Software sales tactics

I recently experienced a sales tactic used by software sales people and I thougth I would provide a caution to business owners who attempt to get support for their investigation into acquiring software.

I was preparing to help a business that was interested in CRM software. I had not looked at this package before, so when the supplier (out of the blue) sent me an invitation to an event, I thought I would attend.

The first thing that I got was a phone call from the supplier asking what I was interested in. After I explained, he asked me what I used for myself and whether I would be interested in a free trial. He then put me onto my sales contact who followed up by phone and email within two days.

While this was excellent follow up by the software company (most don't do that well), it was a major problem for me. I hadn't defined my own needs yet. I hadn't helped my customer define their needs either.

So here I was, being sold a free trial without any definition of what I was trying to accomplish!

This is a common experience for most business owners. We start with the software and see if it sort of fits with the generic concept of what I wanted to do. Then we make a decision. Now it's too late.

If you have read my blogs before you know what I believe:

• Define your goal. Visualize the end result.
• Get a detailed definition of your business process.
• Identify how the software supports your business process.

Do all of this before you consider buying. I understand how easy it is to fall into the software sales trap. If you want to be successful, don't let the supplier dictate your schedule!