How to Connect with Software Buyers in France

What are the top concerns for French software buyers?

It’s important to understand the main concerns of French software buyers before creating an international marketing strategy. Here are the most common challenges that French businesses face when it comes to investing in new technology, according to Gartner Digital Markets’ 2022 Global Software Buyer Trends Survey: 

What should you know about software buying behavior in France?

The results of the Gartner Digital Markets’ 2022 Global Software Buyer Trends Survey revealed that most B2B software buyers in France prefer a self-driven information search. French software buyers often conduct research on their own to find the software provider that’s right for their business. 

Software rating sites are critical to connecting with B2B software buyers in France, with more than half of respondents saying that it was important to read user reviews before making a software purchase decision. As a software provider looking to expand their digital marketing in France, you should consider collecting customer reviews to start building buyers’ trust. The more reviews, the more confident B2B buyers will be about purchasing your software. Software vendors on Gartner Digital Markets see a 127% increase in traffic to their profile pages when they collect 10 or more reviews.

It’s important to note that French companies rely heavily on their IT department to manage software purchases. This means French software buyers are generally tech savvy and seek in-depth software specs to make informed decisions. We recommend describing your product’s functions in detail and promoting integrations and data security on your product’s profile to show how your software is compatible with their existing tech stack.

What are the trusted software information sources in France?

When it comes to making software investments, French companies prefer to work with well-established software brands (43%) or to work with providers they’ve already worked with in the past (38%). French software buyer preferences for well-known brands can pose challenges for software or SaaS providers looking to enter the French market. However, there are effective ways to establish a brand presence in France’s competitive software market. 

Software companies crafting a digital marketing strategy targeting French businesses, should take the following steps to establish a strong brand reputation in a new region and get their software in front of prospective buyers. 

French software buyers greatly value localized content, preferring to receive content and communicate with vendors in French. More specifically, 45% of software buyers in France prefer support services and video tutorials (35%) in French. 

Translated materials offer the benefit of conveying the same message to your target audience without any confusion. We recommend localizing marketing collateral, such as landing pages and product details, prior to implementing your go-to-market strategy. 

How can you keep customers engaged during software adoption?

The onboarding process is critical for customer engagement and loyalty. B2B software providers can avoid postpurchase regret by providing support services and personalized training as these are French buyers' most valued factors in the onboarding process, according to Gartner Digital Markets' 2022 Global Software Buyer Trends Survey. 

A positive onboarding experience will assist with keeping existing French customers happy and engaged when it’s time to renew. This is important to keep in mind during renewal season since 36% of French software buyers we surveyed said they do a cursory evaluation of alternatives before renewing, while 28% evaluate alternatives in-depth. You can improve customer satisfaction and retain clients by collecting user reviews and analyzing the voice of the customer (VoC).

Another method for keeping software buyers engaged and building client confidence postpurchase is to provide them with change enablement content. This type of content, such as a diagnostic quizz or a resources hub, will help new clients navigate the changes after software adoption.

Ready to reach software buyers in France?

The French software market is growing rapidly. While there are plenty of opportunities to connect with B2B buyers in the country, it’s important to understand their behavior and preferences to target them at the right time with the right information. Download our report on France’s software market to gain more buyer behavior insights and craft an optimized marketing strategy.

Thibaut De Lataillade

Thibaut De Lataillade is Global Vice President, in charge of Gartner Digital Markets sites’ buyer experience and international growth. He has more than 20 years experience in the software and digital industry, including sales, marketing, and managerial responsibilities. Connect with Thibaut on LinkedIn.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Survey methodology:

Gartner Digital Markets 2022 Global Software Buyer Trends Survey

Results presented are based on a Gartner Digital Markets study to understand business challenges and approaches to technology and software investments. The primary research was conducted in October 2021 among a total of 2,501 respondents in the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, Poland, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Germany and France.

Respondents were screened for having recently purchased technology and decision-making authority. Respondents were required to be responsible for making decisions on purchasing technologies for their organization.