Why do so many microISVs sell less than their products deserve? That’s the question I set out to find the answer for six months ago as I started researching my second book for microISVs.
MicroISV Sites that Sell! – Creating and Marketing your Unique Selling Proposition ($19 USD) covers the six mistakes small self-funded software companies make, and how to use a robust design pattern to avoid them.
You see, marketing is in more ways than most people realize a programming language, with its own rules, syntax, conventions and proven solutions. Thanks to the help of five successful microISVs, MicroISV Sites that Sell! explains developer-to-developer how to use the USP pattern to make your web site sell more.
Writing and publishing and making sure this ebook is well worth your time and money was a daunting task, which is why I asked people I respect to review the manuscript and tell me what they thought.
[Update]
Like Joel Spolsky:
“The smallest software startups rarely have in-house expertise in marketing, and they end up making common mistakes that scare customers away. You see this again and again among the small ISVs: no contact information on the web site, laundry lists of features without explaining the benefits, bad graphic design, and more. If you’re a MicroISV, Bob’s ebook will pay for itself with the first extra sale you make.”
[/Update]
And Eric Sink:
“The latest from Bob Walsh offers concise advice on some key things every microISV needs to do, complete with a discussion of real examples. Recommended.”
And Mike Gunderloy:
“If you can program, you can write marketing copy. You just need to learn the right language. Bob’s a great teacher, and the exercises here will give you a roadmap to creating your own winning ISV web site.”
And Pamela Slim:
“Finally, Bob has written about what I consider a HUGE hole in the ISV market: sales and marketing advice for a technical person by a technical person. If you are highly technical and get revolted by marketing hype that has nothing to do with who you are and what you sell, you will really appreciate the advice in this ebook.”
You’ll find more about MicroISV Sites that Sell! – Creating and Marketing your Unique Selling Proposition on this page, and you might notice it says ebooks not ebook. That’s because this is the first of a series of no-nonsense ebooks I’ll be researching and publishing this year to pick up where Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality left off. That is, if this one sells! 
16 comments
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Scott Carpenter - February 15, 2008
Congratulations on the launch Bob!
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Rudolf F. Vanek - February 16, 2008
Congratulations!
Just ordered a copy.
I’m really eager to read it this weekend.
Thanks and good luck.
Rudolf
Kumaravel Somasundaram - February 17, 2008
Excellent book for MicroISVs like me. I wish I had this book before I released DesignerVista product last moth.
Thanks Bob.
Regards,
Kumaravel Somasundaram
http://www.designervista.com
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Chris Thompson - February 19, 2008
Bob,
Any chance of putting a verson on lulu?
bobw - February 19, 2008
Chris – Based on your suggestion, I’m looking at that as a way to go… will let you know.
bobw - February 19, 2008
Re Lulu – the good news is they have a slick way of creating on-demand physical books at reasonable cost. Bad news – I’ve been talking with their tech support this a.m. and I’m going to have to reformat to fit their sizes.
I can do it, but how much interest is there?
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Chris Thompson (Midnightrange Software) - February 19, 2008
Bob ref the lulu. I will pay up front through paypal if that helps!
I have purchased a few books from them now and they are good.
I can’t speak for anyone else but I think a book is 100 times better than a pdf.
I still open microisv and clear blogging from time to time. If I just had a pdf I would have forgotten I had the files by now.
Chris Thompson (Midnightrange Software) - February 19, 2008
Ref Kumaravel Somasundaram
I still think your site undersells your application.
I know advice is free but… once you have made some cash get a great website. I love your product and still think you can sell to higher end B2B.
Although the site is better than when I last looked.
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