What does a free SaaS trial do for your business?

3 min read
Oct 20, 2015 11:27:54 AM

Inbound marketing for your tech company aims at improving the bottom line. You need to find a way to convert leads to sales and keep customers happy. What is the key to this conversion? While many factors contribute to a happy customer, one key aspect is communication.

With technology dictating so many aspects of our daily life, many consumers just want to feel the human element of their transaction. An extremely effective way to build trust in your customer culture is to improve communication. Companies who use the free-trial-to-pay model have less than a 25 percent conversion rate. What can you do to overcome this challenge?

SaaS Sales Process

Typically, the free trial button is visible in many different areas of the web page, giving customers ample opportunity. It may be in the toolbar, a call-to-action on the bottom of the page, or an immediate pop up once you navigate to the page.

For some products, all it takes is a quick example of what customers can expect and they become a paying customer. However, while displaying a free trial button shows your customers that you’re certain your product will sell itself, as the research earlier indicated, you need a little more than the appealing “FREE TRIAL” button. Many potential customers are happy to sign up for the free trial, but when the time comes to convert them to a customer, there’s a high percentage of lost sales.

Fortunately, you don’t need to dedicate an entire team to support each one of your customers. What are some better ways to step up your game?

Email Etiquette

After a customer subscribes to your business model, not only are they interested in your product, they’re looking to obtain more information, and fast. A welcome email helps inform the customer that they are wanted and appreciated. It helps affirm and establish the relationship between the customer and your business. However, you need to be quick about sending your welcome email. 90 percent of leads will go cold after one hour, according to Smart Insights.

You want to make sure your potential customer feels as if the communication is specifically tailored to their experience and their needs. Don’t just send one welcome email and leave them alone for the rest of the journey. Potential clients need to be nurtured and notified at the right touch points throughout the buyer journey.

A Little Less Talk, More Action

Many SaaS providers have beautiful and intuitive websites, but not enough support to back it up. If you offer your potential customers a number of opportunities to sign up for a free SaaS trial – but that’s it – you may have already lost them.

The most successful companies offer content to support the free trial. Whether it be video, blogs, or customer tutorials, the customer has significant opportunity to learn more about the program during the trial. When a consumer is first learning about your product, you want to ensure they’re as engaged as possible and deciding that your product is the exact solution they need.  

Content is Key

At the end of the day, your business wants the sale, but you want to ensure you’re making the pitch to customers who are ready. Your content strategy needs to bring the buyer through the proper journey. Be sure you’re not offering up the free trial to customers who are at the beginning of their selection. Content is most successful when it’s tailored to the right audience.

Length of the Trial

Consider the timelines your customers are given when deciding to commit to the sale. Most trials are 30 days, but that time isn’t set in stone. Perhaps your customers only need two weeks to know if it’s the right decision. Be sure to analyze the length of the trial, the complexity of the product and how many people utilize the full period.

You have a great product, you just need the right tools to make sure potential customers are aware. With these tips, you may see more success in your SaaS free trial. Are you ready to see an increase in your SaaS ROI?
 

Speaking of free, why not have a free, 30-minute inbound marketing assessment? Click below to try it out! 

Responsive Inbound Marketing Free Inbound Marketing Assessment

Get Email Notifications