Maximize Conversions: Supercharge Your Sales with AppExchange Trialforce
AppExchange Trialforce is a tool that enables AppExchange developers to provide free trials of their app solution in Salesforce org that users can use for some time. With Trialforce, one can provide a demo of the app solution to potential customers, allowing them to see how the app can help their businesses. This can ultimately contribute to closing deals or winning new clients in the future.
In this guide, we'll look closer at AppExchange Salesforce Trialforce and how it can maximize the app’s trial capabilities. We'll cover everything from basic concepts to Trialforce best practices, setup steps, branding strategies, optimizing trials for different businesses, customer support, and customization and updation of trials. With the help of this guide, you'll be able to craft a trial that can attract and convert potential customers into paying clients.
Understanding Trialforce
What is Salesforce Trialforce?
Salesforce Trialforce is an effective tool that allows ISVs or OEMs to offer free trials of their AppExchange solution to potential customers. During the trial period, users can experience the product or service for free before making any purchase. Once the trial period is over, the user will no longer have access to the service unless they buy it.
Trialforce relationship hierarchy (source: Salesforce)
How Trialforce Works?
Understanding Trialforce and how it works is very important as it is a tool that can help AppExchange app providers with the success of their apps.
Trialforce works by creating a custom org that includes the product and other components. This org is then made available to users for trial. After the end of the trial period, the org will get deleted automatically.
The process begins with creating a template that includes the app and components. Link it to the AppExchange listing so that users can access it easily for trials. Use SignUp Request API to automate the trial setup.
Key Advantages of Using Trialforce
If you are a Salesforce ISV or OEM planning to offer a product trial but aren’t unaware of its advantages, you have come to the right place. Below are some benefits of using Trialforce to set up AppExchange app trials.
Quick Deals and Shorter Sales Process: No more setting calendars and planning demos. Customers explore the app at their own pace, and if it clicks, the conversion is quick.
Increase User's Participation: This gives them a better understanding of the app’s functionality and how it can help them. This can increase their engagement with the app and ultimately increase sales.
Configuring Trialforce Salesforce Experience
To set up the Trialforce experience, one should take a few important actions, such as registering a Partner Developer Edition (PDE) account and setting up Trialforce Source Organisation (TSO).
Account sign-up for Partner Developer Edition (PDE)
To get started, you will need to create a PDE account. You can test and develop the solutions in a dedicated environment with this account and build and manage your Trialforce templates.
To register for a PDE account, follow these steps:
Go to the Salesforce Partner Community website and click the "Join Now" button.
Fill out the registration form with your personal and company information.
Once the registration is complete, you'll receive an email with instructions on activating the account.
Trialforce Source Organization (TSO) setup
Once you have the PDE account, the next step is to set up the Trialforce Source Organization (TSO). This organization will serve as the basis for your Trialforce templates.
To set up the Salesforce TSO, follow these steps:
Log in to the PDE account and navigate to the "Environment Hub" tab.
Click on the "Create New Org" Button, then select "Trialforce Source Organization" in the "purpose" field.
Fill out the required information, including the organization name, description, and logo.
Click the "Create Trialforce Source Organization" button to complete the setup process.
One can start creating and managing Trialforce templates with a PDE account and TSO. Remember to keep templates up-to-date and relevant to the target audience and provide a seamless and engaging user experience.
Trialforce setup (Source: Salesforce)
Personalization of Trial Configurations
Customizing trial settings while creating an AppExchange Salesforce Trialforce is essential to giving potential customers the best experience possible. Here are some important parameters to take into account:
Setting Up Trial User Licenses
You can't provide trials until you decide which user licenses to grant. You may set default user licenses for the trials under the "Trialforce Configurations" section of the AppExchange listing. This will ensure that trial consumers have access to all the features and functions they need to understand your service effectively by taking this action.
Configuring Trial Expiration Time
You can set an expiration time for the trials to ensure that users have a limited time to try out the solution. This can be configured in the "Trialforce Configurations" section of the AppExchange listing. Keep in mind that the expiration time should be long enough to allow users to fully understand your solution, but not so long that they lose interest.
Requesting Additional Features for Trial Setup
If you have specific features or functionality that you want to make available to trial users, you can request these features from Salesforce. This can be done through the "Request Additional Features" link in the "Trialforce Configurations" section of the AppExchange listing.
Choosing Trial Language and Country
You can customize the trial settings to ensure that trial users see the solution in the language and country that is most relevant to them. This can be done in the "Trialforce Configurations" section of your AppExchange listing.
Controlling Trial Data Center Location
one can choose the data center location for the trial users to ensure that they have the best possible experience. This can be done in the "Trialforce Configurations" section of the AppExchange listing. Keep in mind that the data center location should be as close as possible to the trial user to ensure optimal performance.
By customizing the trial settings, you can provide your potential customers with a better experience and increase the chances of converting them into paying customers.
Feature Management App (FMA) for Limiting Features in Trial
When offering a free trial of the AppExchange app, limiting the features available to the trial users is important. This helps the customer to better understand the value and features of the app. The Feature Management App (FMA) is a useful tool for managing and limiting the features available in a trial.
With the FMA, providers can make features available to select orgs for limited-time trials. they can also track activation metrics for those features. This allows them to understand better which features are being used and which are not, which can inform future development decisions.
To use the FMA, one needs to install it in the License Management Org (LMO). The FMA extends the License Management App, and like the LMA, it's a free app that can be installed from the AppExchange.
View or modify features in LMA
Once installed, one can define features within the managed package and create them within the FMA under the Feature Parameters tab. Features can be broken down into three types: Boolean, Integer, and Date.
Boolean features are either on or off and are helpful for simple features such as enabling or disabling a particular functionality. Integer features allow setting a numerical value for a feature, such as the maximum number of records that can be created per day. Date features allow setting a date range for a feature, such as enabling a feature only during a specific period.
By using the FMA to limit features in a trial, one can ensure that trial users get a clear and accurate picture of what the app can do. This can increase the chance of customers to convert into paid users once the trial period is over.
Trialforce Branding
When it comes to offering free trials of AppExchange solutions, it's important to make a strong first impression with potential customers. One way to do that is by customizing the branding of the trial experience using Trialforce. In this section, we'll explore the different ways to brand the Trialforce experience to make it more appealing and engaging for customers.
Branded Emails
When a brand sends out emails to its users, it wants them to be reminded of the value it offers. Customized emails look appealing to the users and improve the brand’s identity. This will help create a consistent brand experience for users.
Branded Login Page
The login page is the first thing users will see when they access the trial. By customizing the login page with elements, brands can create a more professional and consistent experience for their users.
Branded Signup Experience
The signup experience is another important touchpoint for the users. With Trialforce, one can customize the signup page with brand elements to create a more cohesive experience for users. This includes adding a logo, brand colors, and theme to the signup page. Doing so will create a more professional and consistent experience for users.
In summary, by branding the trial experience with a logo, brand colors, and theme, brands can create a more engaging and memorable experience for their users, increasing the likelihood that they'll remember the brand and convert to paying customers.
Trials for Different Businesses
Service providers should make sure that their AppExchange solution is accessible to as many potential customers as possible. One way to achieve this is by offering trials to different types of businesses. Here are some ways to generate multiple Trialforce orgs and templates for different business types, and create a branded signup experience.
Generating Multiple Salesforce TSOs
Trialforce allows the creation of multiple Trialforce Source Organizations (TSOs) to support different business use cases. This means that one can create a unique Salesforce TSO for each of the target markets, and customize the trial experience to meet their specific needs. For example, you can create one Salesforce TSO for small businesses and another for enterprise customers.
Creating Templates for Different Business Types
Trialforce also allows template creation for different business types. This means that one can create a unique trial experience for each target market, and customize the trial process to meet their specific needs. For example, one can create a template for a specific industry, such as healthcare or finance, and customize the trial experience to meet the needs of businesses in that industry.
In conclusion, offering trials to different types of businesses is a great way to maximize the success of the AppExchange solution. By generating multiple Salesforce TSOs and creating templates for different business types, one can create a unique and professional trial experience that will help convert prospects into paying customers.
Updating and Improving Trial Experience
To enhance the AppExchange app trial, it is important to keep the trial experience up-to-date and user-friendly. Updating package versions and patches and managing access to packages in trial orgs are two key ways to improve the trial experience.
Updating Package Versions and Patches
When you update package versions and patches, you ensure that users are getting the latest features of the application. This can help you to stay ahead of the competition and keep users engaged.
To update package versions and patches, you can use tools like the Salesforce AppExchange or Trialforce. These tools make it easy to manage package versions and patches and ensure that users will always get the best possible experience.
Managing Access to Packages in Trial Orgs
Managing access to packages in trial orgs is another important aspect of improving trial experience. By managing access to packages, you can ensure that users are getting the right level of access to your application.
To manage access to packages in trial orgs, you can use tools like the Salesforce AppExchange or Trialforce. These tools make it easy to manage user access and ensure that the users are always getting the best possible experience.
In summary, updating your package versions and patches and managing access to packages in trial orgs are two key ways to improve the trial experience. By keeping trials up-to-date and user-friendly, you can improve the user’s experience and stay ahead of the competition.
Check out the below video on how to access a managed package in AppExchange without an Assigned License.
Customer Support
Providing customer service is important to the AppExchange trial's success. In the trial period, customers may have questions or problems. As a Salesforce AppExchange Partner, it is your responsibility to be available and supportive to ensure they have a positive experience with your solution.
Here are some tips for providing effective customer support:
Set clear expectations: Make sure to clearly mention your support hours, response times, and available channels for support. By doing that customers can understand the level of support you are providing.
Be responsive: Respond to customer support requests and inquiries quickly. even if it's just to acknowledge their message and let them know someone is looking into their issue.
Provide helpful resources: Create a knowledge base or FAQ section that answers common questions and issues that customers may face during the trial period. Make sure this information is easily accessible and organized.
Offer personalized support: If a customer is experiencing a challenging issue or has a unique question, offer personalized support to help them find a solution. This could include scheduling a call or screen-sharing session to solve their problem.
Ask for feedback: After the trial period, ask customers for feedback on their experience with your solution and support. Use this feedback to improve the trial process and customer support.
By providing excellent customer support during the trial period, you can increase the chances of users converting into paying customers.
Summary
In this guide, we've explored the ways to maximize AppExchange app trial with AppExchange Salesforce Trialforce. By offering free trials of the AppExchange solution, one can showcase the value their product can provide to the customers.
With the tips and strategies in mind, one can increase the chances of their solution’s success on the AppExchange platform.
Ready to launch your App trial on the AppExchange listing? Consult Concretio’s Appexchange experts for a successful app launch.
Further Reading:
1. PDOs for AppExchange Success - A Salesforce ISV Partner’s Guide
2. 5 Salesforce AppExchange Solution Types for Business Transformation
3. Deliver Trials on AppExchange with Trialforce
4. Watch video on: Supercharge Your Demos with Trialforce
5. Navigating the Salesforce OEM Partnership
FAQs
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The Feature Management App (FMA) in Salesforce enables developers to control feature access within their applications. It allows them to toggle specific features on or off for users, providing a tailored experience based on individual needs or preferences.
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To create a Trialforce org in Salesforce, you must first create an installed package, submit it for review, and associate it with a listing on the AppExchange. Once approved, users can request trials using the associated listing.
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Salesforce Trialforce is a tool that enables app vendors to offer free trials of their applications on the AppExchange platform. It allows potential users to experience the functionality of the app within their own Salesforce environment before making a purchasing decision.
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Salesforce AppExchange development involves creating and customizing applications to be listed and distributed on the Salesforce AppExchange marketplace. This includes building apps using Salesforce technologies, adhering to security guidelines, and undergoing the Salesforce security review process for listing approval.
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