I have discovered that I'm working on two spelling programs. The spelling B will be released for kids on a separate website after completion of this spell checking program I'm working on. I've got a bunch of different names in mind for what it will be called but really don't have the right one yet. I realized this as I was experimenting with the functionality and I realized just how much I wanted a ubiquitous spell checker and the bee looked childish. I need a spell checker and well I suspect others also need it. I'm sick of opening up word at the last minute and stuffing my blog or comment in there to find out how much my grade school failed me. ;) J/K Palmer Lake
The following link is to a real gem of a micro ISV (micro as in one developer) independent software vendor. He makes the Bingo Card Creator. I find that to be fascinating. What is great is he provides transparency into his business thinking and sales results as the months go by. Of course even better is that he is successful within a relative short period of time and used a method that appears repeatable. Who would have thought bingo? There are now a number of micro ISVs providing transparency into their thinking and into their business model. When I started Quickgrowth llc. back in 2004 I read an article written by Eric Sink a founder of SourceGear that gave me some guidance on how to look at the shareware software industry.
I created Time Fencer, a time tracking tool that is simple and quick to use, setup and benefits areas where time tracking is used a lot (bill by the hour anyone?). I was an analyst at the time for Target Corporation and was fascinated with six sigma, value creation, processes and utilizing software to automate business problems away. I created Quickgrowth llc. in the hopes of designing and selling software that helped the small to medium sized company build value.
Prior to designing Time Fencer I wrote a sampler application for inventory acceptance for SBS technologies (now part of GE). I wrote that and was excited about the potential of small utilities and how they can transform business.
My blogging skill still needs help so sorry about going all over the place. I really wanted to talk about Time Fencer being in my eyes a failure. I had submitted it to a hundred shareware sites at the time and in the end I sold just 3 copies. But later I realized the real disaster was leaving the software out there without improving it. I was terrified of changing anything in fear of making something worse. Of course with the sales numbers I got clearly this is irrational.
So what are the lessons of Time Fencer?
1. Focus only on a few download sites as partners. My feel is download.com and tucows.com are really where to start. This way my time could be focused on improving the software or the shopping experience on the website and making it easier to manage new releases.
2. The shopping experience on my website needed work. Lots of it. I used regsoft for selling my software and the forms they had were just horrible. So prior to releasing my next software product my website will go through changes for a new shopping experience. One of the main reasons I went with regsoft is they had an affiliate program and I thought well I'm new to connecting with this customer base but someone who knows the customer base may pickup my software and sell it for the right commission. Now I realize that isn't true and other mISVs are describing similar results. I think this commission sales approach works once the software hits a certain popularity point then others would take it up. So my passion for the software is my responsibility for communicating its value and listening to what needs to be changed.
3. Iterate with small improvements that consistently occur.
4. Continue to take small financial risks and tweak the hell out of the software and purchasing experience until the sales begin to come.
Last I wanted to point to Steve Pavlina’s article on Sharewaer Amateurs vs. Shareware Professionals. It’s a recipe of success and it’s proven by Patrick’s for mentioned results.
Bottom line is I love to solve problems for businesses and have a real need to create the software. Of course I’m not quitting my day job but I will move from being the amateur shareware developer to the professional mISV. ;)
