Question
I have recently launched a new platform - www.ekipa.co. We now call it 'the global marketplace for software teams'. One feedback we're getting from experts and from some of our providers is that high value transactions with a low frequency are not suitable for a pure online marketplace. If I look at for example Angel.co, I would argue that they do facilitate high value transactions. So my brain tells me the issue is in the naming 'marketplace' > Angel.co calls itself a community.
The core thing our platform does is match custom software buyers with the best software teams from all over the world. Teams are employed by companies (providers). Ekipa matches your project with a team that knows how to build the solution you need, in the technology you want and for companies similar to yours. After the matching, we support the collaboration with escrow payment and a local point of contact.
For providers, we give them strong profiles and access to clients + we vet them, which gives them credibility. On this side of the chicken and egg problem, we've got quite some traction now.
How would you approach this problem of labelling? Or do you believe there's a more fundamental problem?
Answer
I'm not sure that it is a serious issue but I do think that Marketplace sounds a bit more transactional whereas what you are offering is a little more in depth, involved, and long term. I'm guessing you probably want to steer away of anything that would make them associate your network with something like Elance or Odesk. For those reasons I would probably lean toward either "Community" or "Network". So possibly a "Network of Providers" or a "Community of Providers". Additionally I think the focus of the branding would/should focus primarily toward the client rather than the provider.
