Why Your Software Business Should Do Direct Marketing

There are a lot of marketing people in software and technology that don’t like direct marketing. They see it as hard to do, old fashioned, and doesn’t apply to their technology business. As a matter of fact, too many of us think of it as junk mail, the stuff to sort out from the bills and throw away. That’s unfortunate, because when direct marketing is done well, it can make the difference between incredible success and just getting by in your software business.
Direct marketing suffers a stigma because so much of it is done poorly, like those pitiful flyers you get in the mail. The computerized equivalent is, of course, junk e-mails no one wants. So how do we take direct marketing and make it into something our potential customers don’t recoil from?
If your company has an internet presence, you’re already doing direct marketing, whether you know it or not. The internet is the great equalizer for companies engaged in direct marketing. Stan Rapp, named one of the top 101 people that shaped advertising in the 20th century by Advertising Age, believes that in the new “personalized, interactive, digitized media world,” small businesses can be more successful than big ones because it’s more local and personal. It’s much more believable for a small company to be personal than a faceless, nameless corporation.
The key to success with direct marketing is to have a plan. Direct marketing works because it’s designed in sequence, each step is thought out, outcomes are determined and then measured. It requires strategy and alignment with the organization’s goals to fully maximize its potential.
When we add social media to the mix we can create powerful marketing campaigns that reach more potential clients quickly and cost effectively than we have in the past. Social media can also provide real time feedback to marketers so that we can create campaigns that match market conditions more effectively. Your best potential customers are overwhelmed by too many messages. How to stand out is critical to your success. Market to message match is more important than ever, fine tuning your message for these clients provides incredible leverage for your software business.
Monitoring response to your messages and interacting with your potential clients online creates stronger bonds to your business. Understanding your client’s needs and co-developing solutions that match allow for stronger relationships with your clients. The web provides significant community building opportunities that is changing the way sales and business development is occurring. For your business to thrive you must embrace these early and often. It’s much easier to sell what people want than what we think they need. The challenge is in knowing how.
For over 25 years, I’ve worked with emerging technology businesses to grow combining direct marketing and adding additional interactive elements to their campaigns, as needed. Knowing where to apply the right strategies to your software and technology launches can accelerate adoption of your technology and provide a significant platform for business growth. This blog is dedicated to sharing what we know and are learning on to create market leadership for your business. We’ll share what works and how to get the most from your marketing campaigns in future blog postings. Stay tuned.
Tripp Braden is an IT marketing and sales consultant who specializes in developing seven figure partnerships and businesses. He is also the editor of Market Leadership Journal. Discover how to grow your company through extraordinary partnerships by visiting http://www.HighGrowthBusiness.com where you can find resources and products to increase your success.