Continuing with the series in which we share the contents taught in the international training program Emprende Soft, today Eva Conesa –Extra Software’s Commercial Manager– tells us about the techniques for this challenging objective of companies: to sell your product.
In its program for Ibero-American entrepreneurs, Extra Software highlights above all the development of projects for which the last phase -and essential- is the sale of the product.
Table of Contents
When we think about how to sell your product or service, the traditional steps of the MARKETING PLAN come to mind:
- MARKET RESEARCH, with a well-programmed methodology.
- STUDY OF THE COMPETITION: Identification, target market, segmentation, etc.
- ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCT, its identity and characteristics, its advantages, and its definition of a strategy to follow (quality, particular technical characteristics, its innovation, if it is an elite product or the opposite of the masses, …)
- AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS through which we will sell our product.
But selling your product is much more. The first reflection must come when we create the effect. MARKETING has to make sure that there is an innovation, that the product meets the needs of its future customers, and possibly exceeds the expectations of prospective users.
To sell your product, a good product is not enough
Once this product has been created and tested, we must prepare ourselves to make a correct LAUNCH. There are still companies that believe that it is worth making a good product when it is at most 50% of the work. sell your product
The other half is communicating the same thing to our potential customers, spreading the word, trying it, liking it, and creating a reinforcing effect on customers.
We have to choose very well the words for the messages to be sent, what is going to be said and how
So, to sell your product, you should think about DIRECT MARKETING or DIRECT COMMUNICATION: the customer should be the focus. And you should not tell him how excellent the new product is. But the uses and benefits that it will receive.
Indirect advertising also sells your product
PR Promotions As we all know, you pay to appear in physical and/or digital media in advertising. In this case, however, it’s the indirect publicity you receive for the newsworthiness you can generate around the new product.
The “core” is the new product: its innovation, applications, utilities, advantages, etc. However, this is the most difficult to achieve since the launch of your new product is the essential thing in your company universe outside of it. Universe, there may be a lack of interest.
Social networks and blogs do not market directly—finally, the COMMERCIAL SUPPORT MATERIAL. The SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM are the soldiers of any business. To sell your product, they are crucial. You can leave them with the primary weapons. Rely on their skills and experience, or equip them with all sorts of tools.
The sales follow-up job
After launch, the work continues as we need to establish metrics to measure results and help us make decisions. You have to be patient as it is a complex issue. And you have to remember that many of the great successes of product launches have been in collaboration with other companies.
And of passage. We must never forget that all of this must be done with a customer focus and creative perspective. If that “magic touch” is missing, all the work to sell your product is useless. Or we do things with enthusiasm or failure is more than confident.