The 5 Specificities Of Inbound Marketing For Software Publishers

Once the development stage is over, software publishers need to generate new customers on a massive scale. To create hyper-growth, many adopt an inbound marketing strategy to promote their product and convert as many leads as possible into customers. Be careful, though: given that software publishers evolve in a particular environment, subtleties in the inbound marketing approach exist.

The Need To Convince Many Interlocutors

Buying software does not have the same impact on your customers as buying simple office supplies. Because it upsets a company’s entire organization, software represents a  structuring purchase. Consequently, it would help if you convinced the CEO, the CIO, and the Business Department while reassuring end users. For software publishers, sales cycles are complex but particularly long. From the expression of the need to the request for a demo, long months can indeed pass. Consequently, You must be present at each stage, where inbound marketing is exciting for you. 

Think About Varying The Level Of Expertise In Your Content

Because you are addressing different audiences, you must pay attention to the vocabulary used in each article. While you must convince the CIO of the seriousness of your solution by going into the technical details, you must remain accessible when you speak to the CEO. In this case, you will have to focus more on the productivity gains offered by your software solution rather than explaining why and how your product fits perfectly into an existing system.

Knowing How To Go Beyond The Precise Vocabulary Specific To Your Solution

ERP, CRM, GRC, BIM, SaaS… The B2B IT sector is full of acronyms. If these few letters are enough to summarize the concept of your software, nothing is less sure for your potential customers! Before typing “find a good CRM” on Google, your targets must conclude that they need a CRM. And to achieve this, they will first have to do more general research to refine their needs, such as “improving customer relations” or “attracting new customers.” 

For a successful inbound strategy, you must produce content upstream to respond to all these issues and gradually guide your prospects toward your software solution. Of course, you must also be present on these famous acronyms and technical terms to be identifiable for your leads in the evaluation and purchase phase.

But it is only by being present at the origin of the need, from the start of the reflection, that you will make a lasting impression on the minds of your prospects by positioning yourself as an expert. Thus, when they reach the end of their buying process, your leads will more easily opt for your solution.

Set Up Specific Conversion Actions

Beyond the traditional white papers widely used by the entire B2B sphere,  software publishers have every interest in setting up conversion actions specific to their sector. This is about webinars: an effective way to demonstrate your expertise in your target field of activity. This type of interactive event can also make it possible to evangelize starting from a problem of your target. 

While it requires a low financial investment, an online seminar will allow you to reach many prospects, in a short period, without having to travel. Your  calls-to-action also differ  from the usual “Download our white paper” and other “Ask to be called back by an advisor.” To convince yourself of the effectiveness of your solution, do not hesitate to give a taste of it by offering a  free trial.

Social Selling At The Heart Of The DNA Of Software Publishers

It is common for companies to engage in inbound marketing, even though they are not present on Linkedin, any more than most of their employees. Conversely,  software publishers have long understood the relevance of social selling. Your salespeople are already prospecting on LinkedIn because it is on this professional social network that the decision-makers are found. 

It will be good to take advantage of a particularly effective strategy by sharing the blog articles produced as part of an inbound marketing strategy. With these recommendations specific to your activity, you no longer have any excuses to adopt an inbound marketing strategy! Need to know more? To benefit from support to get started?

Read Also: Laptop Screen Size: Which Dimensions To Choose?