|
Sweetening the Pot
How can vendors persuade their customers to part
with their cold hard cash? One answer: Offer Incentives!
Incentives are simply tangible or intangible
rewards that are designed to motivate or coax
a person or group to behave in a certain way.
In an attempt to entice purchasers to take the
plunge and purchase a software application, marketers
will often "sweeten the pot" by offering various
sales incentives. As a result of being offered
a more attractive deal, the purchasers will often
feel that they are getting a much better value
for their money. Incentives are also used to encourage
potential customers to purchase one application
over another. Sales incentives are probably the
most common incentive used to encourage customers
to purchase.
What Kind Of Incentives Are Effective?
Time Limited Discounts
You can offer purchasers a host of related products
that are only available "at a discount" for a
limited amount of time. For example: Buy this
ABC Company product now, and receive a 50% discount
on another ABC Company's software for the next
week.
Free Add-Ons
You might offer customers complimentary add-on
products or services, which are available only
to licensed customers. For example: Buy this image
software now, and you will get 1000's of free
web images.
Upgrades
Free upgrades for a specified period of time
is another possible incentive. For example: Buy
now, and get 1 full year of free software upgrades.
Drawing Or Give Away
Entice purchasers by entering them in a drawing
or give-away. For example: For each copy purchased,
you will be entered in a contest to win a brand
new iPod.
Support
Include free software support for a specified
amount of time. For example: Buy ABC Software
now, and get 90 days of free technical support.
Product Bundles Or Suites
Combine related products into product bundles
or suites, which are available at a discount.
Bundles and suites will encourage customers to
spend a little more because they feel the value
has increased. They will often purchase additional
software as part of a bundle or suite that they
might not have purchased had the software been
sold separately. For example: Buy the ABC Company
bundle and save 20% on all the applications included
in the bundle.
Consumers want to get the maximum offerings for
their money. Extra sales incentives and benefits
that purchasers receive are often just what is
needed to encourage users to purchase a specific
application.
Related Articles:
How to Price Software
How to License
Software
How to Manage
Upgrades
|
Developer
101
Sweetening the Pot