Solution Explorers Transforms Business Software Sales Experience

Feb. 5, 2010 - PRLog -- Solution Explorers

Keith German
(512) 410-6133
kgerman@solutionexplorers.com
www.solutionexplorers.com


Austin, Texas – February 4, 2010 – Years of selling software to non-profits and businesses taught Keith German that the sales process was in need of serious improvement. His new company, Solutions Explorers, based in the Austin, Texas area, has set about transforming the sometimes exasperating experience for both buyers and sellers. One way he’s doing this is by blogging on this topic at www.blog.solutionexplorers.com .

Why does a sale of software that can cost up to 6-figures arouse such angst? German thinks that part of the problem stems from the number of brands competing for the attention of small and medium-sized non-profit organizations and businesses – a number well above two hundred. “My experience shows that most companies and non-profits review up to 7-10 different software applications,” says German. “The sheer number and variety of software features can be overwhelming. Moreover, many smaller companies and non-profits simply lack the tools and knowledge to properly document their system requirements beforehand, which sometimes results in software purchases that fall short of expectations.”

German has lots of sympathy for the other side of the sales equation, too. As a software sales professional with over 10 years experience targeting non-profits and private companies, he has learned first-hand the challenge of finding well qualified sales leads. The sales cycle for non-profit and business software are notoriously long, sometimes taking over 12 months from initial contact to actual purchase. “I’ve been in the shoes of software resellers a long time,” admits German. “It’s incredibly rare to find a non-profit or business enterprise with a comprehensive list of requirements and realistic budget assumptions already completed. That’s part of the reason why B2B sales cycles are so long and, frankly, difficult to convert.”

When German first hatched his idea for Solution Explorers, he noticed that no software selection service really excelled at the three most critical components of a software sale: one, simplify the buyer review process; two, ensure a truly comprehensive system requirements list was created so that software would actually work as expected; and three, improve the integrity of sales leads for qualified software resellers.

According to Dave Manzer, owner of The Sage Closer (www.thesagecloser.com), a marketing firm catering to software resellers, Solution Explorers is the best service at matching buyer needs to software functionality and price points. “By introducing buyers to qualified resellers, the sales process is fast, efficient and cost-effective for everybody,” observes Manzer. “I think customers will line up for this level of service.”

German believes that software resellers involved in his matching service are 33% more likely to close a sale than if they were to approach the same non-profit or company on their own. “There is simply too much software brand confusion in the marketplace,” notes German. “At Solution Explorers, we shorten the sales cycle by up to 50% and guarantee a quality software selection every time. We transform the software sale by taking common risks out of the equation and filtering irrelevant information, which gives buyers and sellers greater confidence in developing a mutually rewarding business relationship.”

About Solution Explorers
Solution Explorers is a vendor independent software advisory firm that matches non-profits and private enterprises with the right software and reseller. Using our 3-phase services system, we discover what your exact needs are, research all of the relevant options using specialized tools, and then identify the best solution for you. And, because we’re independent, we’re not partial to any particular software—our bias is always towards you, the customer. Whether you’re a startup, non-profit or enterprise firm, we can help you. In many cases, working with Solution Explorers can save buyers up to 50% of time searching for the right software and up to 80% in purchase price based on actual software selected. For more information, please visit our website at www.solutionexplorers.com.

# # #

At Solution Explorers, we take the TIME and HASSLE out of finding the right software solution for your unique needs. Using our 3-phase services system, we discover what your exact needs are, research all of the relevant options using specialized tools, and then identify the best solution for you. And, because we’re independent, we’re not partial to any particular software—our bias is always towards you, the customer. Whether you’re a startup, non-profit or enterprise firm, we can help you.