The Challenges of Marketing a SaaS Product
10 Feb 2016
As a newcomer to the tech industry I am learning fast that marketing Software as a Service (SaaS) is different to marketing in any other industry.
Marketing in its own right is a difficult beast to tame and get right, but when you are faced with the challenge of marketing a product that you can’t hold or play with, that is constantly being updated and is only of interest to a fraction of B2B companies, it becomes a completely different species.
However, just like any pet shop owner who markets his menagerie of four legged friends, we need to market our SaaS animal and do it to the best of our ability. So with no designer packaging, in- store displays or celebrity endorsement, you may think it is an impossible task. But, well no, SaaS marketing does have its advantages.
For a start we can give our product away.
“What!” I hear you cry.
It’s true and a huge plus for any SaaS company. Unlike your local pet shop owner, who won’t let you take Fido home for the weekend to see if he’s the pet for you, we will.
We can offer a free trial of our product, this allows potential customers to get a feel for the system, enjoy all the features on offer and even road test it against others on the market.
SaaS customers keep coming back for more.
Most businesses that purchase SaaS are in it for the long haul. Unlike Mr & Mrs Jones who purchase a new kitten every 10-15 years, SaaS customers repeat buy, monthly or yearly, depending on the product they have purchased. The upshot of this is SaaS businesses experience high customer retention and greater revenue from existing customers.
Focus on the service.
SaaS businesses can put the emphasis on ‘“service’”. The software could be essential and, amazing, just what your customer needs and wants, but if you cannot match that with the service you offer, you can say goodbye to that customer. The quality of service you deliver has a direct impact on your sales figures.
Let your product sell itself.
A cute face, wet nose and soft fur will win anyone over, but so will a fabulous product and killer support. So with those in place, the rest of the marketing is easy.
OpenCRM prides itself on the first class product and support we offer, so if you are in the market for a CRM system, trial us. I’m sure you will find that we are ‘best in show’!
