|
||
|
|
DP Directory, Inc.
|
|
|
|
Subscribe Now to Al Harberg's Software Marketing Newsletter, the best way for software developers to get free, usable marketing information. We'll never use your email address for anything besides sending you this twice-monthly newsletter.
It's All About Marketing
In their desire to show web site visitors the sophisticated programming techniques that they've mastered, many developers create web sites that prospects can't navigate, or even see. And just as it's a mistake to create a web site that requires technology or plug-ins that your potential customers' web browsers can't handle, it's also a mistake to create a web site that search engine spiders can't navigate. Different web browsers have different degrees of forgiveness when it comes to interpreting non-standard or buggy HTML. We've all seen examples of HTML tables with unbalanced TRs and TDs that look great in Internet Explorer, but look horrible in Netscape Navigator. What about the search engines' spiders? Are they forgiving like Internet Explorer, or do they hiccup whenever you've created an HTML error, or introduced a leading-edge technological innovation? Truth be told, we have no idea. Only the engineers at the search engines know how sensitive and intelligent their spiders are. Given the importance of allowing these spiders to thoroughly crawl your entire web site, it's best to be safe. Here are some web site design issues to consider: (1) Is your HTML buggy? A lot of developers like to use simple text editors to create their web pages. If you introduce some strange HTML code into your pages, Internet Explorer might be able to display your site, but some of the search engine spiders might not be so lucky. There are both online HTML checkers and stand-alone products that will ensure that your HTML conforms to specifications. (2) Your glowing nav-bar buttons are beautiful. But can the search engine spiders understand your javascript? Are you using plain-vanilla javascript that most spiders can interpret, or have you done something really fancy? To be safe, and to ensure that the spiders can crawl your entire site, create a simple, text-only navigation bar at the bottom of each page. (3) Are you using Flash movies and PDF files on your web site? Can the search engine spiders parse these files, identify the links, and crawl the linked pages, or are some of your web pages going to go unnoticed by the search engines? In addition to high-tech links, be sure to have plain text links that let the spiders find all of your important pages. As you move from simple text links to web pages that can only be found through plug-ins or database lookups, the spiders are going to have more and more trouble indexing your web site. And that means lost sales. You don't have to avoid these newer technologies. But you'll sell more software if your web site also contains a link structure that the least sophisticated spider can follow.
If there's something about your software that you think the buying public might not like, you could try to avoid talking about it. Maybe if you minimize its importance, your prospects won't think about it. Another approach that has been used successfully is to tout your seeming shortcoming, and turn it into a compelling reason to buy: - Is your price higher than what your competitors are charging? Use your high price to your advantage. Tell your prospects that quality comes with a price, and that they deserve to have the best. - Is your price lower than your competitors' offerings? Don't let your prospects think that your low price reflects low quality. Brag about the price that you charge. Tell potential users that there's no reason why they should pay too much for high-quality software. - Was your software released the same year that dirt was invented? Shout about your program's stability. Look down your nose at competitors who are continually introducing new versions that threaten computer stability and cost a fortune in upgrade fees. - Was your software released yesterday, and users are afraid to be the first people to try it? Tout your use of state-of-the-art tools that your competitors are too timid to use. Make your prospects want to try the new functionality that leapfrogs them ahead of their colleagues. - Does your software offer bare-boned functionality while your competitors offer much richer feature sets? Tell your users that your sleek software runs much more quickly than others in its class, and that it doesn't overwhelm them with features that they'll seldom use. - Does your software offer so many features that it takes a lifetime to learn to use? Talk about how your application provides convenience by offering all of these program features in a single interface. Say that your program saves money because users won't have to buy multiple packages to perform a family of related tasks. Be proud of your software. Don't let prospects think that your design features are flaws. Don't hide from your short suits. Lead with them! Turn perceived weaknesses into strengths. It's all about marketing.
You know that feature that you have in your software - the one that none of your competitors have? How, exactly, are your prospects going to find it? Sure, you mention it on your web site, and it's near the top of your PAD file descriptions. But once a user has installed your software, agreed to your license agreement, and seen your main program screen, how will they remember that really neat feature that you're so proud of? Is it described in a convincing, inviting way in your first Tip of the Day? Do you have a Quick Start Guide that features it prominently? Does this hot feature have its own drop-down menu entry so users can find it easily? Do you highlight it in the product tutorial that first-time users are encouraged to look at? Or do you do what most software developers do? When your program has loaded, and the user has read the initial nag screen, they're staring at a blank screen. There's no Getting Started tutorial. There are no sample files that they can find immediately and begin playing with. Your user clicks "New", stares at the blank screen for a few seconds, and says, "I'm going to give this program a serious workout when I have more time." And you lose a sale. Or your user clicks "Open", can't find a single sample file, and clicks "Exit". And you lose a sale. Remember how disappointed you were when the download site gave you a three-star rating? Your software is a lot better than your competitors'. And you have one feature that's really great, and nobody else has it. Why did you get only three stars? A better question to ask might be, "How was the reviewer supposed to learn about this super feature that your software has?" Whether it's a prospect or a reviewer who's looking at your trial version, your software serves as a marketing tool until somebody buys a registration key. You have to tell prospects - as well as reviewers, editors, and anybody who will listen - how great your software is. Find a way to toot your own horn. Make it easy for your users to find the unique, compelling reasons to buy your software. Now.
Sell more software with Word-of-Mouse
The Anatomy of Buzz
by Emanuel Rosen (published by Doubleday - Currency) The Big Picture - Rosen was the first marketing guru to try to systematize word-of-mouth marketing, and propose it as a serious alternative to traditional advertising. He interviewed more than 150 executives, marketing people, and researchers who used buzz to build brands successfully, and he presents his findings in a way that applies to all industries. What it Means for Software Developers - I find it difficult to translate Rosen's examples into the day-to-day marketing challenges of the independent software developer. I believe that his principles are sound, and that they apply to the software industry. But there's quite a bit of work required to apply his general principles to our industry. For example, the final chapter contains about 100 questions that every business owner should be asking, to see if they're using buzz to promote their product or service. While his general questions are useful, there are buzz-related questions that I think would be much more useful for software developers: - Have you optimized your chances of getting five-star ratings at the important download sites? - Are you active in the technical and vertical Usenet groups, discussing your software at appropriate times? - Have you joined the on-target trade associations, and are you active in giving copies of your application to influential people there? - Are you sending press releases to editors who can tell their readers about your software? - Have you given complimentary copies of your program to key decision-makers in your market niche? The Bottom Line - Visit your book store or library, and spend a few minutes with the book. The dust cover gives you a great overview of the concept of buzz. And the final chapter has a great checklist of concepts that you should be considering. Flip through the other chapters, and see if they give you insights on turning word-of-mouth into word-of-mouse. If so, buy the book, and begin creating buzz for your application. If not, create your own buzz-oriented marketing plan, because buzz really duzz work! To UNSUBSCRIBE from this newsletter, send me a note. I'll remove your name immediately and permanently. To SUBSCRIBE to the email version of this newsletter, send me your name and email address. I'll only use your name and email address for this newsletter. I'll never spam you, or let other people have your name or email address. al@dpdirectory.com To SELL MORE SOFTWARE, bookmark this web site, and visit often. There's a lot of free, useful software marketing information on http://www.dpdirectory.com/.
|
|||||||||||||||||
