Question

Topic: Strategy

Why Do You Like My Product?

Posted by Anonymous on 1/17/2010 at 12:03 PM ET 50 Points
First of all, it's a software product. What I feel most important after user download and install it is:

1) Can use it easily
How and what should I do for that to happen (HW)?
a) Create and provide feature specific and short tutorial.
b) Provide a easy to use and accessible forum to them

2) Can see key benefits quickly
HW?
This question begs for deep thoughts. The first thought is, to go along with the value preposition, that is,

a) Knowledge Capture
Much easier and meaningful with my software tool); btw, it's hard to get this point across when the reader don't have a comparison but users would see it immediately.

b) Knowledge Organization
b1: the notion of creating separate files and their placement in various directories is simply inefficient for later retrieval
b2: on the contrary, with this product, any knowledge pieces can stand on its own and/or quickly become a part of an organic whole. Once again only users will see it. Question is, how to get this point across to them really quickly?
b3: multiple ways for easy retrieval (again better than the silly directory structure and file placement)

c) Learning Enhancement
c1: contextual wikipedia access
c2: concept mapping (notes association, notes grouping)
more ...

At the moment the mind is dull please consider it as a starting point.

Thanks.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by wnelson on 1/17/2010 at 1:18 PM Accepted
    My answer is so simple, obvious, and academic - there must be more that I'm missing from your situation. So I'll ask you: Why don't you simply ask your customers for their input per your well-thought out questions? You can get in touch with them in many ways. If they buy direct, you have contact information. If they don't, you probably have a registration process. If they download, you have a registration process. Dial them up.

    The process for surveying the market place is to initially do focus groups, followed by a preliminary (limited distribution) survey, and then a wide-spread survey. In the focus groups, you get a breadth of non-parametric data, which includes open ended question results, psychographics, body language, etc. This kind of information has to be evaluated "by the mind" not the computer. What comes out of this is a series of hypotheses to be tested - with multiple versions of preliminary surveys. Prelim surveys can be analyzed via computer programs, and based on the survey splits, you can decide which version of questions you want to ask and how. Then, you launch the wide-spread survey.

    In the focus group part, doing these in person with a group of people is best. Next best would be something like a webinar or conference call. Initially, however, dialog is useful. You miss out in interactions, however, doing it this way. Another technique to get this information is a user group.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 1/17/2010 at 3:29 PM Author
    Wayde, "Why don't you simply ask your customers for their input per your well-thought out questions? ", yes, excellent point, it's in the plan. Right now it's at the junction of "compelling website for the product" and "publicizing / marketing it", and I'm preparing for stage two... and thought additional ideas could be useful...

    On preliminary survey and focus group study, they are actually accomplished with great outcome, that's why I've moved to stage one in making the product website compelling...

    Thanks.

    Don

  • Posted by wnelson on 1/17/2010 at 3:46 PM Member
    Don,

    Oh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood your question. I didn't know you were looking for suggestions to make your website more compelling.

    The strategy to make your website (and any marketing tool) more compelling is to aim at the emotion first. What pain does your product relieve and how do the customers feel before - and then after - the pain is relieved. People buy on emotion. All the technical stuff - the features and benefits - that's all used (for the most part) to justify to themselves that they made a great decision. It helps them not to change their minds.

    So make it compelling by making sure that the prospects can identify with the emotions and teasing them into looking further - at the features and benefits. They are all on the subsequent pages.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 1/18/2010 at 12:05 AM Author
    Wayde,

    You're right. Thank you.

    Don
  • Posted by michael on 1/18/2010 at 9:03 AM Accepted
    Aside from all the technical things, it's important to separate what you think is unique from the what your prospect thinks is expected.

    We have a great tutorial: That's expected, not unique
    We're easy to use: I would hope so

    Customer testimonies help. Ask current customers why they chose you. Hopefully it's not just price.

    Michael
  • Posted on 1/18/2010 at 11:30 AM Author
    Michael,

    Right on. I'm getting feedback like the following quite a lot:
    "Great Concept, very useful."

    "Good SWare"

    "great software, makes note taking much easier!"

    "Useful software"

    Of course I appreciate that, in the meantime, I'm thinking that, I would need both, that is, generic comment as well specific one like "this Concept Mapping feature has helped with understanding the Len Marketing Model bla bla"

    Thank you.

    Don
  • Posted on 1/19/2010 at 7:09 PM Author
    marketingprofs (MP) professionals, pls feel free to close this question.

    Thanks.
  • Posted by wnelson on 1/19/2010 at 9:01 PM Member
    Don,

    The question author generally closes the question - unless the question is abandoned. When you do, you select who, among the contributors, share the points. You can select one, several, or all of the answers, depending on how you feel they contributed to your answer.

    Or, you could "abandon" the question, in which case, the site moderators will apply the points among all the contributors based on "one or many" contributions. i.e if 5 people contribute, each gets 10 points, no matter how many times each contributes. I will tell you that "abandonment of a question" leaves us contributors with an incomplete feeling. We would rather that a contributor give all points to one person (not us) versus abandon the question. That makes us think we wasted our time (not the case here - you gave us feedback). Anyway, if you need further information on how to close this question out versus abandon it.

    I looked to see if I could guide you - step by step - through that process, but I can't get there unless I open up a question. But, if you click on the notices that you received a response, it guides you though the process.

    Wayde

  • Posted on 1/29/2010 at 8:33 AM Author
    Wayne and Carrie,

    Please feel free to close it. I DID exactly what Wayne described.
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