12 Ways to Get More Clients for Software Companies
Clients have long been recognized as the lifeblood and backbone of businesses. As entrepreneur John Rampton once said, the customers and their decisions affect the direction of the company—whether it continues its services or not. But the real question is, how do software companies invite more clients to choose their products rather than competitors? With that, we offer business owners twelve excellent methods of catching the attention of more audiences. If you’re starting a software business, grab a copy of this article and use the information to strengthen your developing enterprise.
12 Ways to Get More Clients for Software Companies
Corporate giants like Apple, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric (GE), and Berkshire Hathaway still allot sufficient time in creating engaging content in the form of various advertisements. Despite their global popularity, these companies see the need to continue encouraging the public to purchase their goods or try their services. For your emerging software business, there are different techniques for getting more patrons. Thankfully, we’ve collated a list for your convenience. Later on, you can include these approaches when writing your business plans and proposals.
Social Media Advertising
According to the latest survey from Statista, on average, a social media user has at most seven to eight different social media accounts. At that range, an advertisement, matched with the right algorithm, can circulate through the vine in a matter of hours. Regardless of its relative newness as a form of promotional tool, social media advertising remains to be an effective strategy for businesses. So, use a variety of well-known social media platforms to increase the visibility of your software business.
Increasing Online Marketing Strategies
Online marketing started in the early 1990s, a little after the conception and utilization of the Internet. Regardless of its “youngness,” the use of online advertising has been rampant over the last decade. From pop-up ads to search query results, advertisements are everywhere. So, looking at online marketing methods will inevitably boost your growing software business. There are four types of online marketing campaigns you can use. First, paid search advertising where entrepreneurs pay search engines for the promotion of their content through bidding and acquiring sets of keywords. Second, paid social advertising which relates to the previous section. Third, native advertising where large publishers make content for the smaller companies and endorse them, but at a suitable price. And fourth, pre- and mid-rolling advertising, which highlights video promotional material in different online platforms. So, select the strategies and include them in the marketing plan.
Guest Blogging
Also coined as guest posting, this process includes reaching out to other businesses and writing content for them, especially the topics that are particularly familiar to the writer. If you’ve noticed some credible newspaper websites like Forbes, Washington Post, and The New York Times have guest writers for specific topics. But, what benefits can you get from trying this option? One, it sets you up as a credible source in the industry. Second, it increases the visibility of your brand and boosts the awareness of the audience. And third, you build better relations with other markets. Therefore, take the opportunity and try this method.
Pump Up Your SEO
After the introduction of the Internet, the creation of online marketing and SEO followed suit. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) looks into how enterprises can improve the traffic on their website. Businesses aim for the top prize—being on the first page of every search engine’s web page result after typing a particular keyword. With that, continue developing and learning new SEO strategies for your site. Instead of doing the work, you can hire SEO analysts to do intensive research for the company.
Expand Your Branding Style
Everyone appreciates a good and entertaining story. Even more, a compelling narrative that displays the success of someone or something. According to a 2018 article from Medium, people have always been fascinated by storytelling, even before the dawn of writing. So when crafting your software company brand, be creative in how you portray the relevance of your business to others. Remember that branding represents the difference of the enterprise over its rivals. Thus, formulating and expanding a unique branding style will help your business.
Do Collaborations
In 2016, Starbucks, one of the largest coffee companies in the world, collaborated with Spotify, the famous music streaming application. This simple partnership became an impressive mark on both enterprises. Coffee shop goers can enjoy their time in the shop while listening to popular music. For your software business, look for other companies that are open for collaborations. Don’t limit yourselves with firms related to your industry; instead, branch out and try something different. However, make sure you allocate enough budget for the plan.
Host a Webinar
A shorter-term for web-based seminar, the webinar also came with the advent of the Internet. Instructors and professionals conduct lectures and workshops through webinars via video conference tools or software. With this method, the receiver of the information no longer needs to travel to attend the seminars. Hosting a webinar for other companies or individuals becomes an excellent chance to showcase the capabilities of your software company. Additionally, you can also present the effectiveness of your software, if it’s the equipment you’re using for the event.
Attend Networking Events
Another brilliant way to get more clients for your software business is by attending networking events. These occasions have diverse audiences, making it a noteworthy place to meet potential customers or partners. Besides that, you get the opportunity to encounter individuals who can direct you to other people who could either be part of your team or as a collaborator. There are various favorable outcomes with attending this event. So, if you received a letter, give it a try.
Check Connections and Recommendations
Taking risks has both rewards and uncertainties. For one, some chances can endanger the business while others expand the company. Nevertheless, accepting and trying the opportunity weighs more than passing it off. If someone gives recommendations for your business, take the chance to explore possibilities. Also, check and see if the given names are open for partnerships or project collaborations. When the odds are in your favor, start creating an IT project management team to organize the plans.
Ask for Referrals
An article from Forbes in 2019 revealed that referral programs initiate an influx of business leads. A simple word of mouth or a casual conversation about a product can spark interest among listeners. It goes to say that asking for referrals from other people will help the business. You can either ask for the names from colleagues or other workers. To make the task easier, have a checklist to organize names, contact details, and addresses.
Reach Out to Your Existing Clients
Keeping your existing clients part of the company remains vital for the growth of the enterprise. Do not, at any cost, ignore or neglect your present clients. As mentioned beforehand, clients are the lifeblood of the firm. So, continue reaching out to the clients and ensure that they are receiving the service that your software company promised. Also, make sure that all their software requirements are up to date.
Follow Up on Previous Customers
When contracts of previous customers ended, you still had the option to call them and ask about their situation. Following up on old clients will help build the foundation of the company, especially if past customers were satisfied with the services and products. These people or companies will spread good words about your enterprise when they are happy with the software tools and services. Therefore, look at past files and make workflow management and have a client onboarding checklist to organize how you will contact previous clients.
Encouraging more people to try your products or services can be challenging. Some audiences are adamant about changing, and others are mostly too difficult to please. But with the right technique, coupled with determination and brilliant business and marketing plans, you can catch the attention of the right market. Remember, software business growth comes hand in hand with how you handle your employees, investors, clients, company plans and strategies, and the attitude towards development. With the exact mix of all things, you can achieve the business goals in no time.
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