subject: The continuation;How to sell SaaS: Part 2 [print this page] The continuation;How to sell SaaS: Part 2
Selling SaaS can prove a challenge to businesses due to theservice nature of the offering. All services can represent marketing challenges for organisations given their intangible nature. The average consumer is much more market savvy and the core service offering supplied by the business is now not enough. Instead customers are looking to the added value of the peripheral services that are additional to their purchase, such as 24/7 technical support, first language technicians, accompanying data sheets, promotional add on and overall a more tailored offering.
20+ tips when selling SaaS!
I could spend ages elaborating on the ins and outs of each selling tip, but just as we advocate offering your customers the information they want on your SaaS service in the most simplest of forms, I figured the tips should be granted the same courtesy
Sell SaaS offerings as part of amanaged service package not as individual entities.
Look to your existing customer base to sell extra features and add-ons to
Forefront one feature e.g. back-up and run with promoting that
Beware of IT terms such as off-site' cloud' etc as jargon can be off-putting to customers.
Focus on the practicality of the service and how it can help the customer specifically in their business.
The least technical person should be used to do the selling! Speak to your customer on an understanding level they don't want to left confused and feeling that such a service is over their heads
When dealing with sectors such as healthcare and banking wheresecurity is paramount, makesecurity the selling point along with the importance of backup, you've got to tailor the offering!
Introduce more a-la-carte solutions dependent on client's needs
Approach with a new customer with a particular SaaS solution that makes great business sense for that client, this way they will be more receptive to the idea rather than forcing all features at once. These can be added on as the relationship develops.
Spam filtering or online back-up are enough to grow a business out of!! Do the small things well don't try to be everything to everyone.
Don't over-stretch yourself, your business and your resources. Stay local for as long as you need to, a poorly managed business that cannot offer the same level of service will not stay worldwide for long.
Price should never be an issue, if it is the client is not understanding the actual value of the product and service provided
Privacy remains the biggest issue among consumers and they want to know their data is secure with you! Make their privacy your biggest issue and shout about it! Cheaper solutions will not make the same impact.
A customer giving a financial objection shows they are missing out on an understanding and this needs addressed. The value of your service and its importance for the customer has to be communicated clearly before a sale is attempted!
Don't preference larger businesses over smaller ones, think about the impact the cancelation of huge corporation would have on your monthly sales projections as opposed to a smb.
Don't walk away after a sale, build a relationship with your client as a trusted IT provider this will allow for the selling of future add-ons and to spread brand reputation.
STRESS SIMPLICITY nobody wants complication!
Positiononline security and/or back-up almost as a customer's online insurance policy.
Don't lead with price but price in conjunction with value
Use the tool itself to sell show people how good this service is. Trial periods can be highly influential providing they are managed by a member of the sales staff, so there is someone on hand to guide customers through the process and make sure they are realising its full potential
Don't forget customer retention is much more cost-effective than continuous recruitment so crm is essential
Guide staff on the importance of customer satisfaction. On-going commission on accounts for management can be a better tactic than huge one-off commissions on the acquiring of an account as this could lead to a failure to follow up on that account and loss of relationship
So when it comes to selling SaaS
Overall the thing to remember is not to over complicate the sales process. Think how you like (or don't like) to be approached by sales people.What makes you want to purchase, what do you most value when choosing between similar providers?Put yourself in your customer's shoes and be realistic as to what your sales strategy should be. Never forget the value of reputation and a tarnished one is difficult to recover from, so be careful when making wonderful sales promises that they are actually achievable. Remember service value is decided on by consumers and as no two consumers are the same, service value is more readily identified asperceived service value. That is, how well the service meets customers initial expectations! So off course get customers excited about your product and shout about all the fantastic advantages you can offer,but don't delve into fairy-tale territory. Be honest with customers from the outset and build a strong relationship on keeping marketing promises and adding on more as a loyalty incentive. Be consistent in the service you offer yes but this doesn't mean produce a mass type service whereby everyone receives the same treatment. Yes this might seem ideal from a business perspective but come on, we all want to be made feel special! Tailor tailor tailor! This doesn't imply the need for a huge increase on resources or manpower; this can be done very simply by a prior understanding of the nature of your customer's business and what they're looking for before presenting your service in a way that fulfils these needs. So a bit of research and a well-informed, personal pitch can often do wonders!
