The global Software-as-Service (SaaS) market is a powerhouse. It’s currently worth around $3 trillion, and is projected to more than triple in value by 2030. But that doesn’t mean success is guaranteed in the SaaS arena. In fact, SaaS companies face extra challenges when it comes to marketing and sales.

In order to generate recurring revenue, SaaS companies need to get customers to sign up for and use a product that may be intangible and complex, and to keep them engaged for the long haul.

In this article, we’ll go through the major steps involved in putting together an effective sales and marketing strategy for SaaS companies.

1. Define Your Target Market

The first step in any sales and marketing strategy is to know your target market inside and out. Think about who your ideal customer is, what their needs and pain points are, and how your product can help them. 

Bring together a team of marketing experts and key stakeholders to help you define your target market. This team can include your CEO, CFO, head of product, and head of sales. Together, you can create buyer personas, which are in-depth profiles of your ideal customers. 

These profiles should include demographic information, such as age, gender, location, and job title, as well as information about your customers’ needs, pain points, and goals. Your buyer personas will become the basis of your sales and marketing strategy, so it’s important to take the time to make them as explicit and accurate as possible.

At the beginning, you may not have a lot of data to go on. That’s OK. Start with your best guess and continue to refine your target market as you get more detailed information about who is actually using your product.

2. Create a Pricing Strategy

One of the challenges of selling a SaaS product is pricing it correctly. You need to find a balance between charging enough to make a profit and providing a price that is competitive and appealing to your target market. So, how do you know where to start? 

The first step is to understand your costs. This includes both the direct costs of developing and delivering your product and the indirect costs associated with running your business. Once you have a clear understanding of your costs, you can start to think about how much you need to charge to make a profit. 

It’s also important to understand your target market and what they are willing to pay. This can be tricky to gauge, but there are a few ways to research this. One is to look at your competition and see what they are charging for similar products. Another is to survey your target market to get their thoughts on pricing.

Once you have a good understanding of your costs and what your target market is willing to pay, you can start to develop a pricing strategy. There are a few different pricing models you can choose from.

Many SaaS companies price according to a subscription model. This means that customers pay a recurring fee, typically on a monthly or annual basis, to access your product. This is a popular pricing model because it provides a predictable revenue stream for your business. 

Another common pricing model is usage-based pricing. With this model, customers are charged based on how much they use your product. This can be a great option if your product has the potential for high usage.

Once you have selected a pricing model, you need to determine the specific price points for your product. This may take some trial and error. However, you can always adjust your prices over time as you learn more about your customers and the market.

3. Develop a Marketing Plan

There are several phases to a good SaaS marketing strategy. The first step is to generate awareness of your product; in other words, you need to get potential customers to your website. 

This can be accomplished through SEO, SEM, and content marketing that covers topics related to your product. For example, if you sell project management software, you might try writing blog posts and articles about project management tips, and include a call-to-action (CTA) that directs readers to your product. 

Once potential customers are aware of your product, you need to get them interested in trying it out. Choose marketing strategies aimed specifically at these customers, such as more detailed content marketing (think webinars and white papers) and social media marketing.

You can also use CTAs on your website and in your email signature to encourage visitors to take a free trial of your product. 

The third step is to get potential customers to take action and purchase your product. This is where your sales team comes in.

4. Implement a Sales Strategy

Your sales strategy should be closely aligned with your marketing strategy. Once you know who your target market is and how you will reach them, you can develop a sales strategy that will help you close deals and grow your business. 

There are several steps to developing a sales strategy. The first step is to create a sales deck or pitch. This is a presentation that introduces your product to potential customers. It should cover the features and benefits of your product, as well as your pricing information. A pitch deck is not only useful in and of itself; the process of creating one helps your team focus and align on their understanding of ideal customers and value propositions.

The second step is to create a script for your sales team. This script should cover what to say when introducing your product, as well as guidelines for answering common questions that potential customers may have.

Ensure you also have a clear process for following up with potential customers. Include guidelines on how and when to send information about your product, as well as set up meetings or calls to discuss the product further.

Finally, set criteria for measuring your results. You should track the number of sales, the average deal size, and the close rate. You should also track the number of leads that your sales team generates, as well as the number of leads that turn into customers.

In Summary

Developing a strong sales and marketing strategy for SaaS companies may seem daunting, but breaking the process into smaller, manageable steps can make it feel achievable.

Even if you’re on a tight budget, never treat marketing and sales strategy as an afterthought. Stay focused on who your customers are, and develop thoughtful tactics that show how well you can meet their needs.