sales funnel
sales funnel - the structure that prospects move through as they become customers.
The top of the sales funnel represents prospects who are just learning about your software company. The bottom of the sales funnel represents the point of purchase, where you finally close the sale.
sales message
sales message - The important part of your website and your press release.
Start with your strongest sales message. Tout your software's biggest benefit. Don't start your web page by clearing your throat.
Whether it's a product description for your website or a press release about the latest version of your application, your sales message will be more effective if you put the most important information at the top.
Your website's sales message
When people visit your web site, the first thing that they should read is a clear description of the most significant benefit of your best-selling application. The second thing that they should read is why your software is different from and better than your competitors' software programs.
An interesting website will sell more software
Don't present website visitors with some boring information about your company's dedication to providing business and home users with state-of-the-art software applications. Don't welcome them to your website, or serve up your company's mission statement. Instead, tell prospects immediately how your software can help them save time, save money, beat the competition, or make their lives more secure.
A well-designed web site will increase software sales
Don't make people search for information about prices and platforms. While they're scanning the page to answer the questions "How much does this cost?" and "Will it run on my computer?", they're not actually reading your sales presentation. Instead they're trying to find out if they can use - and afford - your app. By giving them price and platform information right away, it will be much easier for you to keep their attention on how your application will benefit them.
A well-written website will boost software purchases
If your website is written in English, then ensure that it's written in clear English. Unless you're offering programmers' tools, don't talk about targets, grids, radio dials, or other gearhead things.
Your press release's sales message
You need to structure your news release carefully, too. Reading your press release is an important part of an editor's job. If you respect their time, they'll respect your press release.
Start your news release with your software's best benefit
When an editor or blogger reads your press release, the first sentence should tell them the name of your product, the name of your company, the platform that your application runs on, and a brief description of your application's major features and benefits. The second sentence should tell them why the editors' readers need to know about your program. Your program is different from the other applications in your software niche, and this is where you tell the editors that yours is more powerful, less expensive, easier to use, or whatever it is that makes your application better.
Don't tell the editors that you're excited about your app
Don't tell editors that you've released a new application, that you're excited about it, and that you believe that their readers will be excited, too. Editors have heard that "pitch" a thousand times. Get immediately to the point.
Mention your application's operating system
Include a one-word platform description in the first sentence (for example, Windows or iPhone or Macintosh). Give them the details at the end of the press release (for example, XP/2003/Vista/2008/Windows 7).
Avoid tech-talk when describing your software
Write in English. The editors won't take the time to rewrite your press release. Use common words to form simple, declarative sentences. If English isn't your first language, find a native English-speaking person, and ask them to ensure that your writing will sound natural to the American ear. Make it easy for editors to simply cut and paste your information into their New Product Announcement columns, without having to re-structure or re-write your news release.
Selling software is all about marketing
It's possible to write a truly awful description of your software that would earn you an "A" from your middle-school English teacher. While these descriptions of your software may get you good grades in academia, they might be totally ineffective as website sales copy, or as news release text.
Delivering an effective sales message is not about creating marketing hype that tricks prospects and editors into caring about your software. It's about understanding your prospects and customers, and describing your software in the most appealing way that you can. It's all about software marketing.
Software Marketing Glossary
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