Selling software as a service is the natural step forward from selling CDs and DVDs to companies. But just because you’ve got a great idea in mind, it doesn’t automatically entitle you to make a success of that idea. There are many ways to sell software as a service and this guide is going to show you how you should go about doing it.
Beta Test in the Simplest Form
The reason so many software as a service ventures fail is because people don’t respond to the products. You never know what people are going to respond to, so beta test in the simplest form. Create a working product without all the bells and whistles and test it independently.
The only way to find out whether an idea is going to work is to test it on the public.
Always Offer a Free Trial
The money-back guarantee that so many brands offer doesn’t convince people to buy. They don’t want to go through the hassle of getting their money back. A free trial never fails to impress. It’s why so many brands offer it AND the money-back guarantee.
A free trial with only the most basic of features will let people test without committing. Take Amazon Web Services as an example. The first thing you see on the homepage is the opportunity to register for free. There’s not a single mention of selling anything.
Don’t Use Trickery to Connect
So many companies will only reveal their pricing through forcing you to contact them first. They believe that this convinces their potential customers to speak to a sales rep. The truth is most these customers won’t want to go through the hassle and they’ll simply look elsewhere.
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Provide as much information as you can on your website. That way the people calling your toll-free numbers are far more likely to want to buy, thus getting more value from your rep’s time.
Focus on Solving the Problem
The only reason that people visit your website is to find a solution to a problem. Nobody cares who you are or what you do at this stage. Your visitors want to know what you’re going to do for them. Call it selfish, but fulfilling the immediate demand of your prospective customer will determine whether you make a sale or not.
Solving the problem immediately is critical. This is exactly what Meridian Kiosks does. The first thing you see is what they do and how that can help you. That’s how to get people interested.
Use Media to Help
Videos are key to explaining what your product does and how it works in practice. You can only create so much of an image with your words. When using videos, you should aim to give a general overview of how to use the product and how it can help. Try to tell a story at the same time so it sticks in the mind.
In terms of the usability of your website, never have a video automatically play. Nothing irritates potential customers more.
Increase Your Availability
The best way to sell software as a service is to be available as often as you can. Offer a live chat stream and reply to emails as soon as you can. Link your email account to your smartphone so you can reply on the go. If you take too long to respond your customers will have moved on.
Selling software as a service is about speed.
Conclusion – Make it Happen
Selling software as a service requires the perfect solution, the ideal website, and regular availability. Combine these together and you have a business plan that can turn your product into a success story.
Do you have a piece of software ready to go?
