Introduction
Search Engine Optimization, Affiliate Marketing, Pay per Click (PPC) Campaigning, and Telemarketing are commonly used techniques to market a Software Solution. Even
though, these methods are proved to be successful, they involve huge financial implications. It is observed that Start-up & Small companies cannot afford
to follow these techniques, leaving them with unsuccessful sales revenue.
There are many efficient software solutions out in the market, which are left behind as there marketing techniques doesn’t reach the potential customers.
Here are the undiscovered five best ways to market your software solution:
- Shareware and Directory Submission: Promote your software by submitting it to as many download sites and
directories as possible. Create a software description file with SEO optimized content with all the features of the software. The main advantage is backlinks,
for example: submitting a software solution to cnet.com or soft.com will enable backlinks on many other shareware download sites, which will enhance your
website's page ranking and position in the main search engines. It is one of the most important software marketing techniques, that also helps you increase
your traffic and from that your internet software sales.
- Newsletters and Press Releases: A newsletter is an easy way to stay in touch with your clients, prospects and affiliates. The success of an e-mail newsletter distribution
system depends on your database: you need to keep it up to date and accurate. You can target your e-mail campaign to clients and prospects or to affiliates.
Concentrate on creating different campaigns for each segment that you target. Always ask permission to stay in touch with your clients and your affiliates.
Let them know what to expect from your newsletters regarding content and frequency and respect the standards that you have established. Keep focused on
the substance of the email - make it original and appealing. Offer the chance to unsubscribe from the newsletter in a very visible place. You can also take
advantage of many websites that offer public relation services including free publishing of press releases. Of course you can always choose the classical way
and publish your materials regarding product launches or news related to your company, in newspapers or software magazines.
Optional: Whitepapers, Solution Brochures are also very successful marketing techniques, submitting a whitepaper to
techrepublic.com or itworld.com can generate thousands
of potential leads.
- Involvement in Online Forums and Blogs: It is basically free publicity. Invest time in subscribing to forums or
discussions groups that deal with software related themes. Be careful though, some administrators might ban you for explicit publicity. So be creative. Many
people visit forums and blogs in search of information. A blog post that deals with the theme under discussion, contains relevant information and is presented
in a professional way could be of real interest to the participants. Give your website's address, the product's name and possibly your PAD file location. Use
a signature and not a nickname, and you can also add a slogan related to the software product you want to promote.
- Partnerships: This isn’t easy, appointing partners for the software solution in different regions and countries
may sound very easy for organizations, but engaging the partners to sell the software solutions is very difficult task. Even it is found that 70%
of companies offering partnerships fail to sell the solution to the end-customers. Offering facilities to partners can really benefit in this technique.
So, I decided to focus on facilities that an organization can offer to engage a partner to sell:
- Monetary Facilities: Credit, Percentages, Discounts, Resale commission, bonus etc. are considered as monetary facilities.
- Non-Monetary Facilities: Not for Resale Software, Training, Certifications, Recognition for sales associates, awards, etc., are considered as non-monetary facilities.
It is observed that organizations offering non-monetary benefits are more successful than organizations offering monetary benefits.
- Enforce Pre-Sales Team: Pre-Sales Teams are considered to be very valuable asset for any software company. These Teams are equipped with the technical information and
other points to pitch in sales. Enforcing pre-sales team on chat/sales support can improve the customer perception towards the software solution. Make sure your
team response rate is good or above average with accurate problem solving and consultancy.
It is observed that organizations with 24/7 chat support, tend to generate more sales than conventional organizations which respond through emails.
