“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.

There Is Never Only One Consumer

I’m wondering who is my customer.

In our Interlocked world, identifying the customer is not easy. From a sales person perspective, the customer might be the engineer who uses the software, or the IT person who tests it, or the manager who decides. There’s a whole team behind every customer. Users,  influencers and buyers are Linked-In, ruling other buyers.

From a sales manager’s point of view, the primary customer is the sales representative. Sales people are the intermediate buyers; they might see product benefits you have not considered yet.

End Of The Nation States

In our interlinked economy, countries are no more relevant units of analysis. Multinational companies no longer think in terms nation states. Other units of analysis like -language, age, climate, lifestyle are much more relevant.

Why should I have a subsidiary in Finland and one in Sweden? Why should I have a Nordic Office at all, instead of having a sales agent for -truck drivers- or for -gardeners- wherever they may be?

At the cash register, we’re all brother in arms.

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