How to Sell Business Software
- 1). Search for customers whose needs align with your product. This is called prospecting and can be outsourced to lead-generation services or done in-house. Narrow your potential customer base to companies that need the specific solution your software provides. This will make the rest of the selling process easier.
- 2). Contact your potential customers. Introduce your services and solicit them to engage in a followup discussion or assessment with you. Do this through email, direct mail or phone. At this point, your communication should capture the prospect's interest but not divulge full details on your product. For example, you can say your software will increase customer retention by 15 percent, but you should not go into detail on how it will do so.
- 3). Follow up with your customer and present the full benefits of your software. Do this over the phone or in person. Emphasize the benefits most pertinent to that specific customer. This is your chance to present full details on how the software solves the customer's problem. If you know she has recently lost several large clients, explain that your customer relationship management system tracks client behavior and preferences, allowing her to anticipate each client's needs.
- 4). Offer a demonstration or trial. This step is more important if your software and the business processes it works with are complex. Lead the customer through the demonstration so he can easily navigate the system.
- 5). Close the sale by aiding the customer's buying decision. Ask her how soon she would like the software installed or which features she will require. You don't want to seem overly pushy, but try to get a commitment from the customer on when and how she will pay. Then comfort her by explaining how easy the installation process will be and how it will commence.
- 6). Check in on customer satisfaction and software performance. Ask him if the software has filled his needs. This feedback will help you enhance your software for future sales. It also gives you an opportunity to promote repeat business from current customers.