The 6 Most Effective Marketing Tools for Selling Software

There are many B2B direct marketing tools at your disposal. You have to select those that provide you with the best ROI. Besides a website, which is a must today, here are the direct marketing tools that are most likely to offer the best returns.

Here are about 20 (in no particular order): blog, news bulletin, email campaign, postal mailing campaign, co-marketing, press release, live Web conference, demo on demand, case study, industry trade show, viral marketing, technical nomenclature, advertising, client reference, organic referencing, pay-per-use referencing, analyst relations, public relations, social networks, seminars, third-party websites, telemarketing, white papers and other… Which should be selected or prioritized? Here are the direct marketing tools most likely to offer you the best returns.-

1. Organic Referencing

Here are two surveys specifying the benefits of this tool:

• A client’s average acquisition cost is between $7 and $10 for all search engines, compared with mail ($60-80), email ($40-80) and the Yellow Pages ($15-25). (3)
• The two main sources of information consulted by software buyers are search engines (62% of buyers) and IT vendor websites (50% of buyers). (1)

Referencing experts (which I am not) have written many articles and blogs on this topic. One thing is certain: a few change in your website tags, internal links and incoming links can greatly improve your classification in search engines (Google being the uncontested leader), at little cost.-

2. Pay-Per-Click Referencing

You choose your key words and region, and you pop up on the first page of the results of the selected search engine. You only pay if Internet users click on your link. It’s an ingenious tool … that has made Google’s fortune.
Several studies (3) have shown that Internet users click much more often on natural results than business links. However, pay-per-use referencing posts a 3.6% average conversion rate, which is similar to the organic referencing conversion rate (4.2%).-

3. Public Relations

You probably know that public relations can enhance your company’s visibility and credibility better than any other communications tool. But it’s difficult and costly, you say? Not necessarily. To avoid spending a fortune, focus your efforts on the appropriate media (magazines, tribunes, websites, portals, news bulletins, ezines, association blogs…) and discuss topics like the following:
• Comments/analyses on topics of interest
• Case studies with tangible results
• Launch of new products
• Interpretation of news-

4. Educational Content

Become a valuable adviser for your current and potential clients and you will raise your visibility and credibility in their eyes. If you become an expert in your business sector, it will be easier for you to get media coverage and even to meet potential clients. There are several ways to disseminate your know-how: mailings, email campaigns, news bulletins, blogs and articles. And the more your potential clients obtain education to fully appreciate the value of your software, the more this approach yields benefits. In so doing, you also get “top of mind” awareness in the minds of your potential clients, who will contact you when they need you. For instance, send out a monthly email incorporating a relevant case study, a post from your blog or an educational article… Such regular communications are certainly demanding, but will definitely pay off in the medium term. Please read: What is Content Marketing?.

5. Demos

There are three types of demos at your disposal:

a. Demo in Person

A live demo, offered by an experienced conference speaker/representative, is highly effective. The intimacy and immediate interaction of such a demo is much appreciated by clients. However, the transportation costs and time required make it a costly alternative. So this type of demo should be limited to potential clients who have shown a serious interest.

b. Live Web Demo

(or live or online conference, Webcast, Webinar)

This type of demo can be effective when presenting your software solution to a client at a distance. However, a demo in person is always preferable. This type of demo can also be time consuming (coordination and training) and expensive (subscription and long-distance charges). So it is preferable to pre-qualify potential clients who will participate. In this regard, I invite you to read the previous post titled Live Presentations (Webex) or Presentations on Demand - in French.

c. Web Demo on Demand

Software demos on demand, a POD Media specialty, can be consulted at any time by a potential client. They are highly effective way of informing your potential clients and convincing them to take the next step, as long as your message is compelling and convincing. It can be integrated into your website (referencing), your public relations, your educational content, your viral marketing… in fact, into almost all your communications tools. Viewing your software demo (4-5 minutes) should be the first action taken by your potential clients to find out whether your software corresponds to the situation they are seeking to improve or the problem they are seeking to solve. Given its flexibility, this tool has an unmatched impact/price value. Here’s an interesting fact (4): your potential clients will take an average of four times longer to view your software demo on demand than they will grant your sales representatives by telephone.-

6. Client References

Word-to-mouth is still one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to develop your client base. To favour this process, provide your clients the tools they need to easily talk about your company and products. For instance, send them e-documents on which they can just click on a button to forward information to their friends and acquaintances. Some systems allow you to know who has forwarded your documents, and especially to whom they have been forwarded. Client references can also take the form of testimonials, either in writing or audio. The testimonials of well-known companies and people in your industry will without a doubt enhance the credibility of your offering. I have written a post on this topic titled Take Advantage of Viral Marketing - in French.

Other marketing tools, such as online and traditional advertising, trade shows and other can be effective, but are not normally among the tools yielding the best ROI.
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Sources:
1. TechTarget and CMO
2. Piper Jaffray – 2006
3. Enquiro; OneupWeb Study; Cornell University Study
4. Wainhouse Research

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	Simon Hénault B.Comm, MBA - Corporate Journalist - LinkedIn Profile
	I help businesses in the production and delivery of content allowing them to be found on the Web, be perceived as experts, strengthen their clients relations and increase their revenues.