- You have got to buckle up!
The SaaS sales cycle might not last very long. When it comes to SaaS, inclusion or upgradation of features is necessary due to shorter product life cycle which in turn makes the sales cycle shrink. As a SaaS company, your prospects might not spend a lot of time weighing options. All that they want is the right solution, that too as quick as possible. So, buckle up and give them the best you can! In this context, it is vital to understand that when it comes to SaaS solutions, demand keeps changing based on market needs, customer experience, competitive features, new releases/upgrades, and security reasons. You need to enhance the product to keep up with the customer demands. You also need to come up with new marketing strategies, test them through A/B testing and keep alternatives ready, even if you current market strategy is delivering results.. So, as a marketer you must be ever-ready to respond quickly and invest in areas that tend to deliver quality leads. It is important to augment whatever is working well and alter whatever elements fail to contribute to the success of your marketing strategy. - Unaware of the presence of a SaaS solution:
Do your prospects have a problem? – Yes
Do you have a solution for their problem? – Yes
Do they know that you have a solution for their problem? – Not always!
You might know your software inside out and you will definitely know what it is all about and how will your prospects benefit from it. But, your prospects might not! This issue is way beyond brand awareness. You might have to educate them on what benefit your software can provide to them, explain how the solution addresses your customers’ problems, and why the value that your product delivers is more that the price paid for it.
- The importance of “free”:
What if you are marketing for products like furniture, books etc.? You need not be giving away your products for free. Samples do make sense, but giving away the entire product is not what you might have to do.
But, this is exactly what you will have to do if you are marketing a SaaS solution. Giving away will help you in acquiring customers and also help them understand why your product is worth it. In the end, you are letting your product sell itself! If you feel that “free” is not an option, you can try your hands at offering a low priced subscription! The “free” aspect is one of the most important thing that makes SaaS marketing different.
4. Different social media approach:
When you say social media, what pops into your mind? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn? Remember, we are marketing SaaS products here! Think out of the box and engage with customers in social channels that will benefit SaaS companies. Reddit, CNet Forums, TechDiscussion, Techist, etc. are a few social channels that can help you out. Keep industry influencers on top of your mind when you are marketing SaaS products.
- The Churn concern:
One thing that chases you around when it comes to the SaaS business model is the “churn” concept! Unfortunately, in the SaaS business, your customers have the option of ceasing to use your product. They might cancel their account or even let it be, without using it till the account expires. Customer retention forms the basis of SaaS business as churn can cause consequences. This makes it necessary for you to drafts your marketing strategy accordingly. Continuous customer engagement and providing value is critical to create a loyal customer base that stick with you. In the end, SaaS marketing is all about selling solutions and providing value to the customers, and making sure that their pains are addressed