On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:50:15 +0000, em wrote:
> "Sohail Somani" <sohail@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> I have a couple of ideas for software products that I plan to pursue.
>>
>> I plan to focus on what I think makes or breaks a business: marketing.
>
> I'm a little late here, obviously, but I'll chime in while I'm waiting
> for my loads to down. (Or is that my downs to load?)
I don't understand either way! :-)
> Marketing is what makes people aware of your product. Sales is actually
> getting money from somebody or some company. Marketing is im****tant, but
> it is SALES that makes or breaks a business.
Strictly, for sure. Could you make sales without marketing? Is it easier?
Please tell me if so. I'd rather do that.
>> In
>> the software industry, people *hate* sales people and big company
>> bull****. I know I do. Hence...
>
> Hence... hence... what is that? Are you trying to rationalize your
> failure before you start? If that is the case, save yourself some time
> and get a "real job".
I think I was introducing my questions in a roundabout way. I don't want
a "real job". Had one. Too suffocating.
>> My questions:
>> * How/when do I start marketing these products? Before they are ready?
>
> You can't sell va****ware. What you might be able to do is position
> yourself as an expert in the field through blogging, posting and
> various forms of PR.
Ah. I picked up on that based on what I've seen other people do so I have
started that. Thanks for validating! Actually, in the past couple of
months of my blogging, I think I've done quite well. 40 regular readers
with about 100 unique visitors on each post.
> Besides, when you're developing a software product, you really don't
> have a good idea of when it will be done. If you say, "this will be
> available mid January" and its not ready until Feb 1, you'll screw
> yourself up.
Definitely.
>> * How can I gauge market interest before releasing?
>
> There is a whole industry called Market Research. If you have a lot of
> money you can hire somebody to do this research for you. What I do is
> pick up the phone, call people and try to sell whateveritis that needs
> selling. If I can't sell it, assuming that I have tried my best, there
> is no market for that product for me.
In your post, you say you are a consultant. Unless I am mistaken, that is
a business requiring a lot of personalization. Although I do think that
customers should be getting personal attention, either what I am selling
matches what they need or not. I'm banking on value added to a
commoditized market.
> Educating potential clients is time consuming and expensive. The best
> way to judge market size and interest is to look at your closest
> competitors and see how they're doing.
Doing well! Fortunately, I can do better.
>> * If I have a beta program, how would I get people interested?
>
> Find people who really, really need what you are offering. Maybe you can
> look through newsgroup postings and try to find somebody who has been
> asking around for such a product. Or maybe you have a good idea
> regarding some company in particular that can use and would like to have
> your product. If that is the case, do the sales thing and "sell" them on
> using your beta. Do this ten times, so that when you do release your
> final product you may have some orders waiting.
Very good points.
>> * How do I not annoy the hell out of people and destroy my reputation
>> before it exists?
>
> Sounds to me like you're trying to talk yourself out of this. However...
> don't be a noodnik is sage advice.
I'm not trying to talk myself out of it. I'm already convinced that I
need to do this. I hope I am not a noodnik!
> You need to learn how to do sales just like you learned how to do
> programming. Read a book, experiment, take interest in the subject. Try,
> and if something doesn't work, try something different. Sales is a deep
> and interesting subject.
Agreed, I need to do this.
> Q: What are the best books to read on sales and marketing? A: I dunno,
> hit the bookstore and shop around. I like the Guerilla Marketing books.
> Zig Zigglar has a few books out. Maybe something like "sales for
> dummies" would be a good introduction.
>
> Q: What is the secret to success in sales? A: Education (from reading
> and taking night-school cl*****), Experience (from working your butt off
> trying to do well), Perserverence (as you may get 499 no's for every 1
> yes and still succeed). Attitude.
>
> Q: Any other tips?
> A: I've been self employed for more than thirty years and have been
> consulting for the past 15 (or so). It is much, much easier to sell ten
> $10,000 jobs than a hundred $1000 jobs. So my advice is this: go for the
> big stuff and leave the cheese for the mice.
Awesome reply, I will study it carefully. Thank you very much for your
time. Now go down your loads (or load your downs!)
> Best of luck to you!
>
> Mike
Best of luck to you too Mike! Have a prosperous new year.
--
Sohail Somani
http://uint32t.blogspot.com
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