Avoid Failure When Marketing Cloud Computing

Grazed from Sys Con Media. Author: Karin Wilson.

As a software reseller you know that the number of enterprise software solutions being offered in a cloud environment is only getting bigger. Maintaining a product portfolio composed of only on-premise solutions is eventually going to wipe out your business. Research organizations are predicting that ‘the cloud’ will dominate every facet of the software industry; no matter how concerned customers are with security, access and customization, the Software as a Service (SaaS) market is guaranteed to grow.

Will you be the business that misses out on this opportunity?

Making the transition from marketing on-premise to marketing cloud solutions isn’t easy and won’t be accomplished overnight. What you need to keep in mind is that your customers are now in complete control. In the past prospects came to you to find out information early in the decision making process, whereas now they will be researching online and on your website, only picking up the phone when they are close to purchasing. Use the change in buying behavior to your advantage and create a website marketing cloud solutions that makes it easy for prospects to learn how you can solve their challenges…

Cloud computing creates a simplified environment, with solutions that are affordable and quick to deploy. Your prospects want to know how your software works and they don’t want to be asked qualifying questions before they even get a chance to see it. Having a free trial on your site is a necessity; whether it’s 15, 30 or 60 days is up to you. Make sure that your trial is behind a form so that you capture the names and contact information of potential customers who are interested in your cloud solution.
Focus on Optimized Online Content

Your future customers are looking for answers to specific questions, which you can answer without a one-on-one conversation. Find out what your prospects need to know and allocate resources to address those topics. Whether with white papers, blog posts or demo videos, you need to make this information readily available. Focus on creating content that addresses how your software is a solution to their problems.

Avoid marketing offline. It’s a surefire way to eat into your budget and if you’re offering an online solution, the internet is where your customers will be looking first. While tradeshows, magazine publications and direct mail-outs create results, it isn’t where you should be concentrating your time and money, especially in the beginning.

Marketing cloud solutions is certainly different from marketing on-premise software, but if you understand the fundamental shifts in buyer behavior, you’ll be able to present cloud solutions more effectively and successfully.