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DP Directory, Inc.
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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
The short answer is: "No". Very few computer or vertical-market magazines print quotations in their New Product Announcements or in their roundup articles (Roundup articles have titles like "The Ten Best Windows Pop-Up Blockers", and they compare your app with your competitors' programs). From the editor's perspective, there are only two kinds of information that you might include in your quote: noise or important news. If your quote is made up of useless information about how you listen to your customers, and how you're really excited about the new software that you're releasing, then there's no reason to include the quotation in your press release. The editors won't print this kind of noise. If you include important news in your quote, then you give the editors three choices: (1) The editor can suspend the publication's policy. Even though they don't print quotations in their New Software column, they can make an exception and print yours. The chances of this happening are nearly zero. (2) The editor can rewrite your press release to turn the information inside the quote into a simple narrative. Unfortunately, it's much easier for the editor to select another press release - one that doesn't require any rewriting. The editors have other press releases to choose from, and many of these other press releases don't require as much work. (3) The editor can omit the information in the quote. If the publication omits it, and it's really important, then the New Product Announcement won't be nearly as effective. Why do some magazine and newspaper write-ups include quotes? If an editor is going to print a full-length feature article about your software, they're going to assign it to a writer who will probably want to include a quote. They'll ask for one, or create their own. But you can't send a press release to the editors that's written like a feature article. Feature articles will be assigned to writers who are both emotionally and financially distant from the software that they review. The bottom line - I've had two decades of looking at both the press releases that were sent to the editors, and the write-ups that were printed in the magazines. Don't include quotations in your press release. For more proven techniques for writing and emailing your press releases to the editors, please visit my web site, and read the "Top 10 Tips for Choosing a Company to Email your Press Release to the Editors" article on http://www.dpdirectory.com/1whoshou.htm
Most developers create a single nag screen, and show it when the user closes the trial version of the program. After using your software two or three times, your prospects learn to ignore your nag screen, and simply click past it. It truly becomes a nag screen, and like most nagging, it simply doesn't work. A much more effective alternative is to create a series of sales screens, and present them to your users at appropriate times. Making them context-sensitive will increase your chances of closing the sale. It's easier than you think to create a series of sales pitches. In addition to using them in your trial version, you can use the text, along with your "buy now" buttons, to close sales. Start by making a list of your program's features. Prioritize the list. The most important features are the ones that are at the core of your program, and the ones that your competitors don't have yet. Next to each feature, write one or more of your program's specific benefits. The types of general benefits for business applications are things like saving time, saving money, leapfrogging your competitors, getting more organized, and doing things today that you couldn't do yesterday. For home entertainment programs, list things like having fun, relaxing, organizing your hobbies, and impressing your friends and family. For education programs for kids, write about the benefits that the parents are thinking about: giving your children the tools that they need to succeed in school and in life. Make each of these general benefits specific to your program. For each benefit, write a sentence that asks for the sale. Most sales are lost because the salesperson never issued a call to action. To sell the full, registered version of your Widget program, you have to say things like: - Order now and begin enjoying Widget's benefits immediately. - Why wait another day? Place your order now, and start enjoying Widget's features right away. - You deserve to have the benefits of Widget. Order now! - Act now, and experience Widget for yourself. - There's no reason to hesitate. Place your order now. - There's no time like the present. Order Widget now, and begin enjoying the benefits immediately. Combine the features, benefits, and closings into short, compelling sales messages. Write in a relaxed style. Talk to your users as if they were friends, and sitting next to you at your computer. Don't wait until your prospects are closing your trial version to present them with your sales messages. Instead, give them a sales message when they make significant choices within your trial version. When they use a feature that is available only in your app, say something like, "You can search the download sites for months, and not find another program that lets you do this or that". When they use your game's ZappoRay, present them with a sales message that reminds them that the full version of the program has more ammunition and a greater variety of weaponry. When they print their output, remind them that the registered version's printed output isn't watermarked. Keep track of which sales messages you've used, and don't nag. Sell!
Customer Relationship Management
CRM at the Speed of Light -
by Paul Greenberg (published by McGraw-Hill/Osborne) The Big Picture - Customer Relationship Management (CRM) was one of the hottest technology fads around the turn of the century. A lot of CRM projects failed because of burdensome systems and lack of management commitment. CRM has emerged as the centerpiece strategy of many successful companies, large and small. CRM is a mindset in which every function of a company is focused on building, maintaining, and improving the relationship with the company's customers and other stakeholders. Well-implemented CRM strategies result in customer retention, repeat business, and referrals. CRM at the Speed of Light defines CRM, traces its history and failures, and takes you through the process. It discusses sales force automation, enterprise marketing management, and customer support. While the book is targeted at medium to large enterprises, the same business functions are performed by mom-and-pop companies, too. All companies can benefit by adapting CRM. What it Means for Software Developers - Unlike the vast majority of small businesses, independent software developers are in an ideal position to implement a CRM system and reap the rewards. Developers have detailed customer information, and can easily assemble it into a useful database of sales opportunities. - You know who has purchased your standard version, and you can ask them to upgrade to the pro edition. - You know who is using one or two of your applications, and you can offer them discounts on your other programs. - When you email them your newsletter, you can structure the content based upon which of your programs they already own, and which software you want to encourage them to buy. - You can survey your customers, and find out why they bought your app, and how they're using it. This information will help you select partners so you can cross-sell each other's software. Put your customer at the center of your thinking, and you'll sell a lot more software. The Bottom Line - Whether it's your "day job" or your software development business - if a significant portion of your income depends upon the success of a formal CRM project, then you need to study this book. If you're a one-person company, this book's 650+ pages have a lot more information than you need to develop, implement, and manage your CRM policy. This book is not an easy read, or a list of simple bullet points for improving sales. The book is designed for people who are serious about CRM, and who are willing to work to master it. For me, the book provided the structure and the motivation for thinking much more seriously about how to add value to all of the interactions that I have with my customers, prospects, and suppliers. I have already used its principles to launch a successful marketing campaign, and you can do the same. CRM at the Speed of Light was reviewed by Al Harberg. 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. Please add al@dpdirectory.com to your anti-spam filter's friends-list. To REFER a FRIEND to this newsletter, click your email client's "forward" button. I thank you very much. And your developer friends will thank you, too. 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/.
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