It can be an easy gig if you know what you’re doing. But a few tips on marketing yourself can take you a long way. That’s what this post is about if you are looking to sell software services. Take a look.
Here are 10 Tips for Selling Software Services
#1 Define Your Services
What makes your service worth buying? Your first priority is to assess the marketplace and fill a gap that the competition is not able to do. Selling software is a broad term which means there is a lot to do. Your best bet is to find a niche that caters to a specific audience.
You need to know who you are pitching to and since this is an area of passive income for many individuals and the rewards are great while the financial risk is less. With more competition, you need to take measures that help your brand stand out. Narrow down your area of interest based on your resources and deliver quality service.
#2 Get Your Basics in Place
If you are a developer, you might have an edge that some others don’t. This is because you are better equipped at understanding the client’s needs and pick the coding language that will meet their needs. You also know the amount of work and resources it will take to execute an idea, no matter how small.
Many developers are introverts who like to work on their own. That means customer service is not a great area for them. If that’s not a problem, you can expand your portfolio and offer more services with ease. Identify your own strengths and weaknesses. Pitch the services that suit your skills and hire a team to have your bases covered when you need to.
#3 Build Your Resources
If you are not a developer, it is time to get one. This makes it easier to identify potential clients because a developer can spot their flaws and come up with ways to fix those gaps. Also, make sure it is someone who asks insightful questions and is easy for you to collaborate with. You need people who can add to your vision.
You will be an integral part of the development of code because that determines the kind of product you will deliver. Your team needs to understand expectations and meet them, not manage them.
Maintenance is another big part of software services. From updates to fixing bugs and building on the existing product, there is a lot to manage. Hire professionals who know this like the back of their hands.
#4 Don’t Ignore Testing
Testing is the other aspect. You need professionals who understand how to do user testing before you can take it to the client. This makes a huge difference to the client and that determines whether they come back to you with more projects in the future or sever ties.
Bad user experience affects their business and in turn their relationship with you. So, you need to have your ducks in a row before it is rolled out to the customer. If you can’t pay for it just yet, get your friends and smartest family members to use the service and look for problems.
Depending on the industry of the client, get some users who are in their demographic to tell you how their experience has been. This is key to both setting goals and getting them right.
#5 Offer Free Trials
They say there are no free lunches. But not if you find the right table. If you are a small company, you might want to offer a trial version of your services so that clients give it a shot. This will demonstrate your ability to the client and also help them see why they need you. You might even be able to use these for the client testimonials section on your website in the future.
If you don’t want to do that, you can offer what is called a freemium model. This is basically giving them access to some of your basic services and keeping the premium ones locked behind a paywall. Once you have a foot in the door, you can work your way into enticing them to pay for the rest.
#6 Use Independent Reviewers
When you are new in the market and want to sell something… anything, you need someone to vouch for you. Getting independent reviewers to take a look at what you have and give a rating or recommendation is a great place to start. This is typically used when new software is ready to be rolled out.
This is how you gain legitimacy along with the testimonials from those who have used your services in the past. Post these reviews on your social media sites and gain the attention of potential clients.
#7 Do Comparison Tables
When you are buying a product on Amazon, you often see a table on the page that compares your choice with similar models from the same company as well as the competition. This lists out the features and prices and helps you compare and contrast, right? You can do the same with your brand.
Make a benefits comparison table for yourself. If you can demonstrate that you are a better choice compared to the competition, you will have gained your client’s attention.
But before this, you must know who you are appealing to and whether your list of benefits matches your client’s list of requirements. This is the simplest way to make your case and look better than the competition without dirty tricks.
#8 Tap Into Influencers
You might not find many but there definitely are some industry influencers in this space too. Find them and make sure you gain their trust, whether through conversation or demonstration.
You might not get them with traditional marketing techniques if you pitch for a purchase right away. A lot of them in niche spaces like to support small businesses which means they are looking closely at a set of audiences that has not found representation yet. Tap into the resources of the influencers to reach that audience. They could also be your second level of testers.
#9 Your Contact Info Must Be Loud and Clear
From your phone number to email ID to your website’s landing page, everything must be easily available. People are not going to come looking for you unless you are supremely impressive or they are extremely frustrated.
Try to avoid such steep highs and lows. Because while the highs are great, the lows might lead to bad reviews on social media and that can be quite the death knell for your brand.
If you do your job right, being available increases sales, not problems.
#10 Offer Good Customer Service
In the same breath, make sure your customer service is on point when they do reach out to you. Your clients are not going to appreciate the vanishing act because their customers don’t. It also makes a dent in trust if not destroys it altogether. Hire people if you have to but don’t neglect it.
In Conclusion
Whether you are just starting to make way in the industry or have been around for a while, these tips are a good reminder on how to keep your business afloat and effective.
