Looking for ideas on how to get our online system noticed

[Status Tracker]

We are a small, pretty new company who have developed an online system for companies to manage jobs and projects, and their field engineers' site visits. The system was built originally as a bespoke system so came from a genuine need and we have a handful of customers who love it.

We are now at the point where we want to start telling the world but are finding it hard to find the best way to get it seen by the right people. Our target market is mainly trades which have staff who work onsite such as builders, CCTV installers, aerial fitters etc, and we also have a version built for food producers to track their batches of food.

So, my question... does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get our system in front of the right people or what marketing activities would potentially have the greatest effect?

I really appreciate anyone's thoughts.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[fisicx]

Advertising would be a good start. All the trade magazines, forums, blogs, news sites and so on.

Then go to all the trade shows and exhibitions.

Then write to everyone, offer demos and deals and installation services.

 

[Mr D]

The trade media giving a write up based on press release?
Spending money marketing the product to those using inferior products?

Sadly a lot of companies will already be running a system of some sort and you'd be up against their existing provider. Who may well fight back if you take customers.

 

[Julia Sta Romana]

You need to build a list of prospective clients.

The slow, steady and (mostly) free way to do it is to have people and companies subscribe to your blog/website so you can send them information about your system.

A faster and costlier way to do it is to pay for lead generation, do cold calls and do cold emailing.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anthony - Westbury]

Why dont you seek investment if its a good platform and you have a niche market ?

 

[intheTRADE]

This is a very crowded market place, BUT, there is demand for these types of services if you can get in front of your potential clients.

There is a number of ways you can do this is. As mentioned above cold emailing and cold calling. This is time consuming however and looking at your price point of £19.99 per month it will take months if not years doing it this way to generate enough paying customers to make this worth while.

My advice would definitely be to partner with organisations who are already providing services to your target clients and have your product as a member benefit etc to their clients - Think along the lines of Checkatrade who have over 30,000 members. I know their members have access to a 'Member Benefits Portal' where they get discounts on everything from accounting software to workwear. Getting in the door with a company like that is a much quicker route to market.

One suggestion I would make is that you extended your free trial offer from 7 days to at least 30 days. A product like this will be a big deals to your clients and 7 days is no where near enough for them to test it. Either that offer no free trial at all but offer a money back guarantee after 30 days if they aren't happy.

 

[Status Tracker]

The trade media giving a write up based on press release?
Spending money marketing the product to those using inferior products?

Sadly a lot of companies will already be running a system of some sort and you'd be up against their existing provider. Who may well fight back if you take customers.

Thanks for the reply, I'll look into the trade media and see if we can get featured. From the (small) amount of research we have done we have found that smaller companies are less likely to be using a system already so it is those with 2 - 10 employees that I think we need to be targetting.

 

[Status Tracker]

You need to build a list of prospective clients.

The slow, steady and (mostly) free way to do it is to have people and companies subscribe to your blog/website so you can send them information about your system.

A faster and costlier way to do it is to pay for lead generation, do cold calls and do cold emailing.

Hope this helps.

I think the second option is where we're heading but will still try and keep up with the slower methods also.

 

[Status Tracker]

This is a very crowded market place, BUT, there is demand for these types of services if you can get in front of your potential clients.

There is a number of ways you can do this is. As mentioned above cold emailing and cold calling. This is time consuming however and looking at your price point of £19.99 per month it will take months if not years doing it this way to generate enough paying customers to make this worth while.

The system is built really for companies with more than 1 employee so most users will be on the higher packages (hopefully). None of the users we have using the system at the moment are on the lower packages.

My advice would definitely be to partner with organisations who are already providing services to your target clients and have your product as a member benefit etc to their clients - Think along the lines of Checkatrade who have over 30,000 members. I know their members have access to a 'Member Benefits Portal' where they get discounts on everything from accounting software to workwear. Getting in the door with a company like that is a much quicker route to market.

I really like this idea. We had thought of it on a smaller scale in terms of trying to partner with wholesalers and having promotions etc at the trade counters. I'll definitley look into larger organisations though and see what we can do.

One suggestion I would make is that you extended your free trial offer from 7 days to at least 30 days. A product like this will be a big deals to your clients and 7 days is no where near enough for them to test it. Either that offer no free trial at all but offer a money back guarantee after 30 days if they aren't happy.

We recently removed the need to add payment details when signing up for the trial but see what you mean about potential users needing longer to evaluate the system. I'll look at extending the trial rather than the money back guarantee as I think the trial will feel less of a risk and hassle.

Thanks for all of you ideas, they're all really helpful.

 

[Status Tracker]

Advertising would be a good start. All the trade magazines, forums, blogs, news sites and so on.

Then go to all the trade shows and exhibitions.

Then write to everyone, offer demos and deals and installation services.

Thanks for the ideas, I guess we just need to bombard everywhere! Do you have any recommendations for trade magazines and exhibitions?

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Try contacting trade bodies/ associations such as MLA (Master Locksmith Association) The SSAIB, the DHF, ADIA, etc etc create a package deal best suited for those different industries... create an online working template on a secure server to let them log in and use it, get a feel for it... see how it would/could work for them...

The MLA have offers given to them for MLA members every year, for vehicles, insurances, etc so giving association members a chance to save money always helps.

 

[saythisinstead.co.uk]

Write a 'print ready' article about how your system can help.

Send it out to the various 'trade' magazines.

They may not use it immediately but sure as s**t there will come a day when they are short of material and your 'print ready' article is sitting there.

Just tell the story of how you built the system.

How it's developed, the main advantages.

Some screen shots and pics of users [real or posed] and info on how to contact you.

Email your target magazines with a link to your article/advertorial/press release.

Loads of people talk a bout this but few actually do it, that's why it works well.

 

[Paul Norman]

We have a system that operates in this arena.

There are others, too, some of them more or less free. For that reason we focus on larger businesses that are willing to pay for the support and licensing.

To find these customers it is mostly old fashioned door knocking. We list the companies that might use the system, and we contact them

 

[fisicx]

@Status Tracker - shown your website to a number of mates who could be potential clients and every one of them rejected the app for no other reason than they thought the website was pants. They all wanted to see a demo on their phone but couldn’t. Even the screenshots you do have are to small to see in detail.

Getting the site reviewed in the website reviews forum will help identify the many issues.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Some good ideas, but what about old fashioned networking, especially targetted groups?

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Some good ideas, but what about old fashioned networking, especially targetted groups?

Eh?

What's networking got to do with an online tracking system for jobs?

The system you have @Status Tracker is quite similar to CASH.

We've had CASH installed already for our Alarm/CCTV/Access control side of the company, so obviously too late for us, but as @fisicx states the website really doesn't do you any favours. images are too small even when you blow them up...

the website is "laggy"... you scroll up or down and it's really slow, perhaps that's my side... I dunno...

The main issue that I think you have now that I've seen the pricing is that companies will want to own the licence to use it, rather than paying a monthly fee... plus where is the information stored? as SSAIB members, you'll struggle and I mean struggle to get any Alarm/Fire Alarm companies interested unless they pay an annual price to cover for any updates, support from you etc, have the ability to store all the information on their own servers and ensure that no one has access who shoudn't have access.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

So, my question... does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get our system in front of the right people or what marketing activities would potentially have the greatest effect?

@Root 66 Woodshop - does that clarify my response?

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Yes and no, as the specific industries that the OP is after tend not to network together in targeted groups... our industry is pretty much close nit, we pretty much know who's who if you get what I mean... but the last thing we do is network together

You will get different building industries networking together, but not CCTV and Fire Alarm companies...

 

[Status Tracker]

Try contacting trade bodies/ associations such as MLA (Master Locksmith Association) The SSAIB, the DHF, ADIA, etc etc create a package deal best suited for those different industries... create an online working template on a secure server to let them log in and use it, get a feel for it... see how it would/could work for them...

The MLA have offers given to them for MLA members every year, for vehicles, insurances, etc so giving association members a chance to save money always helps.

Thanks, I really like this idea for getting in front of the wider audience.

 

[Status Tracker]

@Status Tracker - shown your website to a number of mates who could be potential clients and every one of them rejected the app for no other reason than they thought the website was pants. They all wanted to see a demo on their phone but couldn’t. Even the screenshots you do have are to small to see in detail.

Getting the site reviewed in the website reviews forum will help identify the many issues.

Thanks for that, I hadn't even thought about a demo as a step before the trial so will create that and also sort the images out. A new website is underway so once that is ready will post it in the website review forum for a pasting!

 

[Status Tracker]

Eh?

What's networking got to do with an online tracking system for jobs?

The system you have @Status Tracker is quite similar to CASH.

We've had CASH installed already for our Alarm/CCTV/Access control side of the company, so obviously too late for us, but as @fisicx states the website really doesn't do you any favours. images are too small even when you blow them up...

the website is "laggy"... you scroll up or down and it's really slow, perhaps that's my side... I dunno...

The main issue that I think you have now that I've seen the pricing is that companies will want to own the licence to use it, rather than paying a monthly fee... plus where is the information stored? as SSAIB members, you'll struggle and I mean struggle to get any Alarm/Fire Alarm companies interested unless they pay an annual price to cover for any updates, support from you etc, have the ability to store all the information on their own servers and ensure that no one has access who shoudn't have access.

A new website is underway, I think part of the problem is I have had my head buried in it for so long I hadn't noticed the issues, which is where the feedback from you the forum has been really helpful so will get the new site ripped apart to in the website review section.

With the pricing, I guess we're trying to cover all bases, the small companies that can't afford much to the bigger ones that don't mind paying for such a tool. There is no reason the system couldn't run on a companies own servers so I'll have a think about that and how we can offer that in addition to the monthly fee packages.

Thanks again for the comments, it's all really helpful.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Have confidence in the demo so no details are needed to see it working, people are adverse to giving out details and then finding the whole world is emailing them

 

[Status Tracker]

Have confidence in the demo so no details are needed to see it working, people are adverse to giving out details and then finding the whole world is emailing them

I thought it would be good to capture their details so I could follow up after they have viewed the demo, do you think that that is enough of a barrier to put people off?

 

[fisicx]

I thought it would be good to capture their details so I could follow up after they have viewed the demo, do you think that that is enough of a barrier to put people off?

YES!

 

[Status Tracker]

Thanks for everyones thoughts and ideas so far, we have re-done the website and have posted a thread in the website reviews forum and would really appreciate your feedback on it.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[TopSpek]

With all due respect to my friend fisicx, I think that calling your website "pants" is a bit harsh. I like your website and your web app because I can appreciate the "total product" which you're developing - it just needs a little polishing that's all.

I took a quick cursory look around your StatusTracker demo app. Plenty of features. The UI suggests you have a highly useful business application which might become a leader in its niche. Assuming your database schema, app creation framework, etc., are all in order - i.e. conducted to best design, engineering and programming practices, then you could get there fairly quickly because your development system will be efficient.

I would change the name. "StatusTracker"? Status of what? Could be anything. I think something like "JobTracker" or "TeamTracker" or even "AppWhichKeepsTrackOfWorkersInTheField" would be much better. Just use something which gives potential users a better idea of what it does.

Be careful not to bloat out your app too much in terms of useless functionality which people don't really want or need. Keep in touch with your users and invite them to tell you what they want. In the meantime, streamline and improve what you've got. Use your spare development time to investigate new apps and products in your research and development department.

I'm on a similar line. Perhaps we're synergetic (if there is such a word). If you agree, then I would be interested in forming some kind of collaborative relationship with you.

I wish you all the best with your potentially wonderful app.

David

 

[fisicx]

With all due respect to my friend fisicx, I think that calling your website "pants" is a bit harsh.

The old site was pants. You are now looking at the redesigned site.

Note that website reviews are only permitted in the website review forum.

 

[Status Tracker]

The old site was pants. You are now looking at the redesigned site.

Note that website reviews are only permitted in the website review forum.

Yes Fisicx was commenting on the original website which we redesigned and relaunched over the past few days. Hopefully he thinks the new one is a bit better.

 

[Status Tracker]

With all due respect to my friend fisicx, I think that calling your website "pants" is a bit harsh. I like your website and your web app because I can appreciate the "total product" which you're developing - it just needs a little polishing that's all.

I took a quick cursory look around your StatusTracker demo app. Plenty of features. The UI suggests you have a highly useful business application which might become a leader in its niche. Assuming your database schema, app creation framework, etc., are all in order - i.e. conducted to best design, engineering and programming practices, then you could get there fairly quickly because your development system will be efficient.

I would change the name. "StatusTracker"? Status of what? Could be anything. I think something like "JobTracker" or "TeamTracker" or even "AppWhichKeepsTrackOfWorkersInTheField" would be much better. Just use something which gives potential users a better idea of what it does.

Be careful not to bloat out your app too much in terms of useless functionality which people don't really want or need. Keep in touch with your users and invite them to tell you what they want. In the meantime, streamline and improve what you've got. Use your spare development time to investigate new apps and products in your research and development department.

I'm on a similar line. Perhaps we're synergetic (if there is such a word). If you agree, then I would be interested in forming some kind of collaborative relationship with you.

I wish you all the best with your potentially wonderful app.

David

Thanks David, we wanted to keep the name generic so that it doesn't pigeon hole it. I see what you're saying but it isn't just designed for people to manage teams, or jobs or either, we want it to be useable by a much wider audience.

Feel free to PM me with any ideas you may have about possible collaborations.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[antropy]

Trade shows, advertising campaigns, SEO, PPC, newsletters and calling will all help you to get noticed. Alex

 

[TopSpek]

The old site was pants. You are now looking at the redesigned site.

My mistake - and my apologies.

Note that website reviews are only permitted in the website review forum.

Yes, I'm aware of this. I tried to comment on the product (the web app) and not the website, but of course this was difficult because they are necessarily conflated.

David

 

[Status Tracker]

Trade shows, advertising campaigns, SEO, PPC, newsletters and calling will all help you to get noticed. Alex

Thanks Alex, they’re all on the ever growing list!

Do you have any recommendations for trade shows as there seems to be so many now?

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

IFSEC, MLA, Lockexpo, just search for security trade shows as they're who you're targeting.

 

[antropy]

Do you have any recommendations for trade shows as there seems to be so many now?

This is quite a good site to whittle down on keywords for Trade Shows https://www.displaywizard.co.uk/exhibition-calendar/

 

[Dotzo.networks]

Start doing with advertising your website on social media like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter.which influences in increasing high traffic to your website.

 

[Gabsann]

Hi. Self employed French teacher who has built a website for land based clients and on line clients.
I'm wondering how to get my site promoted to be easily seen through browsing. I appreciate this might mean paying for assistance but I'm unsure who does this /which sort of company to aim for.
Not at all clued up so grateful for advice! Thank you..

 

[Scalloway]

Hi. Self employed French teacher who has built a website for land based clients and on line clients.
I'm wondering how to get my site promoted to be easily seen through browsing. I appreciate this might mean paying for assistance but I'm unsure who does this /which sort of company to aim for.
Not at all clued up so grateful for advice! Thank you..

Starting a new thread would be a good idea first to get noticed by the right people. Click on Sales Marketing and PR on the left below this post, then click on the "post new thread" button on the top right.

 

[Corina]

There are some really nice suggestions. You could also try free listing websites for business software to collect reviews and then promote them with potential customers. I'd suggest Capterra or GetApp or both.