How not to sell software
(Full disclosure, I'm an IT sales and marketing consultant. hello@davefrancisconsulting.com )
This is my usual reaction when looking at IT websites.
Well. I hammed it up a bit.
After 11 years in IT, and 20 in IT sales and marketing, I still find it utterly astonishing that 95% of all development companies out there are still making one fundamental, basic mistake - and costing themselves sales as a result.
"And what, pray tell, is that, Dave ?" I hear you ask.
I'll tell you. Technical content.
Developers don't buy software
It sounds very obvious, but a website full of technical details which will only appeal to developers will certainly increase your web traffic, but it won't have any measurable effect on sales. That big article you wrote last night about JTI compilers or your favourite platform's ability to interface with Zapier, the toaster or the office cat ? No one actually cares. Or, at least, no one will care enough to buy your software as a result of reading it. You have, really, just added to the bloat on your website and made it more obscure and difficult to navigate.
Why does this happen ? Why are so many software provider websites full of useless technical detail ?
Lack of commercial expertise
Many UK IT development companies are small. I think I read somewhere that 80% of all UK development companies contain less than 10 people - most won't have a Sales and Marketing manager, and as such, used to rely on business coming to them. Factor in Brexit, economic hard times and the resulting slowdown of demand for software to realise that the content on your website - your shop window - is becoming more and more important.
If you asked most of these companies, "What do you do? " the answer would invariably be, "We write software."
Bong, incorrect.
You provide a service which helps companies to solve a problem.
If you think "Ah, well, what'll happen is that some company will look for a new software system, we'll show up on the search engines and the CTO will be very impressed with our technical knowledge".... it won't happen. Or rather, is very unlikely to happen.
Scroll up a bit, "95% of all development companies" ... are doing the exact same thing. All you're doing is adding to the competition and hence lengthening the odds of standing out.
Who actually buys software ?
Ask most software companies and they're convinced that the CTO of any company will have a major role in a software purchase. Not so, I'm afraid. In most circumstances, the CTO will be there, later down the line, in a technical advisory role. The decision to commission a system or improve an existing one will have been made a long time before, as a result of board meetings and budgetary sign off.
If anyone's been looking at your company, they'll have been non technical and have probably been put off by the thought that they might be dealing with some difficult to comprehend geeks.
Outside of the world of IT development, and yes, you're going outside of the world of software development, companies want to know they're talking to a reliable, personable, professional and trustworthy supplier who can solve their particular problem.
Sell the solution to a problem
And this, dear reader, is what I suggest you do, rather than concentrate on the obtuse and obscure technical details. No one - out there in the real world - is particularly concerned about how technically astute you may seem to be. If you want to prove your technical qualifications, you can speak to the CTO later in the process or get Adobe Publisher out and send him a fancy pack. After you've attracted a customer by providing what they want to read and hear.
If a company needs, say, a custom HR solution, what they'll invariably do is first look at the market to see what's out there. If the solution to their problem isn't there, they'll investigate the possibility of bending existing HR software to their needs, and if that fails - either the software can't be bent or their business processes are too inflexible..... they'll see what providers other people in their industry have used.
It's been a tough year for business - and also a tough year for software development. Most software development companies have kept their heads above water by referencing past case studies.
Companies don't need technical detail. Nobody outside your office will be bothered about what language your solution is written in. They want to know you can solve their problems.
So. Sell a service. Sell the benefits. Don't attempt technical explanations.
What do I do now ?
If this has struck a chord, I'd suggest that you look at your website content and ask yourself, "I can understand this, but can everyone else ?" If the answer is a resounding no, then seriously think of how that's going to affect your ability to attract business decision makers, and not just developers as (drum roll)
"developers do not buy software systems".
Yes, it'll cost money to have your website copy altered, but it'll cost you potentially much more to leave it as it is.
And now the sales pitch
As I mentioned above, I'm a specialised IT Sales and Marketing Consultant. If you'd like an informal chat about how to optimise your chances of attracting more business - drop me a line. hello@davefrancisconsulting.com - I look forward to hearing from you.
