However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

• if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it withou
  Attract Your Dream Customer
  Have you clearly defined your target audience? These are the prime buyers of your products or services. It is the people or organizations you are pursuing actively as customers. You don’t need every customer in the world! You need the ones who are a good match for YOU. The more specific you are, the more effective your marketing campaign will be.But, let’s take this concept one step further. You can develop specific strategies that will attract your DREAM customers. These are the people who are best suited to purchase your product or service.A dream customer is someone who:• You want to work with and enjoy. For example, if you’re wild about horses, why not specialize in the riding industry?• Needs and values the product or services you provide.• Is willing and able to pay what you
  Don’t just sell software, win promoters for your business!

  Just one sell won’t boost your profits. Higher incomes are a direct result of more sales and repeat business. Concentrate on implementing sales and marketing tactics to convince customers to return to your website and buy more software.

  Remember that satisfied customers might turn into promoters - satisfied clients who recommend your services and products to others, and this kind of publicity is very valuable for your business.

  Here are a few tips on how to succeed on the shareware market:

  • Let customers try the software before buying the full version

    Market your software products with free evaluation. This will allow them to see exactly how your software works and make an informed buying decision. This maximizes the number of satisfied customers.

    Unfortunately, not many software developers consider shareware as a strategic selling technique. But day after day, as it proves its efficiency, shareware distribution becomes more popular for both authors and customers.

  • Make a special offer two weeks after the evaluation period started

    Here are just a few ideas:

    • extend the free trial period;
    • offer more features for the shareware version of the software they downloaded;
    • offer free copies of your software to those users who provided the most useful feedback that helped you improve your software;
    • develop more products, release them as beta software, and offer your clients the chance to test it;
    • offer custom version of your software for users who are interested in something a little bit different.

    When you sell shareware you have endless possibilities of creating an appealing offer for your clients. Use one of these, create a mix or come up with your own promotion concept to improve your shareware distribution and boost your sales. The idea is to let everybody know that you have a special offer for potential buyers.

  • Collect basic customer data before downloading

    At first sight this might look like a good hook, but collecting personal information to increase download sales is still under a lot of debate. Many still argue about the necessity of asking for an e-mail address.

    There are specialists that approve of this method, when it’s not carried out in an aggressive way, because:

    • it is easier to stay in touch with your clients;
    • you can release regular updates and enhancements of your products and notify the customers by e-mail;
    • you can improve your customers’ satisfaction and make them aware that their opinion counts by asking them to take part in surveys and polls;
    • it is a chance to enhance your cross-selling techniques;
    • gives you the opportunity to identify the most profitable clients.

    However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

    • if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it without
      The Flu and List building Go Hand In Hand!
      What does the flu have to do with building your list?Well a lot!A flu, just like any other virus is able to spread itself to anyone it comes in contact with.And when we are building are email lists, we want this same type of viral effect to take place. This viral effect is known as viral marketing.Viral Marketing is allowing people to giveaway and use your free product or service in order to spread your message quickly over the internet. I also call this form of marketing wild fire marketing because as soon as it starts, it will spread your marketing all over the internet like a wild forest fire. When this happens, it will be difficult to stop it.The idea behind viral marketing is that you include your ad with a freebie people giveaway or use. The ad will be an advertisement of you
      the full version

      Market your software products with free evaluation. This will allow them to see exactly how your software works and make an informed buying decision. This maximizes the number of satisfied customers.

      Unfortunately, not many software developers consider shareware as a strategic selling technique. But day after day, as it proves its efficiency, shareware distribution becomes more popular for both authors and customers.

    • Make a special offer two weeks after the evaluation period started

      Here are just a few ideas:

      • extend the free trial period;
      • offer more features for the shareware version of the software they downloaded;
      • offer free copies of your software to those users who provided the most useful feedback that helped you improve your software;
      • develop more products, release them as beta software, and offer your clients the chance to test it;
      • offer custom version of your software for users who are interested in something a little bit different.

      When you sell shareware you have endless possibilities of creating an appealing offer for your clients. Use one of these, create a mix or come up with your own promotion concept to improve your shareware distribution and boost your sales. The idea is to let everybody know that you have a special offer for potential buyers.

    • Collect basic customer data before downloading

      At first sight this might look like a good hook, but collecting personal information to increase download sales is still under a lot of debate. Many still argue about the necessity of asking for an e-mail address.

      There are specialists that approve of this method, when it’s not carried out in an aggressive way, because:

      • it is easier to stay in touch with your clients;
      • you can release regular updates and enhancements of your products and notify the customers by e-mail;
      • you can improve your customers’ satisfaction and make them aware that their opinion counts by asking them to take part in surveys and polls;
      • it is a chance to enhance your cross-selling techniques;
      • gives you the opportunity to identify the most profitable clients.

      However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

      • if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it withou
        Differentiation
        “Some contend that differentiation is nuts – bad for moral” – Jack WelchWe get taught from a very young age that differentiation is bad, and that people’s feelings can get hurt, and people will be upset. But this leaves us in an emotional rollercoaster.Business is not about emotion, it’s about money and making it. It’s about being the best, beating your competitors, and succeeding. Yes, it doesn’t mean we should be cold hearted, but we need to be driven by the goal, making money, not by emotion.If we work on an emotional level, we should join some non profit organization, that allows us to work on emotion, and caring for others.I see two places for differentiation. The first is inside our business. We cannot treat all our employees the same, because they do not all perform the same. Some
        offer more features for the shareware version of the software they downloaded;
      • offer free copies of your software to those users who provided the most useful feedback that helped you improve your software;
      • develop more products, release them as beta software, and offer your clients the chance to test it;
      • offer custom version of your software for users who are interested in something a little bit different.

      When you sell shareware you have endless possibilities of creating an appealing offer for your clients. Use one of these, create a mix or come up with your own promotion concept to improve your shareware distribution and boost your sales. The idea is to let everybody know that you have a special offer for potential buyers.

    • Collect basic customer data before downloading

      At first sight this might look like a good hook, but collecting personal information to increase download sales is still under a lot of debate. Many still argue about the necessity of asking for an e-mail address.

      There are specialists that approve of this method, when it’s not carried out in an aggressive way, because:

      • it is easier to stay in touch with your clients;
      • you can release regular updates and enhancements of your products and notify the customers by e-mail;
      • you can improve your customers’ satisfaction and make them aware that their opinion counts by asking them to take part in surveys and polls;
      • it is a chance to enhance your cross-selling techniques;
      • gives you the opportunity to identify the most profitable clients.

      However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

      • if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it withou
        The Great Lie - IT As A Service
        One of the sweeping trends in the IT industry over the past few years has been the suggestion that IT should act as a service. From “on demand” computing, where computing power seamlessly increases and decreases as needed, to IT providing a “menu” of capabilities that can be chosen by a business unit. While capacity planning and management, and developing standardized, commodity-like offerings all have their place in IT, these approaches miss the boat.Many proponents of the service concept take the ideas too far, advocating a service-based shop as the ultimate IT organization. IT as a service is something that is seen and not heard, waiting on the sidelines until summoned by a business unit to deliver its commoditized offerings, then returning to the ether, never to be heard from until its next invocation. Th
        omotion concept to improve your shareware distribution and boost your sales. The idea is to let everybody know that you have a special offer for potential buyers.
      • Collect basic customer data before downloading

        At first sight this might look like a good hook, but collecting personal information to increase download sales is still under a lot of debate. Many still argue about the necessity of asking for an e-mail address.

        There are specialists that approve of this method, when it’s not carried out in an aggressive way, because:

        • it is easier to stay in touch with your clients;
        • you can release regular updates and enhancements of your products and notify the customers by e-mail;
        • you can improve your customers’ satisfaction and make them aware that their opinion counts by asking them to take part in surveys and polls;
        • it is a chance to enhance your cross-selling techniques;
        • gives you the opportunity to identify the most profitable clients.

        However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

        • if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it withou
          Branding Marketing Plan Corporate Branding
          As Branding and marketing professionals, we have an in-depth understanding of the importance of a marketing plan. However, not everyone recognizes the benefits of investing in a strategic marketing plan prior to launching strategies and tactics that seem intuitive at the time. The following few paragraphs attempt to impart our understanding of a well-written plan's importance by first defining some of key elements of the role of marketing in most organizations.Defines Focus: Your strategic marketing plan gives the company, and everyone in it, a benchmark to measure all marketing activities against. A well-developed strategic marketing plan not only gives you a structured strategic and tactical outline, but also defines your target audience, messages, goals, and objectives, in a way that allows flexibility. A
          >

        • you can release regular updates and enhancements of your products and notify the customers by e-mail;
        • you can improve your customers’ satisfaction and make them aware that their opinion counts by asking them to take part in surveys and polls;
        • it is a chance to enhance your cross-selling techniques;
        • gives you the opportunity to identify the most profitable clients.

        However, many shareware authors are against requesting personal information for the following reasons:

        • if a user is interested in your software he will download and pay for it without having to waste time filling forms with personal information;
        • many users are very protective of their e-mail address (for spam reasons);
        • this procedure may annoy people who don’t feel comfortable sharing this kind of information;
        • your software demo is the best promotion method and no other kind of advertising could bring higher results;
        • many sites that list shareware programs don’t allow the collection of personal information before a download, so you risk getting banned.

        If you choose to ask for an e-mail address and more detailed personal information, is something that you’ll have to decide yourself weighing the pros and cons listed above. Monitor for a while your sales and if the method you choose brings positive results, stick to it.

      • Use follow-up strategies

        Follow up with "thank you" e-mails when a visitor downloads your software. It's also a good idea to present a questionnaire when the user uninstalls the software. Continue to offer support 5-7 days after the installation of the shareware version.

        Try at all times to be there for the potential client. Make him feel that he found a partner who is interested in his needs. Concentrate not on selling software, but on solving problems. Follow-up strategies help you maintain a close and active relation with your clients.

      • Avoid directing your visitors straight to the .exe file

        Allow them to visit your website, see what other software products you have for sale. This way you have the chance to build on your professional image. Nevertheless don’t overlook including "buy now" buttons on your website and of course in the programs you sell.

      • Ask users to evaluate your software

        Many shareware authors think that their products are perfect. But when they get feedback from users, surprises occur. Use this feedback to improve your software, not to get disappointed.

        You can set up questionnaires to ask users what they like and dislike about your products, and what improvement they think would be necessary. Make any necessary adjustments, then thank them for their involvement and let them know that their opinion mattered.

        Remember, there are countless websites that sell software just a click away. A dissatisfied customer who won’t make a complaint is very likely to turn to your competition. In reality, most dissatisfied customers do not complain, but they do tell their friends about