43% of Companies Buy Software Because They Have an Immediate Need - Here’s How Your Company Can Take Advantage

You’ve likely been in this scenario, where a problem has arisen at work, and your current software can’t solve it. According to this study, 43% of companies buy software solutions because they have an immediate need.  

When you need something fast, how do you search for it and ensure it’s the right choice? Finding the right software is key since you want a quick fix that has longevity for any potential problems in the future in the same vein.

As a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, how can you position your brand and leverage this to your advantage though? Thankfully, you can do a few things to get your company at the forefront of people’s searches, so they turn to you in a crunch. 

Here are some ways to boost your brand for those companies looking for software to solve their problems quickly.

Pitch Productivity with Your Software

One major benefit you can pitch to people looking for problem-solving software in a rush is how it can boost productivity on their end. Most brands want to know they’re getting the best bang for their buck, so share valuable data and analytics about past buyers who saw an increase in productivity by using your software. 

Testimonials can go a long way to sway potential customers. Whether you’re a project management software, task management software, or other business software, clearly state how you can enhance sales, goals, and overall productivity of workers.

How does your software elevate the experience? What makes you different from similar products? Answer these questions for yourself and your audience to set yourself better apart so that they choose you over competitors.

Offer an Alternative to Existing Solutions

You may be swimming in a sea of competitors, so telling potential or current customers what you do differently is key. How can you offer alternatives to existing solutions? What does your software do better or unlike anyone else in the game? 

As a software company, focusing on what sets you apart can make or break customers' decision to choose you instead. So be clear about what you can offer and how it solves everyday problems their company or brand might run into, especially quickly and efficiently. 

Since they’re turning to you to solve one of their immediate problems, show them how it can serve them in the long term so that they remain a loyal, long-standing customer even after their immediate needs are solved.

Market Your Software Effectively

Are you utilizing your digital marketing efforts effectively? It’s something that requires self-reflection, and taking a deep dive into what the data is telling you, and how your market is responding to what you have to offer.

34.2% of B2B buyers report learning about prospective SaaS tools through marketing campaigns before speaking to a sales representative. Working in software means you need to be familiar with the online world and technology. Digital marketing campaigns can involve social media, emails, SMS messages, and other digital channels. 

Even joining a marketing community can be an effective way to connect with others and increase your reach. While some traditional marketing efforts could also be effective, staying online will be particularly advantageous for your brand since you’re trying to increase visibility for companies that need software quickly. 

Utilize your social media pages to demonstrate your product through easily digestible videos and GIFs, or send exclusive offers and discounts to those who subscribe to SMS texts. Use everything in your marketing arsenal to widen your audience.

Stay Up-to-Date on Current Trends

Part of working in software is knowing current trends or even predicting them. While the past few years have been unprecedented and unpredictable, there are still ways to determine what may be shifting in a certain direction. For example, Google Meet has seen an upswing recently, but that didn’t stop competitors from creating alternatives to this software. 

So, how can you use existing platforms to your advantage or hop on current trends with your software? Think creatively about how your service can fill a need, whether now or upcoming, and be sure to properly time any releases for updates or upgrades.

Entice Customers with a Free Trial

If you’re looking for something in a pinch, you may not be picky about your options. 

However, when this search is for something you want to try out ahead of time, you’re more likely to choose the option that offers a free trial. With software especially, many brands want to know what they’re committing to before making a purchase. Free trials entice customers with “try before you buy” and give them a chance to learn the new software hands-on. Plus, it’ll give you an edge against your competitors. Consider a reasonable amount of time that works best to try your software out, from a few days to a week or perhaps even a month.

Onboard Your Customers

When selling your software as a service, one thing you don’t want to do is leave your customers in a lurch once they’ve made the purchase. Onboarding as a SaaS brand helps to walk them through the basics and guide them through any potential issues they may run into since they’re novices with your software. 

Provide helpful tools, such as how-to videos and guides, they can reference once the initial onboarding phase is over. These tools help to reduce confusion, which can lead to these same customers ceasing the use of the product and building customer loyalty. 

Making yourself available or providing a customer support line they can contact at any time will be beneficial, especially since they turned to your product in a time of need and want greater support.

Boost Your Website’s SEO

Many potential customers will turn to popular search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing, to fulfill their needs. How do you currently rank on these search engines? Typically, people will choose one of the first few search results, and you don’t want poor SEO to make you lose out on a much bigger audience. 

If you’re not investing your efforts into SEO, now is the time to do so. First, review your website to evaluate which areas need improvement and how you can rank better on search engine sites. 

You can easily optimize your blog posts with keywords and relevant content, using alt tags, updating your content regularly, and inserting title, description, and keyword metadata in your website’s copy.

Evaluate Your Email Client

Having a tool and not utilizing it can be detrimental to your outreach. Email lists are a popular marketing tool for many brands, and getting the right people to sign up is crucial. 

Evaluating your email client should be the first step in the process since you want to ensure it provides the right design, security, and ease of use for your business and its customers. 

If customers aren’t reading your emails or even opening them, it’s worth evaluating and reassessing what may need to change. While it may be as simple as altering your email marketing strategy, it could come down to your email client and needing to find one that works best for your situation.

Target the Right Audiences

The last thing you want is to be shouting into the void with your efforts. Targeted ads and paid campaigns can help you to reach the right audiences alongside organic efforts. If you haven’t already discovered who your target market is, now’s a good time. 

Narrow down what the demographic looks like, what sort of businesses will benefit from your software, and where you can find them. 

For example, you wouldn’t turn to Snapchat for a more senior audience. Make sure your efforts aren’t wasted by using the wrong marketing methods or reaching out to the wrong customer base. 

While some brands have become creative with their marketing, such as Duolingo on TikTok, finding your target audience first and then widening it will be more beneficial.

Create Cold Pitches

52.8% of software buyers say solving a top-of-mind problem for their job or team is their main motivation for responding to a cold pitch. 

Cold pitches are a great way to break the ice (no pun intended) and require a balance of the right language that doesn’t come across as spammy or impersonal. Clever cold pitches can be a great way to stick in someone’s mind, especially when they may need to come back for your services. 

Find creative ways to sell your software in a cold pitch without just clicking “copy and paste” for each potential customer.

Conclusion

Positioning your brand to be visible is an advantage, especially when your customers have an urgent need.

Set yourself apart from competitors while demonstrating what your software does clearly and concisely so that customers feel confident in their purchases. Build a solid foundation for them to turn to you and market your brand wisely so that more people can easily find you, whether they need an immediate fix or something to solve problems in the long term.