The Product Launch - Shipping Your Software Product

We wrap up the season on building a small software product with tasks and recommendations for getting the product to a market.  This is also called the product launch.  Of course, what the market is can vary broadly for modern products.  You might aim for getting a shrink-wrapped version of the product on a store shelf.  However, that seems an almost pointless goal these days.  Digital delivery and the related catalogs or stores are less expensive and easier goals to achieve. The Product Page Whether you are using a store, a catalog, or some other way to sell your product, a web page for it is almost always needed.  This is your one-stop-shop for all things related to your product.  This page is almost required for any software product launch and will be where people come when they search for it. It is best to think of this page as your one shot to sell a customer on the usefulness of the application.  thus, any time spent on designing this page is well worth it.  You will want to grab the reader's attention, educate them on your product, and then provide a call to action.  In our case, the call to action will almost always be either to register or purchase the solution. The Fine Print Do not neglect the legal documentation for your product.  This includes a license agreement in almost every case as well as usage restrictions if needed.  You can find a lot of good templates and examples on the web.  Find one you like, change the text to customize it to your company and application, then make it a part of purchasing your product.  This is for your own protection as well as helping customers feel warm and fuzzy about purchasing your application. Getting Paid A key part of getting paid for an application is that transfer of money for the product.  There are many ways to perform this transaction.  However, you need to be clear if you will take credit cards, checks, invoices, etc.  The method of delivery also needs to be specified and note whether shipping will be charged, included, or not applicable. Shout Outs Once all of the above pieces are in place, you are ready for customers.  Now it is time to get the word out.  The Internet has provided access to a wealth of advertising platforms.  Unfortunately, a review of those platforms is outside of the scope of this episode and season.  In starting out, try to find options that you can scale your way into.  This is an excellent way to find what works best for your product launch without breaking your marketing budget. Thank You Get out there and launch your product.  We will gladly provide a free advertisement for your product on this site.  Just send us a link and a paragraph describing the product.  If you want to send a banner image, we will be glad to work with that as well.  See you next season.