The Marketing Message Blog

Marketing new technology? Avoid these top three mistakes.

Over the years I have worked with many technology companies who market their software, hardware or tools online.  I still see some of them making the same mistakes today that were made when the web was in its infancy. 

Here are some things to consider that may prevent a common misstep:

1. Don't assume anyone will know what your product does just because you put up a website. 

This is probably the most common mistake.  I will be asked to go to a website to evaluate a software product.  When I get there, I can see immediately that everyone who was involved with putting up the website knows exactly what the software does.  The secret is safe with them.  Without a clear idea of what it does to improve my life on the home page, I'm off to the next site. Before you launch your product make sure you ask several people who know nothing about it to look at your website and see if they can tell you what it does. Seriously.

2. Make sure you create marketing videos, audios, step-by step instructions, etc. 

If you have to rely on the customer spending time to figure something out, you've lost them to a vendor with an easier product, even if it doesn't hold a candle to yours.  You've seen it time and time again.  A mediocre product outsells a great one because the mediocre one came with instructions.

3. Offering a trial version of something is not the end of the sales process, it's the beginning.

Just because they downloaded or requested a look at your product doesn't mean they will take any action to review or evaluate it.  Keep in touch with your prospect to help them make it over the greatest hurdle which is actually looking at it with an eye to buy it.

Community building tools

For info on the latest community building tools, check out the February issue of Entrepreneur.com.  You'll find an article by Amanda C. Kooser called "Make your new site social" with a sidebar on "Networking Tools."

She mentions four that are worth a look.  They are:

1. Google Friend Connect This is in beta. No technical knowledge needed.

2. Ning Very popular, lots of great features

3. Wetpaint Wiki based

4. Yuku Adds forums to your website

If you determine that an online community will work, start small and see how your audience responds.  The key is to make everyone feel like participating.  When a few people dominate the conversation, it's not very rewarding.

Note: I've used Ning and recommend it highly.  The others look interesting, but I haven't built a community with them.

Assess Your Productivity Levels to Guarantee You Are on Track

If you're looking for some ideas about how to make the time you spend at work more productive and generate more revenue, check out my latest Mindjet newsletter column called Assess Your Productivity Levels in the New Year to Guarantee You’re on Track 

Also, you can download my self-assessment map and refer to it as a model for creating your own Time vs. Revenue analysis.