Salesforce.com offers software for tiny businesses

Marc Benioff, chief executive officer of Salesforce.com, attends the Reuters Tech Summit in San Francisco February 28, 2005.

BOSTON (Reuters) - Salesforce.com Inc (CRM.N) introduced software targeted at tiny businesses and individuals that costs $9 a month per user, pricing it for less than a third of its previously least-expensive product.

The Web-based software, which the company introduced on Wednesday, allows no more than two people to manage business contacts and track customer relationships.

Salesforce offers two other customer relationship software products with more features -- one for up to five people for $35 per worker per month and one for an unlimited number of users at $65 per person per month.

The San Francisco-based company's goal is to get entrepreneurs comfortable using its products while their companies are still small, and boost sales to them as their businesses grow, said Salesforce.com spokesman Bruce Francis.

The Salesforce.com products are compatible with Google Inc's (GOOG.O) Web-based email, word processor, spreadsheet and presentation, which businesses can use at no charge.

The software maker's shares rose 4 cents to $51.18 in morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by Derek Caney)