Comments on: The real costs of buying your software http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/ Bob Walsh Wed, 09 May 2012 20:32:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Bob Walsh http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-29671 Bob Walsh Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:35:13 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-29671 Good to hear Louis! One thing about this business; you always have to find what works for you. Sometimes that will be what works for others - and sometimes it won't. Good to hear Louis! One thing about this business; you always have to find what works for you. Sometimes that will be what works for others – and sometimes it won’t.

]]> By: Louis Kessler http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-29667 Louis Kessler Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:24:38 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-29667 I know I'm commenting on an old post, but I really wanted to make an update to my comment previously. Although I liked the sales letter approach, and thought it was doing well, I had a designer give me a new site design (see: www.beholdgenealogy.com). It's now a little more traditional, and makes an attempt right away to get the viewers interest and keep it there. Oh, and I now do post the price for all to see. I believe my purchases have doubled because of all the changes. I know I’m commenting on an old post, but I really wanted to make an update to my comment previously.

Although I liked the sales letter approach, and thought it was doing well, I had a designer give me a new site design (see: http://www.beholdgenealogy.com). It’s now a little more traditional, and makes an attempt right away to get the viewers interest and keep it there.

Oh, and I now do post the price for all to see.

I believe my purchases have doubled because of all the changes.

]]> By: Tom Barnes http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-25024 Tom Barnes Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:11:20 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-25024 I really like your article Bob. You make some great points, but there is one I have to disagree with you on. We are a MicroISV and NEED and thrive on that registration information. First, I think an email and a few answers to little questions are fair for a free trial. But more importantly this registration gives us critical information to get our message to he right audience (saving prospective customer time). Example: we gear our application and marketing to the construction industry and find out through this information that mostly folks from the legal profession are using it. We act upon this information saving everyone time. Tom I really like your article Bob. You make some great points, but there is one I have to disagree with you on. We are a MicroISV and NEED and thrive on that registration information. First, I think an email and a few answers to little questions are fair for a free trial.
But more importantly this registration gives us critical information to get our message to he right audience (saving prospective customer time). Example: we gear our application and marketing to the construction industry and find out through this information that mostly folks from the legal profession are using it. We act upon this information saving everyone time.
Tom

]]> By: Scot Herrick http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24655 Scot Herrick Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:55:42 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24655 Great article, Bob. The You Tube idea is exceptionally good; we use that type of training internally in our Fortune 500 company and has the highest rate of deflecting support calls. One cannot overestimate the influence of bothersome annoyances on end users. Fixing them is a great way to improve the product. Great article, Bob. The You Tube idea is exceptionally good; we use that type of training internally in our Fortune 500 company and has the highest rate of deflecting support calls.

One cannot overestimate the influence of bothersome annoyances on end users. Fixing them is a great way to improve the product.

]]> By: Starr http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24649 Starr Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:52:54 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24649 (continued from above...wordpress thought that I was a haxor and stripped out everything after my less than sign) A lot of the time it’s $199 (is less than) spending 5 hours online trying to make the thing work, and even then being vaguely suspicious of it... (continued from above…wordpress thought that I was a haxor and stripped out everything after my less than sign)

A lot of the time it’s $199 (is less than) spending 5 hours online trying to make the thing work, and even then being vaguely suspicious of it…

]]> By: Starr http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24647 Starr Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:48:34 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24647 This was a really insightful article, Bob. As developers, I think we pay more attention to things that are quantifiable. So $199 > $0 becomes a huge deal in our minds. But you're right. A lot of the time it's $199 This was a really insightful article, Bob.

As developers, I think we pay more attention to things that are quantifiable. So $199 > $0 becomes a huge deal in our minds.

But you’re right. A lot of the time it’s $199

]]> By: Either You Succeed or Explain http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24637 Either You Succeed or Explain Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:22:19 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24637 <strong>Why should people pay when they can get it for free?...</strong> One of the most common question people ask me is: why do you think people will pay for your software when they can get it for free?. Just to put things in context, I'm working on an Eclipse based tool.... Why should people pay when they can get it for free?…

One of the most common question people ask me is: why do you think people will pay for your software when they can get it for free?. Just to put things in context, I’m working on an Eclipse based tool….

]]> By: Louis Kessler http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24635 Louis Kessler Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:29:26 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24635 Good article, Bob! You say "Every click a visitor needs to make to find out what your software does, what it costs, why they should buy it and what kind of company backs it just raises the cost in time and frustration of buying your software." That may be true for the traditional ISV website, but when you come to review my sales letter approach, the price is left off the home page on purpose. The sales technique is designed to get the reader to first say Wow, "I desire this program", and get him to download it, sign up on a mailing list, or buy it right away. The first two results are often as good as the third. But the price is rarely shown anywhere on the long sales copy of the first page. Re asking customers their one little annoyance: Thank you. That is now on my future plans list during beta testing. Good article, Bob!

You say “Every click a visitor needs to make to find out what your software does, what it costs, why they should buy it and what kind of company backs it just raises the cost in time and frustration of buying your software.”

That may be true for the traditional ISV website, but when you come to review my sales letter approach, the price is left off the home page on purpose. The sales technique is designed to get the reader to first say Wow, “I desire this program”, and get him to download it, sign up on a mailing list, or buy it right away. The first two results are often as good as the third. But the price is rarely shown anywhere on the long sales copy of the first page.

Re asking customers their one little annoyance: Thank you. That is now on my future plans list during beta testing.

]]> By: Impressionable http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24627 Impressionable Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:49 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24627 So much truth in this post. As an example of how it CAN be, I just purchased BB Flashback to build demos with, and the registration process went JUST LIKE IT SHOULD. Not one annoyance between the tendering of my hard earned cash, and the full version working on my machine. And yet, this kind of appropriate experience is still so rare ... So much truth in this post. As an example of how it CAN be, I just purchased BB Flashback to build demos with, and the registration process went JUST LIKE IT SHOULD. Not one annoyance between the tendering of my hard earned cash, and the full version working on my machine. And yet, this kind of appropriate experience is still so rare …

]]> By: Paul Young http://47hats.com/2007/08/the-real-costs-of-buying-your-software/comment-page-1/#comment-24626 Paul Young Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:41:34 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=440#comment-24626 Excellent information Bob. Very helpful. Excellent information Bob. Very helpful.

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