What messaging mistakes should you avoid when selling software products?

Many sellers tend to begin their presentations by emphasizing the features of their product, without taking the time to understand the customer's pain points. To be more effective, it is better to start by discussing the customer's problems. Actively listen and try to understand why you were invited to the meeting.

Ao vender produtos de software, evite erros como: 1- Ignorar o Suporte ao Cliente: Certifique-se de incluir informa??es claras sobre suporte ao cliente. Ignorar ou negligenciar esse aspecto pode afetar a satisfa??o do cliente. 2 - Pre?os Ambíguos: Seja transparente sobre os pre?os e evite surpresas desagradáveis. Informe claramente os custos e qualquer taxa adicional. Lembre-se, a transparência, honestidade e uma boa comunica??o s?o cruciais ao vender produtos de software.

Start by addressing the customer's pain points. Avoid focusing solely on features; instead, highlight how the software solves specific challenges or improves processes. Customers are more interested in solutions to their problems than a list of features. Criticizing competitors can create a negative perception. Instead, emphasize the unique value your software brings without directly disparaging others. Showcase what sets your product apart in a positive light, focusing on its strengths. While discussing Return on Investment (ROI) is crucial, be cautious about making exaggerated promises. Provide realistic expectations based on actual case studies or data. Transparency and credibility build trust, which is essential in software sales.

No usar la palabra "Vender", pues eso es resultado de un Diagnostico inicial, conocer al cliente en su operatoria, experiencia con sistemas, sistema actual, experiencia de los usuarios, identificar sus Dolores, es vital. Una buena asesoría, trae como resultado una venta exitosa. Saludos

Actively asking open-ended questions and adopting a listening approach is fundamental in discovering customers' pain points. While they may express symptoms initially, the right set of questions helps identify the root issues. This understanding becomes the foundation for providing effective support. Business is performed by humans

It's important to be aware of the audience in the room. If you have both technical and business stakeholders simultaneously, it's essential to use a communication style with less tech jargon and include many examples and visual elements to support your speech. If it is not possible to achieve this because the conversation requires diving into highly technical details, I usually suggest scheduling different sessions. One can focus on technical aspects, and the other can support the rest of the audience at a different level of abstraction.

Showcasing your expertise and knowledge is not done through using technical terms and jargon (however, it is vital you can speak the language of the customer, such as their industry and technical terms). Exeprtise and knowledge is built through activelty understanding the customers' challenges and how you can solve them (including where you done it before).

Customers want to know how your solutions solves their problem. Most customers care about 2 things 1) Does it solve the problem 2) Is it the best solution for the cost.

One of my favorite terms for this is KISS (Keep it super simple). You do not have to tech bomb anyone with words because you think that is what they want to hear. In most cases, this will drive them away! There is always a time and a place for technical jargon (like validation calls with IT Admins, CTO’s, etc), save it for that. The easier the knowledge/verbiage is for those on the call, the better it will resonate.

This is crucial: Use simple language when presenting your product. Imagine explaining technical terms to a 12-year-old. Making it really simple and easy to understand.

I think a good approach here is to talk about why your existing customers chose your solution and continue to be customers. Ultimately buyers have done their research well before you speak with them, so it's highly likely you'll get asked the question of how you compare to your competitors (unless you head it off with the point I made above). If you get asked, be prepared, be professional and absolutely no competitor bashing (ever). Above all, you'll out-manoeuvre your competitors if you've done a great job of understanding the customers' challenges and how you can solve them. One last point, differentiating is not just at a product level, it's also about the overall service and experience (pre and post-sales).

Take the time to learn how your customers business works. A Doctor has different needs than a CPA or a Realtor. If you know how they operate and what they need; your targeted marketing will be successful. Think of fishing, if you randomly throw a piece of bait in the water, you may catch a fish. If you know it is Bass season, where Bass hide, use a Bass bait and fish at the optimal time, your odds of catching a Bass increase significantly.

Ensure to focus on your key differentiators, sometimes extending to non-product related features like your company's culture and current customer references.

"Listen carefully to customer feedback and try to understand their needs. You should handle objections with care and attention. One effective technique is to ask a scaling question, for example, asking a client to rate a proposal from 1 to 10. If they rate it a 7, ask them why and what is missing to make it a 10."

A major mistake in the role of a sales engineer is failing to be clear and explicit about how your product handles the objections presented by the customer. With major solutions, such as ERP, CRM, and similar, sales engineers are also responsible for providing a view into the product's roadmap and future enhancements/features that could play a part in the long-term customer experience. Does your product rely on third-party dependencies? Are there changes in your product's tech stack being planned? By covering such elements, sales engineers provide their sales teams, and ultimately the customer, with a solid foundation for the future of the relationship.

Since this post is focused on the sales engineer's role, perhaps I'd suggest switching the step to something like: Not obtaining customer's conformity with the demo, proof of concept, or the answers provided regarding the objections presented by the customer. This way, the sales engineer can complete the sub-process of technical validation in the sales process.

As an SE... DO NOT be nonchalant about the product your selling as if you yourself are bored with it and do find it exciting. DO be passionate and forthcoming in detail when needed.

Excessive reliance on a brand's reputation or market share can undermine your messaging. Assuming a customer's familiarity without asking about their prior experience can make them feel misunderstood or patronized, leading them to look elsewhere.