Rational-Emotional

Brain science recently discovered that purchase decisions are processed in less-evolved areas of our brain.

Therefore, product buying process, is processed by the same brain-area interested in basic matters like reproduction. Emotions make our customers buy even complex products like software.

Rational thought leads customers to be interested but it is emotion that sells. People, engineers included, aren’t much interested in attributes and features; they want to know if the product, software included, fits with their personality.

Software & Bikini

Women have been used to sell products to men for decades.

IF         – Male brain is wired to respond to attractive females.

AND     – Engineering software are mainly used by young males

THEN   – Engineering companies should attract prospects with sexual marketing tactics

I wonder whether this would have real impact on sales. A study made by a Neuro-economics expert, (”Heat of the Moment: The Effect of Sexual Arousal on Sexual Decision Making”), shows that men who are sexually aroused are more focused on short-term gratification than on long-term logic.

Being a software buying process the outcome of a long term logic, I recommend No-Bikini in your marketing campaign. Professors at MIT say it won’t work.

“One Month” Free Trial

I don’t know how the idea of the “One Month Free” software started – whether it has to do with purchase order cycle, or moon cycle.

From the end-user perspective, if the software is a “One-Off” application, one month trial is far too long. The user will  use the application and forget about you and your software. You should offer a shorter trial period, instead. On the other hand, if the software is a long term application, there’s no reason to limit the trial to 30 days. It would be better to implement functional restrictions. Even with limited features, the software will remain on your customer’s desktop, used from time to time.

I think the “one month free license” does not increase software sales, although many companies offer it.

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