[mack1001]

This article is spot on and just so timely for me. I just signed up for adwords after finding it tough to reach my target customer segment on FB. Never under-estimate the challenge of reaching your target market and convincing them to buy.

[danieltillett]

Is your target customer in the small and medium size market? If so you will struggle finding any scalable pay per click method that is cost effective if your lifetime customer value is under $2000.

If your LCV is over $2000 then you can support a direct sales model which works really well in the SMB market - the only problem is few SMB targeted products can support direct sales.

[mack1001]

My service is for medium to large enterprise customers and lifetime value is probably much higher than $2000. But I am still validating if they would even value it or pay for it. Reaching the buyers (VP/Director Software Engineering) to validate is in itself an art form and an exercise in careful tuning. I cannot afford to be at conferences or get highly targeted lists. If you are interested - my landing page is http://opensourcebay.io

[danieltillett]

The LCV is over $2000 then your should go down then direct sales route. I know it is the nastiest, most unpleasant thing to do (cold calling), but it works and it is scaleable. You need to put down your keyboard and pick up the phone (and/or shoe leather) and get in contact with your potential customers. Once you get to $1 million ARR then hire a sales guy/gal and let them take over.

One thing that will help is to get an keen intern to help you with the direct sales. They won’t be able to do the selling, but they can help you out and make the inevitable rejection and rudeness you will face much easier to deal with - having a wing wo/man there to experience the abuse with you really helps.

[mack1001]

And I am pretty sure, I broke all rules about landing pages mentioned in the article :-)

[danieltillett]

Yes. If you are going to direct sell it is not so critical, but if you are going to try to use PPC then you need to get the value story front and centre.