Get All Access for $5/mo

Want to Expand Your Product's Reach? Here's How Third-Party Software Integrations Can Help. Unlock an entire world of possibilities with third-party integrations.

By Cyrus Claffey Edited by Chelsea Brown

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Your product is your company's primary selling point, but it doesn't have to be the only feature. In fact, when companies open up their products to integrations with third-party software, they unlock an entire world of possibilities. In the years since releasing our flagship product, the smart video intercom, the ButterflyMX team and I have made a pointed effort to expand our reach by integrating our software with third-party products.

For example, just this year, we partnered with RemoteLock so that our unified access control solutions now connect to more than 80 smart locks to seamlessly provide building and apartment unit access from our mobile app. This has significantly expanded our products' capabilities without the time, energy and financial investment of launching an entirely new product, which has helped grow our business substantially.

If you're at the helm of a startup looking to expand your product's reach, consider integrating with other software.

Related: Challenges that Companies Face in Software Integration

What are the benefits of integrating your product with other software?

No matter what product or service you offer, by integrating with other software, you combine various platforms into one unified software architecture. And by creating a large, integrated system, you increase functionality and convenience for consumers.

Further, integrating your product with other software expands your product's capabilities without the need to develop new products. Software integrations allow you to advance and expand your product faster because you exponentially increase its capabilities. Software integrations also offer an easy way to advance professional relationships with other companies in the industry.

Why are partnerships important?

When you're building a company from the ground up, you must develop partnerships. Across all industries, the leading companies boast multiple integrations. In fact, the average SaaS (software-as-a-service) company has 15 integrations. However, some SaaS companies boast upwards of 500 integrations. By partnering with another company in your industry, you become a part of their growth. Then, when their product succeeds, so does yours, and vice versa.

One of the biggest advantages of establishing integration partners is enhanced company growth by expanding your user base. Not only are you giving your customers a new tool or feature — leading to higher customer retention — but you're also opening your business up to an entirely new customer base. With a partnership in place, you can expand your customer base and add new users with ease.

Overall, developing deep business partnerships and software integrations will grow your business short- and long-term. In fact, you can think of new integrations as a new sales channel. You're adding your products and services to an entirely new marketplace.

Because your software integrations should be with companies in your industry or a related one, you'll be selling to new customers with a similar customer profile. This means your product will inherently address their needs.

How to approach partnerships as a startup

So, you've decided it's time to grow your company by enabling third-party software integrations. But how do you go about finding worthwhile partners? First, you need to look for companies whose customers match your ICP, or ideal customer profile. An ideal customer profile is a detailed outline of your company's ideal client. The ICP is used to adjust marketing and lead generation tactics.

By working with companies whose ICP matches yours, you increase the likelihood that their customers will find value in your product and vice versa. But remember, software integration isn't a completely smooth process. The more integrations you enable, the more maintenance you'll perform. Additionally, when changes are necessary, you must obtain approval from teams at both companies rather than just your own.

So, ensure you have an internal team who can dedicate their time primarily to building the integration from the ground up and maintaining it post-launch to address and solve problems.

Related: How to Use Strategic Partnerships for More Explosive Growth

How to integrate your product with other services

While software integration presents a unique and valuable opportunity for your business, partnerships aren't guaranteed to succeed without hard work. In addition to a relevant and high-quality software integration, you need a robust strategic outline.

Make sure you put your customers' needs above all else. When building your software integrations, consider which products your customers already use, what kind of systems they may want to integrate with and how a specific integration can improve their experience with your product.

Further, ensure that your integration has longevity by creating a strong foundation for your partnership. Integrations aren't a quick hack to multiply your customer base. Instead, you should develop integrations with long-term business goals in mind. Then, with each new iteration of your integration, take into account customer feedback to improve the integration and your product overall.

Cyrus Claffey

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Founder of ButterflyMX

Cyrus Claffey is the founder of ButterflyMX, a proptech company focused on smartphone-enabled property access. Claffey has been developing and implementing real estate technologies for more than 15 years. He currently works with some of the largest names in multifamily and CRE.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

Expanding Your Franchise Overseas Can Make You Millions — Or Tank Your Profits If You Don't Consider These Risks.

Deciding to expand your franchise concept internationally is a challenging one. Doing so can provide growth opportunities far beyond those in your current home market. But doing so before you're ready can create undue stress on your system. International expansion requires a full investment of time and resources to do it right; it is a serious commitment that reburies hard work, supported by a well-thought-out and well-executed game plan.

Business News

If Your Bank Is Calling, Don't Answer. It's Probably a Scam.

Scammers are getting sophisticated, from AI voices and videos to spoofing caller IDs. Here's how to spot them.

Starting a Business

From Side Gig to 6-Figure Success — How I Built a Thriving Home-Based Business as a Busy Family Man

I've made over $17,000,000 for clients worldwide and brought in multiple six figures for myself, all while barely leaving my kitchen.

Growing a Business

How to Choose The Right Insurance Broker to Grow Your Lower to Mid-Market Company in 2025 and Beyond

Private, client-focused insurance firms matter more than ever in 2025 — here's why.

Side Hustle

She Turned Her Dorm Room Side Hustle Into a $10 Million Business — And Scored a $200,000 Shark Tank Deal Along the Way

When Philomina "Philo" Kane started making satin-lined hoodies in her dorm room, she had no idea it would one day become a multi-million-dollar brand.