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If you are a software programmer, you will face the dilemma whether you should offer a software download at zero cost, or whether you should charge money even though you are not a big name in the world of software yet. Many software programmers choose the former approach and offer a software download at zero cost, hoping that their efforts will encourage individuals and users to offer gratuitous payment.
However, this approach is not going to work if you rely on your programming skills for your daily meal. On the other hand, charging money from customers can work counter-productively in the long run because people would prefer purchasing software from a more reputable organization. You can make use of the following tips and techniques to improve visibility of your software without offering free software download.
For starters, try to make a few free mini-applications such as web browser add-ons for every premium program you put up for sale.
Second, implement search engine optimization strategies and tactics on your website to ensure that the right set of customers are targeted.
Third, focus on after-sales and service. Many programmers are very good when it comes to writing code properly. However, they can be bad at people skills and do not provide good quality after-sales support to customers.
Remember, each and every customer you have is an asset that can give you returns for the rest of your life. If you offer software that is licensed on an annual basis, make sure that the quality of service is high enough to bring them back year after year
Finally, you should keep an eye out for competition. You should always be on the look out to overcome competition with minimum effort and expenses. If you ignore this aspect, chances are high that customers may get pulled to some other service provider instead.
