Why are you not making money with TSB?

[howdab2]

I have found some great software ideas by doing keyword research alone...

Elance.com in the Web and Programming dept, thereis a dept for Database Programs...
some of them are looking for web functionality, or sql DB's, etc, but the idea of looking there, is to get ideas for software... for example, on a recent search there, someone is looking foir a software to keep track of sales leads... and check this one out

At present we are using excel as a data base for customers.
We use 3 sheets
Sheet 1 for customer information.
This has the following columns customer number, surname, first name, street address, suburb .state, postcode, postal sort code, email, phone number, contact post/email, notes.
Sheet 2 for customer machine purchase/service
This has the following columns the same as sheet 1 except notes but has added columns customer number, surname, first name, street address, suburb .state, postcode, postal sort code, email, phone number, contact post/email, machine model, serial number, date purchased, machine model service, year service date.
Sheet 3 just holds data used in sheet 1 and 2. machine models, state. Sort code, these are used with Data VALIDATION.
Also we have set up a pop up calendar.
At present we are entering information on sheet 1 and then copying it to sheet 2 and adding the extra information. We want a simpler system that works. With outo insert or look up for post codes etc instead of typing all this in. we would be looking to add other information at a later stage.
We need to be able to search, export names and addresses for post print. Sort machine sales/repairs so that we can send reminders out for service every 12 months.
I can send a sample of what we have if needed.
I believe that something like SQL would work


Hmmm.,, even thouigh they THINK sql would work, maybe contacting them and offering them a desktop solution that they can use in the office, on multiple pcs, networkable, with multi user capability, audit trails, etc... after ll, they use excel now, a TSB program would blow that away! Remeber - you are the expert, and should tell them what they need, not what they think they need, ie. they think sql would work.. they use excel, and are obviously clueless... but then there are some that know exactly what they want, and you can tell the difference, they will spell it out for you, what they require.. some do require php and mysql, or require stuff to be built with specific programming languages... but, thats not to say that you cant take that info, and make a similar software with tsb, and sell it elsewhere...

And, you could offer it to other simiilar businesses as well, etc....

we would be looking to add other information at a later stage.

Whats that? sounds like they could use the ability to create custom fields :)

You can get some good ideas for softwares just looking thru elance... they ususally tell you what they need, as seen in that post from elance above... and even if you dont try and sell to them, there are plenty other businesses that could use a program like that, im sure...

You could contact them and find out what kind of business they are, what they do,etc, then contact other businesses of that nature to sell your software...

One thing I have found on elance, alot of people there looking to get something for nothing... so may be a good place to get ideas, but sell your work elsewhere... for exapmle, the above post for a customer databse, they posted theoir budget at less than $500.. so you have to decide if its worth your time to develop that, and asing them questions via email you may be able to negotiate a higher fee for the project... some just dont have a clue, and have no idea what it costs to develop a program, and thats where you may be able to get more money by negotiating a litlle... also, you could turn around and sell that to other businesses as well - unless they want to pay for exclusve rights and a branded version with their compnay name/logo etc... :)

Tips:

dont spend a 'connect' to submit a proposal at elance, email them instead with questions, especially since some of them do not give very good details on what they want, some just dont know, and need some guidance.. and better off emeiling back and forth vs spending your connects...

You have to make an account an elnace to be able to view the jobs posted, otheriowse you will only see a short project desription...

When you register, you will learn what a connect is.



Anyway, back to the keyword research...

I found alot of ideas for software doing keyword research alone, and then some market research to see what was out there for a specific keyword... I dont have time to go into detail right now, but a good search term to start with would be inventory software - that search led to one of the products I am develping now and getting ready to release soon...



hope that helps...

Howard

[TigerSoftware]

Ok gang, not only do I need to continue making our tools better but I also want to start addressing why some of you haven't been making any money yet.

Please, there is no reason to be shy or think you will look bad by answering honestly.

I have been through some really bad times when it comes to making money online. One time, being stuck in a foreign country and my funds dried up with bad internet. BAD!!!

Anyway, besides learning TSB, what are some of the problems you are having with selling your software online.

The more successful you are the more I am.

Maybe we can help each other get over some of these stumbling blocks.


Thomas

[StewartAlexander]

As a new user, my biggest barriers to sales have been the following:

1. First of all, getting to know how TSB works. There is a learning curve before one starts to understand its potential. I’ve not reached that point yet. I just know that somewhere out there is a point where it will all click and only then will I be able to focus on…

2. Coming up with a process for finding saleable ideas that can be created with the TSB. Once one has mastered that point, then I foresee my next challenge would be on…

3. Marketing the software.

[TigerSoftware]

I am working on step by step tutorials as part of the new TigerSoftwareBuilder.com site.


Now here is something I am working on as well. My main focus is on this product and it has been that way for a long, long time. lol

So that means I have little time for any other projects.

Now I use TSB myself more then I program. :)

I am setting up JV deals with people in markets that have lists. To most people, the software that TSB creates looks like we spent a lot of money to create.

People are afraid of wasting thousands of dollars on programmers and not getting what they want. They don't like the hassle of managing software development.

Create a prototype program for their market.

Private label it for them to help them brand their name.

Send it to them either through a download link or via mailed cd. This is kind of like a car salesman letting you drive the car for a night. You sell yourself after awhile.

Partner with them on the product. If you hit big markets you could be making yourself cashflow for years to come if they put that software program into their normal sales funnel.

Your done.

I have one JV set up with a person I met through the warriorforum. He wants some software and it will take me about an hour to do it.

He has a list and we will split everything 50%. The products that TSB creates are what I like to call evergreen products. They don't go out of style within one year but will be in demand for a long time.

So this one JV deal could make me thousands to tens of thousands per year for just an hour to two of work.

Hint: Look at your bigger markets for bigger paydays. Being able to create professional software will give you an advantage to getting these types of jv deals.

Imagine putting more and more of the deals together.



Thomas

[TigerSoftware]

2. Coming up with a process for finding saleable ideas that can be created with the TSB. Once one has mastered that point, then I foresee my next challenge would be on…



Last post I talked about jv's that will help take the marketing aspect out of the equation.

The idea stuff is simply training yourself to brainstorm more.

TSB creates software that helps people manage data. The expert version will provide a lot more different types of programs but we will focus on what we have right now.

We all have massive amounts of data coming at us every day. We just end up filtering out what we don't need.

Through data, we make decisions whether it be personal or business.

With TSB, we can help others manage the important information.

Whether that important data be a golf enthusiast handicap, the greens he plays, how he drives and so on...

So hobbies where people spend money.

Business to business is bigger money. I love real estate investing and that is why I talk about that. I can create software that helps investors manage properties, buyers, renters and so on...

Check out big markets for lots of people selling how to courses. If they create a system then it will be likely you can create a software program to help them manage that system.

Forums are huge. This will help you understand your target market and you will get lots of ideas. You can search the forum for words like spreadsheet to get an idea of how they are managing their information.

Software download sites like download.com will give you and idea of what type of software is in demand.

Amazon is another great resource when it comes to what is selling. Especially take note of the magazine section to help with market ideas.

Keep an eye out for smaller stores in your neighborhood or on the way to work. Some of these may give you some ideas and also JV with the store owner.



Thomas

[TigerSoftware]

Here is post I did on another forum in regards to sales funnels.


I have been having very good conversions with a way Ryan Diess sets up his sales funnels.

I also like to get them opting into a squeeze page.

They are put onto two lists...

One list I send them videos each day showing how they can use my product to take care of one of their needs. Basically, I try to do what Rod is when it comes to using triggers. I try to get one video to address one trigger.

The second list is to get them to opt into a webinar that will be shown once a week. This is treated as an event which helps sales greatly.

I try to give them great content in both the videos and webinar. No hype, just how they can achieve their goals.

Throughout the process, they will be directed back to the sales page. Links to the sales page will be on all videos and the webinar will redirect them.

Once they make the initial sale, I try to get them to upgrade to a higher software version. I normally label it Professional version compared to Standard or Express. http://onlinebusinessinsiders.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

If they take the upgrade or don't take the upgrade I will still hit them with a different offer. Using my software builder example, I will offer a membership site that they can get an already created software program each month which can be used with software builder to further customize. If they take the membership site deal, I can offer them a one time fee for all software programs in the membership site.
:)

Once they go through that funnel, I will send the list to another squeeze page for a different product and start the process again.

For those that don't purchase, they get sent to another squeeze page as well for a different product.

I mainly sell my own products but this can be done with affiliate products as well.

Testing is critical and I will always be swapping different offers in and out to see what works best.


Hopefully this makes sense.



Thomas

[TigerSoftware]

I also wanted to make one thing pretty clear.

Most of you are marketers at heart which is great. That is where you make the money.

You have a competitive advantage in being able to create software very fast (once you learn the process).

You don't have to have just software products but should be looking at bigger markets that you can build more and more products besides software.

You can use our software to get them onto your mailing lists and sell affiliate programs. You can even give your software away for free to get the opt in.

If you tell users they need to register their software then they do it without thinking twice. What is registering? Adding them to your list.

People are used to this.



Thomas

[StewartAlexander]

This is some useful information Thomas, makes me feel even more optimistic for the future. I have no problem marketing to the IM niche, just never ventured outside of it before in a big way, so that will be a slight learning curve.

thanks for the tips again

Stewart

[TigerSoftware]

This is some useful information Thomas, makes me feel even more optimistic for the future. I have no problem marketing to the IM niche, just never ventured outside of it before in a big way, so that will be a slight learning curve.

thanks for the tips again

Stewart

Hi Stewart,

What works in the IM niche works even better in non im niches and more profitable with less issues like refunds. ;)

Same thing as in the IM niche. Figure out a market, find a need and fulfill it.


Thomas

[Cassman]

For me it's been all learning curve. Today I knuckled down and figured some stuff out, and actually "got" some of how this works. I feel like I now know a lot better what this thing will do. But I'm a long way from exporting to a self-installing exe file and asking people for money!

I managed to create the proverbial "Hello world" app. Major breakthru!

Now I have a very modest challenge for myself:

(1) Customer Records (Business name, contact name, address, city state zip phone)
that will merge with
(2) Editable Documents (basic letter for now)
for output to .doc, .pdf, print, etc.

I see all these editors and objects. I know this can be done. And while it sounds simple, there's so much going on in TSB Pro it can be really hard to figure out what step one is, step two,... etc.

Quick question: would it be possible to import a PDF file with editable fields, and use those fields for the merge? Or will I have to convert the PDF into a fully editable document first?

TIA,

Cass

[TigerSoftware]

Quick question: would it be possible to import a PDF file with editable fields, and use those fields for the merge? Or will I have to convert the PDF into a fully editable document first?

TIA,

Cass


The learning curve will be easier once I get some more videos up. It is my job to train you and I dropped the ball doing that up until now.

No, there isn't a way to import a pdf file. Pdf files are a pain.


Thomas

[StewartAlexander]

I am working on step by step tutorials as part of the new TigerSoftwareBuilder.com site.

Thomas

Thomas,

When you create the video tutorials, can you render them so that when viewed in full screen mode, the output is clear. I can hardly see the temeseminar and the video on the TSB salesletter. Also, could you turn the volume up on the videos too please.

I have a slight hearing an sight impediment, so this would help a lot with learning curve.

Thank you.

Stewart

[nealtucker]

Keep an eye out for smaller stores in your neighborhood or on the way to work. Some of these may give you some ideas and also JV with the store owner.

Thomas


As above, I for one think that being in this internet marketing thing has helped no end with off line sales for my little project ( you all know what it is )

I have JV'ed with a local store and delivered the first batch of CD's from Kunaki yesterday.

Apart from trying to make everything as easy as possible for the store owner like, burn a CD with sales
material of software boxes of different sizes and blurb for there web site
I explained to them I would re-jig and brand the software with a banner of there shop, going to there website, and they loved the idea,

In fact this last point was, I feel, was the main thing that got them excited to do business, and not to be under estimated.
By branding it for them they feel you are working for them and not just offering another 1000th product to put on there shelves, contact with them has been warm and positive and It will be interesting to see how it go's

Cheers Neal

[TigerSoftware]

Thomas,

When you create the video tutorials, can you render them so that when viewed in full screen mode, the output is clear. I can hardly see the temeseminar and the video on the TSB salesletter. Also, could you turn the volume up on the videos too please.

I have a slight hearing an sight impediment, so this would help a lot with learning curve.

Thank you.

Stewart


I will try to make it bigger and see if I can get the sound louder. I have to take the size and time to download into consideration. I am still learning how to do the videos. :)

I want to also include step by step guides with the videos. A lot of work but it will be worth it in the long haul.


Thomas

[TigerSoftware]

Keep an eye out for smaller stores in your neighborhood or on the way to work. Some of these may give you some ideas and also JV with the store owner.

Thomas


As above, I for one think that being in this internet marketing thing has helped no end with off line sales for my little project ( you all know what it is )

I have JV'ed with a local store and delivered the first batch of CD's from Kunaki yesterday.

Apart from trying to make everything as easy as possible for the store owner like, burn a CD with sales
material of software boxes of different sizes and blurb for there web site
I explained to them I would re-jig and brand the software with a banner of there shop, going to there website, and they loved the idea,

In fact this last point was, I feel, was the main thing that got them excited to do business, and not to be under estimated.
By branding it for them they feel you are working for them and not just offering another 1000th product to put on there shelves, contact with them has been warm and positive and It will be interesting to see how it go's

Cheers Neal

I am glad you kept us up to date on that, Neal. I was planning on asking you if your continued to pursue that software program which I think you would be crazy if you didn't.

Awesome and I expect a video testimony about what you did. :D

The private branding is a huge seller and one that is getting me JV deals. Like I said, people think it costs thousands of dollars to create our type of software. Normally it would be that much plus all the headaches of creating the specifications and managing the programmers once you find a good one.

Not many people want to deal with that. Heck, I don't want to deal with that. hehe


Thomas

[nealtucker]

I am glad you kept us up to date on that, Neal. I was planning on asking you if your continued to pursue that software program which I think you would be crazy if you didn't.

Awesome and I expect a video testimony about what you did. :D

The private branding is a huge seller and one that is getting me JV deals. Like I said, people think it costs thousands of dollars to create our type of software. Normally it would be that much plus all the headaches of creating the specifications and managing the programmers once you find a good one.

Not many people want to deal with that. Heck, I don't want to deal with that. hehe


Thomas

No problem for the video testimonial Thomas, this product is awesome, :)

The daft thing is, this is one of the first software programs I built after the learning curve
caught up ( remember everyone, we all go through it ) and have not really made any more
as yet, so probably my knowledge of the program is not as deep as some others on here.

For this simple product I only learnt what I needed to and that was good enough.

Now, form a simple, fun, idea, I have a great looking, powerful piece of software brought
to market and on the shelves of a big local store, and that to me, is success in it's self.

Cheers Neal

[keepsongoing]

I'm so glad to see this thread, For the longest time I thought it was just me who missed the ship :o. I knew the moment I saw Tiger Software it had great potential. I just had to grasp it. But never quite did and actually became quite frustrated at one point and just let it go. So I'm getting on board again and giving it another try.
Especially considering I'm 1 of the 14 getting that fantastic upgrade :D.

Thanks so much Thomas

[TigerSoftware]

I'm so glad to see this thread, For the longest time I thought it was just me who missed the ship :o. I knew the moment I saw Tiger Software it had great potential. I just had to grasp it. But never quite did and actually became quite frustrated at one point and just let it go. So I'm getting on board again and giving it another try.
Especially considering I'm 1 of the 14 getting that fantastic upgrade :D.

Thanks so much Thomas

It is a lot easier then you think.

The core is Software Objects which creates your windows and Property Editors which are the fields on the windows.

If you concentrate on that, you will be making software pretty fast.

Leave everything else alone until you master the core which should be pretty fast.

You can then learn the other options later.


Thomas

[nealtucker]

I'm so glad to see this thread, For the longest time I thought it was just me who missed the ship :o. I knew the moment I saw Tiger Software it had great potential. I just had to grasp it. But never quite did and actually became quite frustrated at one point and just let it go. So I'm getting on board again and giving it another try.
Especially considering I'm 1 of the 14 getting that fantastic upgrade :D.

Thanks so much Thomas


For what Thomas has planed for us, this will be just the beginning with an amazing amount of potential :D
like some, I have struggled to think of useful ideas, but this web thing will change all that, for all of us.

Like T. said, get building and get the basics down, then you will be running with it from the off.

Neal ;)

[TigerSoftware]

For what Thomas has planed for us, this will be just the beginning with an amazing amount of potential :D
like some, I have struggled to think of useful ideas, but this web thing will change all that, for all of us.

Like T. said, get building and get the basics down, then you will be running with it from the off.

Neal ;)

This is bitter sweet for me. I will probably be far more busier with all the ideas I have planned with this new web tech.


Fantastic stuff.


Thomas

[nealtucker]

This is bitter sweet for me. I will probably be far more busier with all the ideas I have planned with this new web tech.


Fantastic stuff.


Thomas
I bet you find it hard to sleep at night with all the ideas and excitement...... then again your probably
exhausted with all the hours you put in and sleep like a lamb ;)

I'm trying not to think about it too much or I'll be awake all night :D

[schmutly]

Who said he SLEEPS Neal :D, lol

[TigerSoftware]

Well, this year I am planning on putting together a team so I can concentrate of what makes money.

Programming doesn't make me money and I need to hire someone to take that over.

Maybe an affiliate manager and a project manager to oversea everything.

I should get some sleep then. :)


Thomas