zander1983
Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
74%
- Jan 24, 2021
- 54
- 40
Hi
I posted before about software I developed that allows people to analyse flow cytometry experiments in their browser. Its extremely niche and at this point Im trying to just make something from it, I'd be happy with 500 euro a month. I've tried different business models for the software, mainly B to C and I've come to the conclusion it doesn't work. End users - biomedical researchers in Universities and labs mainly - will simply not pay for it.
There are about 20 major players in the market. These are medium to large pharma companies. One of the biggest is Thermofisher. Thermo and the others sell the machines, but also provide a webapp to drive people who are doing their experiments to their sites. All 20 players have the same type of simple webapp (simple software to help set up flow cytometry experiments). I want to propose to them that they could drop in the software I developed (I have bundled as a Javascript library) and 1/ drive more traffic to their site as it works nicely alongside their existing webapp 2/ helps their product portfolio since I track experiment data and can feed this back to the company.
However, I cannot believe how difficult it is to get even the tiniest bit of engagement. I have a live site with daily users in labs around the world - its not like Im selling nothing.
My strike rate over the last 2 months is approximately:
For every 70 emails I send, I get 1 reply, this tends to be "contact this person" - I contact them and no reply.
For every 30 LinkedIn connect request "with note" I get 1 connection. I follow up with a fuller message, I get no reply.
For every "inmail" LinkedIn (I started paying) I have never gotten a reply.
Now I dont know if this is specific to the industry, to the size of the companies (medium to large), or if cold approach in every form is now dead due to overwhelming amounts of spam in email and on LinkedIn, or Im just a horrible seller. I dont blame my software as I cant get to the point of anyone actually replying to me.
When Im sending an email/message, I spend time researching the company and person, and I personalise it. Here's an example of the email I recently sent to 30 or so people in various pharma companies in the area:
Hi Gil
I came across your profile on LinkedIn as I've been looking for somebody in Digital Marketing within [company].
I run a cytometry analysis app [my website] and many of my users use [company] Full Spectrum Viewer alongside my app.
Since both softwares complement each other really nicely, I think there's a good opportunity here to drive more traffic to [company]'s website. Is this something you're interested in doing?
Thanks
Mark
PS My LinkedIn profile is [url to my LinkedIn]
The email subject was "drive more traffic to [company]"
This got zero replies.
Here is the LinkedIn note:
Hi Eric, reaching out as I'm the founder of a app [link to my app] that users often use alongside [companys]'s spectra viewer. Since the softwares complement each other nicely, I think there is an opportunity for [company] and [my app] to both benefit. Would love to connect.
Sent to 50 or so people with 0 connecting so far.
I have tried variations on the above for months with similar results.
I am completely exasperated. I'm at the point of giving up and throwing the software in the bin and moving on to something else but there's a nagging "If I cant get meetings for this, how am I going to get meetings and sell the next thing I work on"?
Now I know getting the foot in the door is only the first step. One of these companies actually contacted me themselves and we had 7 meetings before they pulled the plug saying the software didn't pass UAT by an external consultant. Very frustrating as it was one consultant's opinion and the internal team at the company were supportive of the software and wanted to proceed. So I know how hard it is to get the said over the line but I cannot believe how hard it is to get a foot on the first rung of the ladder!
Anyone with any advice, I'd be grateful. Anyone who thinks they can sell anything, Im open to a chat too (warning this is super niche and a tiny market as the software stands right now).
I posted before about software I developed that allows people to analyse flow cytometry experiments in their browser. Its extremely niche and at this point Im trying to just make something from it, I'd be happy with 500 euro a month. I've tried different business models for the software, mainly B to C and I've come to the conclusion it doesn't work. End users - biomedical researchers in Universities and labs mainly - will simply not pay for it.
There are about 20 major players in the market. These are medium to large pharma companies. One of the biggest is Thermofisher. Thermo and the others sell the machines, but also provide a webapp to drive people who are doing their experiments to their sites. All 20 players have the same type of simple webapp (simple software to help set up flow cytometry experiments). I want to propose to them that they could drop in the software I developed (I have bundled as a Javascript library) and 1/ drive more traffic to their site as it works nicely alongside their existing webapp 2/ helps their product portfolio since I track experiment data and can feed this back to the company.
However, I cannot believe how difficult it is to get even the tiniest bit of engagement. I have a live site with daily users in labs around the world - its not like Im selling nothing.
My strike rate over the last 2 months is approximately:
For every 70 emails I send, I get 1 reply, this tends to be "contact this person" - I contact them and no reply.
For every 30 LinkedIn connect request "with note" I get 1 connection. I follow up with a fuller message, I get no reply.
For every "inmail" LinkedIn (I started paying) I have never gotten a reply.
Now I dont know if this is specific to the industry, to the size of the companies (medium to large), or if cold approach in every form is now dead due to overwhelming amounts of spam in email and on LinkedIn, or Im just a horrible seller. I dont blame my software as I cant get to the point of anyone actually replying to me.
When Im sending an email/message, I spend time researching the company and person, and I personalise it. Here's an example of the email I recently sent to 30 or so people in various pharma companies in the area:
Hi Gil
I came across your profile on LinkedIn as I've been looking for somebody in Digital Marketing within [company].
I run a cytometry analysis app [my website] and many of my users use [company] Full Spectrum Viewer alongside my app.
Since both softwares complement each other really nicely, I think there's a good opportunity here to drive more traffic to [company]'s website. Is this something you're interested in doing?
Thanks
Mark
PS My LinkedIn profile is [url to my LinkedIn]
The email subject was "drive more traffic to [company]"
This got zero replies.
Here is the LinkedIn note:
Hi Eric, reaching out as I'm the founder of a app [link to my app] that users often use alongside [companys]'s spectra viewer. Since the softwares complement each other nicely, I think there is an opportunity for [company] and [my app] to both benefit. Would love to connect.
Sent to 50 or so people with 0 connecting so far.
I have tried variations on the above for months with similar results.
I am completely exasperated. I'm at the point of giving up and throwing the software in the bin and moving on to something else but there's a nagging "If I cant get meetings for this, how am I going to get meetings and sell the next thing I work on"?
Now I know getting the foot in the door is only the first step. One of these companies actually contacted me themselves and we had 7 meetings before they pulled the plug saying the software didn't pass UAT by an external consultant. Very frustrating as it was one consultant's opinion and the internal team at the company were supportive of the software and wanted to proceed. So I know how hard it is to get the said over the line but I cannot believe how hard it is to get a foot on the first rung of the ladder!
Anyone with any advice, I'd be grateful. Anyone who thinks they can sell anything, Im open to a chat too (warning this is super niche and a tiny market as the software stands right now).
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