams and assisted in creating presentations for managed service providers (MSPs), driving their market share.

In 2021, Microsoft established a new process for ISVs, enabling them to sell their solutions through direct Microsoft partner resellers and Indirect Providers under its CSP program. Having had successful reseller relationships with Microsoft partner resellers for many years, LawToolBox sought to scale, which required LawToolBox to leverage one-to-many opportunities that only resellers bring to the table. To ensure their continued success, they searched for a distributor to provide a strategic partnership and deliberate collaboration in driving their innovative solution’s growth, adoption, and usage.

Solution

A strategic partnership to drive market expansion

Since its Indirect Provider authorization, Pax8 has worked closely with Microsoft to evaluate new programs and help bring them to market. And as the largest provider of Microsoft’s cloud technology to the small-mid-sized business (SMB) market, the company aligned perfectly with LawToolBox’s key demographics. Additionally, Pax8 built its business around Microsoft’s cloud platforms and developed innovative and advanced solutions to drive partners’ cloud practice. After choosing to work with Pax8, LawToolBox experienced a comprehensive partnership offering additional benefits to lay the foundation for substantial market saturation.

“Our Microsoft relationship was critical to our success, and we knew finding an indirect provider that offered the same level of support would be challenging. However, the partnership with Pax8 far surpassed our expectations. In the short time we have been working together, their dedication, strategy, and collaboration are already providing significant value.” Carol Lynn Grow, Owner and Vice President of Marketing and Sales at LawToolBox

Benefit

A partner-centric approach

Pax8 simplifies the cloud buying journey for partners and empowers them to achieve success, which it does through its industry-leading technology, innovative solutions, and education and enablement programs.

The Pax8 technology marketplace provides LawToolBox a direct method to reach partners by allowing them to easily buy, sell, and manage the solution for all clients from one portal. With features like instant provisioning and the ability to purchase multiple cloud solutions from various vendors, partners can effortlessly incorporate the LawToolBox product into their solution stack. To simplify billing, Microsoft includes the cost of LawToolBox in its invoices, which the Pax8 marketplace enhances by providing one monthly bill for all clients and vendors, making it an attractive solution for MSPs.

The Pax8 empowerment program provides partners with relevant and innovative resources to grow their cloud practice and succeed. Unique enablement events provide a technical deep-dive into Microsoft’s comprehensive solutions and teach partners how to upsell and cross-sell the solutions. Through these events, LawToolBox can directly inform partners about their product, provide the best use cases, and educate them on the technical aspects.

As an indirect provider of Microsoft cloud licenses, Pax8 has access to Cloud Ascent data that provides critical insights into end-client demographics and purchase history. Pax8 and LawToolBox will use this information to identify and target partners with clients in the legal field, creating a more deliberate sales approach to client acquisition. This method also provides entry into new clients, enabling partners to suggest the next logical solution offering to continue building their Microsoft business.

“Pax8’s education and enablement programs deliver partners the knowledge and tools required to sell our solutions effectively. Through the partnership, we have access to an entirely new channel of MSPs and a deliberate approach for driving adoption of our solutions.”

Results

Framework for future success

Through the partnership with Pax8, LawToolBox has access to a new channel of MSPs and strategic initiatives and programs to drive usage and adoption of their innovative technology. Pax8’s unique partner-focused approach amplifies MSPs focus on the legal field and helping LawToolBox and Microsoft add value to the industry and capitalize on the great opportunity. By focusing on this shared initiative, Pax8 and LawToolBox are mitigating attorneys’ risk of malpractice lawsuits while increasing the reach and frequency of Microsoft’s cloud solutions and transforming its ecosystem.

About LawToolBox

LawToolBox helps legal professionals increase productivity with its patented Deadlines and Matter Management solution for Office 365. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with global customers including governments, corporations, and law firms, LawToolBox provides a suite of collaboration tools that empowers organizations to improve workflows and streamline legal operations using Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint.

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