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🚧 Software Development Services: Attracting New Clients, AI Apps, No-Code Tools

by dru_riley

In this Trends.vc Report, we talk about how to get new clients, how to build MVPs fast, lowering scope creep, automating business tasks and more.

💎 Why It Matters

You can build a software business without technical skills.

🔍 Problem

You’re not a programmer.

You don’t know how to build quality, scalable software.

💡 Solution

Software development services let you focus on your core competency.

Such as brand, sales, distribution, domain expertise and more.

🏁 Players

Software Development Service Providers

Developer Marketplaces

  • Skilled • Find top freelance developers from Israel
  • Codeable • Find expert WordPress developers
  • Lemon.io • Connects clients with qualified devs on a per-hour basis
  • Remote Crew • Hire a team of pre-vetted developers
  • Shepherd • Hire full-time employees from the Philippines and Latin America
  • CloudDevs • Hire vetted Latin American remote developers
  • Turing • Find deeply vetted developers and teams matched by AI

🔮 Predictions

  • Dev shops will build MVPs with no-code and low-code tools to help clients get to market faster.
  • Agencies will invest in clients with ‘Sweat Equity’ by offering dev hours in exchange for ownership.

🛠 How to build Software Development Services

  • Build AI apps to help clients automate repetitive and complex business tasks.
  • Zeroqode builds web and mobile apps.
  • Airdev builds scalable web-based apps.
  • 8020 builds websites using no-code tools.
  • NoCodeTeam builds web and mobile MVPs.
  • Idea Link builds custom software in 4-12 weeks.
  • Low/Code builds custom software with no-code and low-code tools.

🌱 How to grow Software Development Services

  • Turn projects into case studies to help prospects see your approach to solving their problems.
  • Offer free code audits as lead magnets to attract quality prospects.
  • Give talks at conferences to attract new clients. This signals expertise.

💰 How to monetize Software Development Services

  • Sell prepaid packages to get a predictable revenue and workload.
  • Charge per hour to lower the chances of underpricing your work.
  • Charge per project to set clear expectations for clients with tight budgets.

🔑 Key Lessons

  • The recurring revenue of software development services is not scalable. You’re selling hours.
  • Longer-term projects give you predictability. When a short-term project ends, you may start paying salaries from your pocket while looking for new clients.
  • Set realistic, measurable goals to lower scope creep. Break down projects into smaller milestones you can measure and add a 50% buffer on top. Do you think it will take 100 hours? Tell your client it will take 150 hours.

😠 Haters

“No-code tools make software development services less relevant.”
Less relevant does not mean irrelevant. No-code development is easier but less powerful. Custom development is more complex but more powerful. One does not exclude the other. They serve different purposes.

“Some clients have unrealistic expectations.”
Explain the project scopes, timelines and limitations early. Educating your clients on the nuance of building their projects can help you deliver products your clients need instead of want.

“Building on top of ecosystems leads to platform risk.”
This also lowers market risk. Bubble, Webflow and Salesforce are not going anywhere soon. What are you afraid of?

“Outsourcing software is dangerous. It’s our key differentiator.”
Many businesses compete on pricing, customer service, distribution or another front. Not software. If software is your trade secret, you should build it yourself. If you’re building common software such as a CRM, it’s more feasible to outsource it.

“If agencies are building and marketing, what is the core competency of the client?”
There’s more to core competencies than building and marketing products. Logistics, sales, customer service and buying power can be part of the client’s core competency.

🔗 Links

  1. Everyone wants to build a SaaS. But not everyone can code • The thread for this report.
  2. Project Management Methodologies • 12 popular frameworks for managing development projects.
  3. MVP vs PoC vs Prototype • Difference between 3 early product stages.
  4. Building a Report on Software Development Services • The tweet behind this report.

📁 Related Reports

Become a Trends Pro Member to get the full report on Software Development Services.

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dru_riley's avatardru_riley
on October 3, 2023
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