How to Grow Software Startup in Texas

Software startups are becoming increasingly popular in the tech sector these days, and rightly so. An increasing number of services are handled by software, leading to the rise of SaaS companies in various parts of the world.

For entrepreneurs, building a software startup requires innovation and hard work. Building a software startup is similar to developing a tool to solve a problem. The tech sector is mostly focused on Silicon Valley. However, we have success stories in other parts of America and the world.

Despite the limited locational challenges, growing a successful software startup in Texas requires much work and involves struggles. Thankfully, these few steps could help you start and grow a successful software company down south.

Steps to take to grow your software startup in Texas

Understanding your environment

Realizing the necessity is one thing, knowing who to collaborate with is another. First, you must have a strong understanding of your environment, your local state. Because, and that takes us to the second point, each locality has its own social and economic subtleties, and more importantly, its own legal structure. You are adding more complexity to the achievement you’ve set for yourself.

Texas houses many companies specialized in software development; therefore, the presence of existing startups is enormous. How do you know which one to select, to partner with? That’s where things become interesting. Because you’ll be led to different directions, depending on who you ask, and in which particular field reside your needs. There are Texas-based software companies that you can collaborate with to help you with various aspects of your startup. ScienceSoft is one of the top software companies you can collaborate with in Texas. The companies handle more than data analytics, with decades of local and international experience coming in handy.

Develop a business plan and raise funds

Having an idea is different from having a legitimate business plan. Having a business plan helps you secure funding for your startup. According to a survey of startups that have a complete business plan, 36% obtained a loan, 64% grew their business, and 36% received investment capital. Meanwhile, startups that don’t have a business plan fare worse. Amongst them, only 18% obtained a loan, 43% grew their business, and 18% received investment capital. As such, startups with business plans have twice the chance of securing funding and succeeding than those who don’t have business plans.

As a startup, you need money to start and operate your business. A proper business plan gives you certain leverage in the market. Your business plan is a written description of what your company intends to achieve. You clearly outline what you want to do, how you intend to do it, and the financial projections. Usually, the business plan covers the first three to five years of your business.

Customer support is the ultimate growth driver

In Texas, as in any part of the United States, customer supports plays a crucial role in startup growth. A software startup would find it incredibly hard to survive without regular customer service. If possible, it is best to provide 24 x 7 hours of customer support.

Your software startup will have to spend a few bucks on hiring in-house customer support but consider it an investment and a wise one at that. Software companies operate differently from regular startups. Hence, you have to renew your approach every time to ensure that you stay relevant, and your customer support team will play a huge role in various aspects.

You have to consider a few things before setting up your customer support team. The kind of services your startup offers (whether B2B or B2C) will determine how your support team will approach the customers. Both classes of customers require a unique customer approach, and knowing how to navigate them successfully will impact your business.

We are paying emphasis on helping your customers as much as possible to make your business thrive eventually.

Give out free product trials

People tend to try out products before they decide to buy them or not. Thus, product trial should be something you consider when growing your software startup in Texas. Product trial can become a vital source of leading generation as several people that try out your software service would end up paying for it.

As a new brand, you can use a free trial to attract more customers. Thus, if you don’t offer a free trial via your website, you need to consider doing it now. A free trial is more effective than getting your sales reps to contact potential customers. In the software world, customers care less about the worth of mouth and believe more in trying out the actual product. A free trial that is not complex and easy to use can help convince a lot of customers.

Some entrepreneurs believe that prospects try out their free products and move on to another one. Reverse is the case. Most of the time, the prospects are getting to know your product via the free trial, and with the first-hand experience, it is easier for them to pay for the premium services. If the prospects like what they see, and the software serves their purpose, they would have no reason to move elsewhere.

Expand your email list

For a software startup in Texas, building an email list helps you generate leads. To grow your software startup, you need to optimize your website to obtain as many email signups as possible. You should be creative in your ways of getting people to provide you with their emails. However, don’t behave like an annoying salesperson when trying to get their emails.

Your prospects have to know that you don’t intend to pester them constantly. Rather, you want to help them by giving out free newsletters, eBooks, and updates on relevant and informative articles.

You can apply some techniques to convince your visitors to hand you their email addresses. Some of these techniques include free trials, relevant and attractive CTAs in your popups and more. You can insert leverage exit popups to persuade your audience one last time.

Leverage content marketing

Content marketing has become one of the easiest ways to create awareness and grow your software startup. However, it would help if you didn’t focus on random web content or cheap knock offs. The quality and relevance of the website and social content are crucial when intending to build your software startup in Texas.

Leverage the power of visual content with things like charts, graphs, infographics, data curation, research-based studies, and more. Your content marketing should be spread across all social media channels to a large extent.

Other tactics to help grow your software startup

There are good tactics, of course, but strategies are, indisputably, which makes winning becomes an exhilarating routine. Among the best-known strategies, here are the ones you should definitely take to heart to increase your success rate.

Site speed and interactive design

Look for Texas’s needs; it’s a big state, with plenty of people looking for satisfying different needs. It does not matter how attractive your business website is. If it is slow and unresponsive, you are less likely to draw potential clients towards your company.

Social proof

Humans are social creatures. Seeing that other people are getting services from your company, which please them, will increase your visitors exponentially, transforming them into happy clients in the process.

Messaging

This one is timeless. Because good communication of showing care will never be outdated in society, but it should be impeccable, concise and well-directed.

Final Thoughts

Growing your software startup in Texas, like in any other part of the world, involves a lot of work. The points listed in this post will help you with various aspects, including marketing, business planning, fundraising, partnership, customer appeal and more.

Originally published at https://www.chamberofcommerce.com on February 12, 2021