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Baggy pants were never so hot. You have to trust us on this. It’s impossible to explain exactly how popular rapper MC Hammer was in the early 90s if you weren't there. We’re talking a full-blown, worldwide phenomenon. MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" blared on every radio station. His videos, complete with signature Hammer pants and flashy dance moves, are a regular feature on MTV. And the enormous, expensive tours were next. They were spectacles. But there was one big problem. MC Hammer (aka Stanley Burrell) might have earned around $70 million dollars. But – plot twist – a few years later, he was bankrupt and drowning in $13 million dollars of debt. What went wrong? The answer lies in two words: cash flow. With Hammer's lavish lifestyle, extravagant spending, and poor cash management, financial failure was inevitable. Sounds familiar? We’re not saying you’re out spending your money on metallic pants and 50 dancers and mansions with gold-plated front gates. Maybe you are (no judgement). But we’ll bet as a CFO in the IT Services industry, you might be dealing with your own version of "Hammer Time." Unreliable numbers, late and incorrect payments, and unexpected costs can all lead to cash flow challenges that threaten your company's financial stability. What Causes Cash Flow Problems? Most departments in an IT Services business will have processes that can slow down cash flow. For the finance department, one of the biggest contributors is late or delayed billing. It's a common problem because most teams simply don't have the resources that they need to ensure every customer gets their bill without delay and as early as possible. (And there are those pesky timesheets that need to be approved before bills can be processed. Hopefully mentioning them hasn't sent your blood pressure through the roof). An inefficient payment collection makes this even worse. Customers have diverse needs and preferences in terms of how they want to pay. But the finance team must be able to keep up with these methods to keep that cash coming in. Problem is, they usually aren't given the tools to do so. And that can mean serious stress for you and the business. How Cash Flow Misery Hurts You and Your Company Cash flow problems inevitably lead to big challenges, including: 1. Failure with Ops When there isn’t enough cash around, there’s going to be disruption in everything from payroll to buying inventory and paying for ops overheads. Not only does this put the business at risk, but it makes employee morale crash. 2. Crushed growth If you don’t have enough cash, it’s going to be hard to invest in anything that helps long-term growth. Things like market expansion, product and service development, strategies to improve customer relations, or hiring key talent are necessary for future growth and staying competitive. 3. Damaged reputation The last thing you need is both customers and creditors giving you a bad reputation. Late bills won't make customers happy. And if you haven’t got the cash flow to pay your bills and make your customers happy by solving problems immediately, you and your company will be in trouble. So will your standing in the industry. 4. Investors will run away screaming Okay, maybe they won’t scream, but they won’t stick around. Investors always look closely at cash flow to measure a company's financial health. If you struggle with the flow, investors will go. 5. Big financial risks CFOs always know to expect the unexpected. Financial shocks happen (boy have we learned that over the last few years!). If your cash flow suffers, you’ll be vulnerable to these financial shocks. It will be a lot harder for you to survive. 6. More strain on you It’s hard enough being a CFO in the best of circumstances – the stress list is LONG. But without cash flow, you’re getting it from all angles and – BAM – you’re not sleeping and you haven’t seen your family or friends in months. How are you supposed to focus on financial strategy when you’re putting out fires all the time? Cash Flow Management: What we can learn from MC Hammer’s mistakes When the beat of cash flow turns from a sweet groove to a discordant thump, it’s not just you who feels the pain. Because everything that Finance does has a domino effect, your whole company can suffer. The good news is that there’s a way to turn this mess into something spectacular, just like MC Hammer at his best. You can keep the money rolling in smoothly, just like a melody. It’s all down to the right strategies. Here are the ones that work best for our CFO clients and partners: 1. Better forecasting The most precise the forecasting, the better your ability to stategize and make the best financial decisions. Good forecasting cuts down on human error and helps with financial planning. 2. Streamline billing The simpler your invoicing and billing process, the easier your life. Use a system that processes timesheets faster, generates and sends invoices promptly, tracks the payments, adjusts when necessary, and remembers overdue bills. A good system will cut down the hours spent on billing. 3. Payment solutions that your customers want The easier the payment process for your customers, the more you’ll get paid. Offer multiple payment options to cater to what they want. That improves the customer experience too, which will enhance cash flow in the long-term. 4. Cut your overheads This is the biggest strategy MC Hammer should have used. You must cut your outgoings as much as possible. We don’t mean stop providing tea and food to your staff or cut their wages. We mean cut labor costs and overheads by streamlining your end-to-end so that your staff aren’t wasting time on tasks they shouldn’t have to do. You’ll make a lot more money when they’re free to do what they do best – sell, strategize, develop, and innovate. Now you might be thinking, “Sure, I’d love to wave a wand and have all these things, plus the gold-plated front gates (and some big Hammer pants thrown in for good measure). But we can’t always get what we want." Yes, you can. Here's something that will be music to your ears You can enjoy all the good stuff that steady cash flow brings. You can put every one of those working strategies into motion and get rid of your problems for good. You just need the right tool. MC Hammer didn’t have one solution that could turn everything around. You do. And that solution is automation of your financial processes. Specifically, an end-to-end process that takes care of everything for you. Automating your finance functions will transform everything, radically enhancing your financial management capabilities. This means everything from sales like the terms, usage rates, prices, payment times, etc. gets processed in your system and brought to your team ready to go. (Our solution can't eliminate those timesheets altogether, but we can make you a lot more confident in the numbers, so they're signed off faster). Invoices are created automatically. Bills are sent automatically. Payments are processed fast and automatically. In other words, automation lets you finally do the job you were hired to do, because you no longer have to worry about the stuff you shouldn’t have to. You’re the CFO. You’ve got a lot on your shoulders. Why suffer with more than you have to? Why not give yourself the gift of cutting-edge innovation – the same gift you give your customers? You can end cash flow misery and bring a new era of financial stability and growth. You can have a comeback tour because unlike MC Hammer, you have the power of automation at your disposal. So put those metallic virtual Hammer pants, take control of your cash flow, and dance your way to success. Because when it comes to managing your company's finances, you can touch this - and you can master it. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi Supercharge Your Cash Flow with Bluefort Are cash flow challenges haunting your IT Services company? Don't let your finances slip into "Hammer Time" chaos. Bluefort Solutions is your key to financial stability and growth. Here's how we can help: Precision Forecasting: Say goodbye to financial uncertainty. Our cutting-edge tools provide accurate forecasts, empowering you to make informed decisions with confidence. Streamlined Billing: Save time and reduce errors. Our automated invoicing and billing system processes timesheets swiftly, sends invoices promptly, tracks payments, and manages overdue bills efficiently. Customer-Centric Payments: Enhance the customer experience by offering multiple payment options. Increase your cash flow while keeping your clients satisfied. Cost Optimization: Streamline operations, cut unnecessary overheads, and maximize your team's productivity. Let your staff focus on what they do best – sell, strategize, develop, and innovate. Unlock the Power of Automation Imagine a finance process that handles everything for you – from sales data to invoicing and payments. Bluefort offers an end-to-end automation subscription management solution that empowers you to focus on your CFO responsibilities without the hassle. Our automation solutions will revolutionize your financial capabilities, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in every aspect of your finances. Leave the manual work behind and embrace innovation. With Bluefort, you can leave cash flow challenges behind and pave the way for a future of financial stability and growth. So, Dance Your Way to Success Unlike MC Hammer, you have the power of automation at your disposal. So put on your virtual Hammer pants, take control of your cash flow, and dance your way to success. Ready to master your company's finances? Get in touch with us today and let's turn your cash flow from chaos to harmony!

Imagine that you're sinking. Slowly. The ground has turned into a trap. It’s quicksand, and everything you do to get out just makes the situation worse. This is what it feels like when your B2B SaaS sales cycle slows to a crawl. It’s draining and exhausting. The maddening thing is that SaaS is no place to get stuck. It’s meant for speed, efficiency, and innovation. That’s what keeps your company going. But a slow sales cycle will make everything start to fall. Next thing you know, you and your team are wading through molasses, watching potential sales slip through your fingers. Losing customers and revenue hurts. And it impacts you too- the stress, the pressure, the worry. You don’t want to sink any further- you've poured your heart and soul into this venture. You've sacrificed. Things need to change, and fast. But how?Let’s look at how you got in the quicksand first. Inefficient Processes It doesn’t matter how amazing your product is- things like outdated tech, bad communication channels, or a lack of coordination in the sales team can grind things to a halt. Poor Lead Qualification Some leads are bigger than others. It’s a common trap to chase a lead that is just going to waste your time. Make sure your lead qualification process is robust so your sales team’s got a fighting chance. Lackluster Follow-ups The first contact can be perfect, but if there’s no good follow-up, what’s the point? There’s way too much competition out there to drop the ball with a potential customer. Communication that’s impersonal, infrequent, or doesn’t address their concerns will make them run like a kid after an ice cream truck. Overcomplicated Sales Cycle If the sales cycle is too complex or convoluted, or if communication is poor between your departments, it’s not exactly going to be lightning speed. Stress and Pressure If your sales team is stressed and worried over targets and lost sales, that’s not going to be good for them or you. Time Management Issues It’s tricky to balance the ops of your business, strategic planning, and effective decision-making when you’re distracted by the sales cycle.But here's the good news- a slow sales cycle isn't a death sentence for your business. You can escape the quicksand and accelerate your SaaS sales cycle. You’ve already recognised there’s a problem (many people miss at this first stage!) There are proven techniques that can help you speed up your sales cycle. They’re like branches that you can grab to pull yourself out. 1. Automate repetitive tasks If you needed to buy a week’s worth of groceries, would you break ground, plant crops, mill grain, harvest and process it all? No, because the grocery store has done it all for you. It’s the same with SaaS automation. It takes care of all the time-consuming routine tasks, so that your sales team can focus on selling and strategy. Identify everything that is repetitive and doesn’t need human intervention, then use automation tools to sort it. 2. Set goals for each sales call A clear goal will help keep the conversation productive and focused. Then goal can be simple - want to present a product demo? Talk about pricing? Answer concerns? 3. Explore objections before answering them You don’t have to answer concerns right away. Ask more questions- be curious. Find out what the root cause is. You’ll give a better response. 4. Give social proof Prospects like to see testimonials, case studies, and reviews. Let them see how they’ve benefited from your product or service - it works better than telling them. 5. Close in step Why not shift to smaller agreements during the sales process rather than one big close? It could be steps like a trial or demo, or acknowledging how great one of your features are? Small wins make a difference. 6. Score your leads A scoring system can prioritize high-quality leads for your sales team. Then they can refocus their efforts on leads they’re likely to convert. 7. Treat customers individually Personalize how you communicate with each customer as much as possible. Tailoring your product demos. Make specific product offerings. Adapt your sales pitch. 8. Unify sales and marketing Bring your teams together so they can align goals and strategies. Regular meetings can cover performance, leads, and conversion rates. 9. Figure out the red issue What’s the main obstacle stopping a prospect from making a purchase? When you tackle this head on you help your prospect move forward in the sales process. 10. Manage Stress and Pressure You and your teams need care and consideration too. Stress management techniques like mindfulness, exercise, or delegating tasks can help. The root of the problem needs to be sorted too, but taking away the problems and obstacles of a slow cycle will certainly help. Bluefort's end-to-end subscription management platform streamlines processes, enhances lead qualification, automates repetitive tasks, and empowers your team with the tools they need to succeed. There are fellow CEOs who know exactly what you’re going through, but they’ve turned things around. You can do it too. Though each of these techniques can make a difference, when you combine them, you can pull yourself out of the quicksand and accelerate the cycle. You can be back on solid ground. You can move forward, grow, and guide your business to achieve all the things you’ve envisioned. All you have to do is take that first step. Grab that branch. Be patient with the process. Pull yourself out of the quicksand. Your business—and your peace of mind—depend on it. Ready to Escape the Quicksand and Supercharge Your B2B SaaS Sales Cycle? At Bluefort, we understand the challenges of a slow B2B SaaS sales cycle. We've helped numerous SaaS companies break free and achieve lightning-speed growth. Our end-to-end subscription management platform streamlines processes, enhances lead qualification, automates repetitive tasks, and empowers your team with the tools they need to succeed. With Bluefort, you can turn your SaaS business into a well-oiled machine that accelerates sales and maximizes revenue. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Don't let the quicksand hold you back any longer. Take the first step towards success today! Schedule a consultation with our team of experts, to see how Bluefort can transform your B2B SaaS sales cycle and propel your business forward.

Being a COO in charge of an IT Services organization feel like being lost in darkest space. Especially when you're dealing with the dreaded project 'black hole' – a project balances that you can’t trust. You know the feeling - the project that was supposed to be smooth sailing. But it’s evolved into this ridiculous, resource-guzzling monster. It's enough to give any COO sleepless nights. That’s why we’re here to talk about it. Strap yourselves in! Where does the problem come from? Ever spun plates and juggled chainsaws at the same time? Then you know what maintaining a healthy project balance feels like. You must keep your eye on all resources, staff, deadlines, any external stakeholder concerns, scope, and cost. No matter how good a COO is, sometimes the project goes wrong. It might be more complex than it looked at the beginning. Stakeholders might ask for adjustments. The timeline doubles. Potential risks are everywhere. Maybe the cost is much different than we thought. Or the PM quits. Blink, and suddenly you’re floating in the project 'black hole'. And at the center of that is the money, scheduling, and quality.So what can trigger the chain reactions that cause them? Here are several of the most common: 1. Resources underestimated When either the PM or the COO underestimates any of the resources involved in the project (whether that’s people, tech, or money) odds are there will be a resource crunch that is not likely to be resolved unless you push deadlines back, spend more money, or bring in more people or overwork the ones you have. 2. Miscalculation of deadlines The time each task (large or small) in a project takes has to be estimated. That means there’s lots of opportunity to miscalculate. Pls, unexpected things happen which can also impact all the processes around it. All of it means missed deadlines and extended timelines. This disrupts the balance. 3. Scope creep Ah, this little beauty is the bane of every PM, COO, and any team involved. When your project’s scope goes beyond the original parameters or objectives, you’ll have to adjust time, deadlines, cost, resources, and workforce. Otherwise, you’ll be plagued by incorrect project balances. 4. Bad communication When communication is ineffective, there will be misunderstandings. And misunderstandings always affect project expectations. And then yet again, a project balance is off kilter. 4. Neglecting Risk Management Risk is woven into even the “safest” of projects. We all know Murphy’s Law and how it’s best to plan for things going wrong. When potential risks aren’t identified or managed, the first thing they’ll do when they show up is knock the project balance. The bottom line is this – it’s really hard to keep everything going smoothly once problems start to arise. And once you have one incorrect project balance, it’s hard to keep the other ones from being impacted. How incorrect project balances wreak havoc When you’re suffering with project balances that are wrong or unreliable, the knock-on effects are brutal. Do any of these sound familiar? Chaos in operations: You need your operations to run smoothly, but once you have gaps in one part of your operations, you might have to siphon resources from other projects to plug the gap. That causes a domino effect, and everything is delayed or disrupted. That makes it hard to keep your balances anywhere near accurate. The money abyss: Whether it’s because of errors or changes, unexpected costs can start to pile up and nickel and dime you to death. Suddenly, your budget’s totally shot, but there’s nothing you can do about it because costs have to be met. Personal Stress: Whew, if you manage to avoid incorrect project balances taking their toll on your mind and your body, you’re very lucky. Stress costs. It costs you sleepless nights, anxiety and even ulcers, and can impact your moods and mental health. No one, even the most experienced COO, should have to fantastize about running for the hills to be a hermit. Teams are shattered: Your teams are impacted too. They can go through the same mental and physical stress. They might be pulling all-nighters or shutting out everything else in their lives to keep the project afloat. Working relationships can be damaged. Not only are they exhausted, but they won’t be happy. And that’s going to lead to quitting or burnout. Either way everyone loses. This isn’t about pointing the finger of blame for these problems; unless real negligence is involved, people do make mistakes and unpredictable events happen. But at the end of the day, it’s you as the COO who has to take the fall and explain to the C-Suite and stakeholders why things are the way they are. Strategies to Avoid the 'Black Hole' No one wants to float around in space forever. (Except adventurous 6-year-olds). So, how can you make your life easier by cutting the possibility of incorrect project balances way back? Here are six of the most popular steps: Use the tech that’s available to you: COOs and PMs that use the most cutting-edge project management tools and software will have jobs that are a lot easier. Why? They get real-time data and analytics. They’ll get numbers that are reliable 24-7. And when things go wrong, the right tools will make automatic adjustments and recommendations for pivoting. Get agile: Agile is a word that’s used a lot, but it’s for good reason. The more agile your approach, the better you’ll be when challenges or opportunities to do something better pop up. You and your teams will be less likely to panic when things demand change, because you’ll understand that readjusting is part of any project. It’s all part of the process. And when you’re not panicking, you’ll make better decisions. Encourage a collaborative attitude: Projects don’t happen if people can’t work together. Teams that practice open communication and teamwork will mean more eyes are on the situation. Obstacles are spotted earlier. Potential solutions will be more plentiful. When everyone’s involved in project reviews, there aren’t any surprises. Learning and upskilling: This doesn’t sound like an obvious solution, but this is more of a long-term strategy. There is zero chance that if you and your team are behind the times with strategies and best practices you will operate in the most efficient way. But if you and your team are up on the landscape of IT Services and project management, you’re far more likely to enjoy the best performance possible throughout a project. Good management of risk: When your team takes the time at the top of the project to identify risks and re-evaluate throughout the course of a project, you’ll always have a contingency plan ready. That saves time and resources. And you’ll have a stronger project at the end of it. Good communication with everyone: Every single person with a connection to the project needs to be kept in the loop. All communication should be transparent and timely – even when things go wrong. Misunderstandings and mistakes can be reduced when there are regular meetings and updates. These steps will start you on the right path to better project balances. It’s a lot of work, but you’ll be able to sleep better at night. Though…there’s one thing that can bring you all these benefits with just one process. Automation and your project balances There are two things that using an end-to-end, integrated automation solution does that will improve your life in ways right now you can’t imagine. First, automation takes away the causes of incorrect project balances. There is no more guesswork in resource allocation or timeline estimation because you’ve got real time data-driven numbers to keep you on the right path. Scope creep is a thing of the past, because you’ll never lose sight of the scope. When things start to come off course a bit, you’ll know right away instead of getting a nasty shock. And risk management will be so much easier because with automation all compliance is constantly monitored, risks are identified and graded, and solutions are automatically proposed. Automation also makes communication crystal clear because it knocks down silos. Information flow is streamlined. Misunderstandings and mistakes are cut way down. Everyone’s on the same page. And when your automation solution is cutting-edge, you benefit from the best practices and most effective project management processes that will keep your project as efficient as possible. Second, because the causes of incorrect project balances are now either seriously reduced or eliminated altogether, you don’t have to worry about how they impact you and your teams. You’re free to focus on what you need to focus on, because you and your team no longer have to put out fires. And you’ll be able to take back reliable balances to the C-Suite and stakeholders, confident that you know exactly where everything is.As a COO, you put a tremendous amount of work. You deserve to have correct project balances that reflect how much effort you and your team put into projects. As with everything else, once you understand what’s behind incorrect project balances, you’re in a much better place to take the actions necessary to keep your teams and your projects balanced (and your ulcer medication at bay!). Or you could let automation do it for you. Get out of the black hole for good. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi Bluefort's end-to-end subscription platform simplifies challenges, ensuring COOs like you can lead with confidence. Ready to transform your business? Schedule a Free Discovery Call today. Step out of the black hole and into clarity.

Oh SaaS CFOs out there. We see you. We know you’re spinning one jillion plates. And the biggest one, the most dreadful one is the slow month-end financial closure. You know exactly what happens near the end of every month. Suddenly it’s ACTION day – cue the running, the shouting, the tutting, and the tense meetings. It’s a high-pressure and high-stakes race against the clock. And it’s no good for you. You’re losing sleep, your nerves are shot, you’re suffering with headaches, or you’re taking something for the anxiety. The Challenges The finances of a SaaS company ain’t your mama’s checkbook. There's recurring revenue, customer contracts that are more complex than the shop you got lost in when you were a kid, getting reliable numbers and a steady cash flow, staying compliant, and juggling pricing models that change more than promotions at McDonalds. Being a SaaS CFO can feel like a Herculean task. The Ulcer-inducing Slow Closure Slow month-end closures can get you popping anti-acids like M&Ms. Slow month-end closures cause rushed work and mistakes. And there’s a ripple effect, because that rushed, incorrect work results in delayed insights, bad business decisions, and the inevitable trust issues with stakeholders and customers. It's more than just the deadline and number-crunching type of challenges that cause the damage. It’s how all these challenges with slow closures take a physical and mental toll too. What’s behind the month-end chaos? Is it the soul-crushing manual data entry day after day? The massive silos that mean a real-time view of your finances is an impossible ask? The countless hours tearing through invoice changes and reconciliations? It’s a lot of things, but it’s almost always tied to these problems: Manual Processes: Relying on manual work is one of the biggest causes of slowing down the month-end close process. Everything from long hours to errors in spreadsheets make it hard to be fast and steady. High churn: High subscription customer churn rate makes the close process a lot harder because the Finance team isn’t able to keep real-time track of the customer base. It also makes it hard for you to forecast revenue and expenses.  Bad Data Management: Bad practice causes slow closing. If management is outdated or inefficient (mishandling of financial disclosures, risk factors in financial reporting) life gets very difficult.  No Transparency: When there’s miscommunication, and data doesn’t flow between departments, that leads to a slowing of the close process. It takes a long time to manually make sure everything’s right. Closing Pressure: Some companies think the best way to get employees to work harder is to pile even more pressure on them. Up the stakes. Employees work longer hours and they start to feel stressed, burnout and make mistakes. It’s not their fault – they’re only human – but mistakes slow down the process. Recurring Revenue Leakage: When you’re leaking money from your subscription billing problems, that will definitely slow down the month-end close process. It’s challenging to get the time to find and chase missing money on top of everything else. It’s a lot. But now that you know your roadblocks, you can finally start to knock them out of your way. Bluefort's cutting-edge end-to-end platform is designed to streamline your financial operations, automate repetitive tasks, and provide real-time insights through AI-powered analytics. Strategies to Accelerate Your Closings If you’re ready to make some changes to speed up your closings, here are some of the most effective strategies: Standardize procedures By creating standardized processes, you can cut down on errors and boost efficiency. It helps knock down silos between teams so there’s better information flow. This is key for closures. Plus – bonus, it’s easier to train new recruits. Consider the Continuous Close If going through all those transactions and reconciliations at the end of the month is the heart of your stress, consider switching to a weekly or even daily model. That way the workload is spread, and takes the high-pressure stakes, the long hours, and the office cold pizza, away for good. Use AI to Supercharge the Speed All the repetitive tasks can be automated, from data entry to report generation. Errors are reduced. You, your Finance team AND your sales team finally have the time to sort out all the closings because so much less needs to be done. Train The more trained and skilled your teams are with new tech tools, the better they will be able to do their jobs. They’ll be happier and feel more valued. Remain Compliant Compliance rules are tough to keep up with. Not only do they change all the time, but international compliance adds another layer to the complexity. But compliance (and the potential fines it brings) is tied to revenue, so the sooner any compliance processes are cleared up and automated, the more confident you are in closing fast, and the more money stays in your account. Get Ready to Scale Scaling always seems to come at the worst time – when your teams are stretched and struggling to keep up as it is. But if you grab the best financial management software, train your teams, and significantly improve your financial planning and analysis ahead of the curve, you’ll be ready to go. The Best Advantage You Can Get Being in the SaaS industry means our customers know exactly how tech can enhance their lives. So why would you deny yourself the same experience? You deserve the tools you need to revolutionise your financial processes? It is possible – even a simple process – to speed up the closing process. You can enjoy: ERP that turns the financial chaos into order. AI-powered analytics that give you the data you need in real time, from the department that has it. It’s a good foundation for making strategic decisions. A cloud-based financial management platform that keeps track of every process, automates it, and gives you whatever you need. Tech takes away all the tasks you are forced to do, so you have time to do the tasks you want to do. Ready to Break Free from Month-End Financial Chaos? We understand the pressure and stress that comes with slow month-end financial closures for SaaS CFOs. Bluefort is here to help you transform your financial processes and accelerate your closing cycle. Our cutting-edge end-to-end platform is designed to streamline your financial operations, automate repetitive tasks, and provide real-time insights through AI-powered analytics. Say goodbye to manual data entry, compliance woes, and rushed work. With Bluefort, you can enjoy a seamless, efficient, and error-free financial close. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Don't let slow closures and financial challenges hold you back. It's time to embrace technology and take control of your financial processes. Schedule a consultation with Bluefort today to revolutionize your financial management and unlock your SaaS company's true potential.

Hoo boy. We figured it was time to write about the c-word. Somebody has to. You know which word we’re talking about. Churn. It’s like a bad breakup. Maybe the customer’s fallen out of love with your product. Maybe they found a product that’s better. Maybe they’ve just outgrown you. And the next thing you know, they leave. They cancel. They might even ghost you without any explanation. And you’re left trying to figure out what you did wrong. And once it happens more than one time, it can really mess up your business. No doubt churn has kept you awake or popping the ulcer medication at some point.Any of these problems sound familiar? 1. Haemorrhaging Money Churn can crush your company's bottom line. And it’s a double penalty- you lose both the money from the subscription and the money it cost to acquire that customer in the first place. Then you have to shell out even more money to get a new customer to replace them. 2. You Lose Your Fans Happy customers are free advertising (wow, something that’s free!). In fact, word of mouth successfully converts new customers more often than anything else. But when customers leave you, they’re not singing your praises. They’re probably talking smack behind your back. 3. It Crushes Morale The SaaS industry is high-pressure for its teams. But churn can make them wonder why on earth they’re working so hard- especially if they’re in a customer-facing role. Churn causes frustration. Churn robs workers of their confidence. And that spreads among your teams. 4. Impact on Growth Metrics Churn cuts growth metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) which are necessary to assess growth. They’re also what those stakeholders focus on in those board meetings. It’s hard to assure them about future growth and stability when those growth metrics stagnate or decline. 5. Invest-ability It’s hard enough getting funding at the best of times. But high churn rates deter potential investors even more. Investors need to see that your SaaS company keeps its customers over the long term because this is a good indicator of product-market fit and potential profitability. Churn makes a company feel and look unstable. The last thing you want your SaaS business to feel is unstable. There’s too much pressure and competition in the SaaS landscape as it is. So it’s time to tackle churn once as for all, so that you and your teams can enjoy building your customer base and scaling as much as you want. Causes of Churn It’s hard to tackle churn without knowing what it comes from. One of the biggest challenges about churn is that customers don’t give you a Von-Trapp-family-singers-so-long-farewell song. They’re just gone. Then you blink and another one’s gone. Then you blink, and tons of them are gone before you had a chance to figure out what’s up. So what are the causes of churn? Bad User Experience Products that are difficult to use, or have bug and bug, or need a too-intense onboarding experience make customers run for the hills. Fast. Same thing happens if customer service resources are strained and your people can’t give them a good user experience. They Don’t See the Value It doesn’t matter if your product is better than the crispiest, golden-ist grilled cheese sandwich ever made- if customers don’t see the value, they’ll bounce. They Found Better Elsewhere The SaaS market is nearly as competitive as a junior high dodgeball game. If a competitor offers your customer something that’s got more features, is more user-friendly, or cheaper, they’ll leave and probably won’t look back. Neglecting Customer Success Initiatives These days companies are going out of their way to court customers. This includes freely giving them resources and then showcasing their success with the products in videos, podcasts, articles, etc. Not doing this makes it harder for your customers to emotionally invest in your brand and cuts off the social proof you need to keep other customers on side. Knowing the causes of churn can help you figure out where you can improve. It might take a little experimentation, or a few uncomfortable customer conversations, but it will be worth it. When you get proactive you cut churn, boost customer loyalty, drive growth for your SaaS business, and get that sweet, sweet cash rolling in. So what steps can you take to stop it? Bluefort's innovative solutions are here to help you tackle churn head-on and unlock the path to growth, scalability, and profitability. What to do about churn There are a lot of different things you can do to cut churn for good. SaaS companies like to do things that are unusual and innovative - it’s at the heart of how we see the world. So this list has more unusual strategies as well as the time-tested ones. 1. Improve Customer Onboarding Clear and easy onboarding is so important if you want to set up customers for success from square 1. Give them the help and resources that they need - demonstrations, tutorials and any other content that helps them use your product to its full potential. 2. Get to them first We get that resources can be strained, but it’s important to never wait to reach out until there’s a problem. Check in. Do they need anything? It’s better to sort out issues before they blow up. Boost the product: Continually work on that product using customer feedback and advice not only gives you a stronger offering, but shows your customers you care about their success. 3. Design a customer success program that develops their goals Your customer’s success with their products is key to your success. Help them achieve their goals while using your product. Personalized support, a learning academy, and extra resources will help them achieve their goals. Why would they leave? 4. Get flexible on the pricing Customers love flexibility. They want options. They need to stay in their budget. Different pricing tiers or usage plans will both cater to a wider range of customers and accommodate their changes in need. 5. Yeah, the AI You don’t have to fear AI - it’s here to give you info on user behavior data to help you predict when customers are likely to run. This helps you up your game before they even think about leaving. 6. Share the Love with Customer Success Stories Who doesn’t love a good success story? They bring your customers and your products to life. Share their personalized success stories. Make them customer ambassadors. This creates a sense of community and loyalty. 7. Give 'em a Break with 'Pause Instead of Cancel' Options We’ve all been at a point where we just need some breathing room (usually after we’ve been around a Neapolitan pizza). Not a lot of companies do this, but give your customers a chance to pause instead of cancel your subscription. This gives them the flexibility they need, but keeps them in your world. 8. Make them feel like partners with co-creation Involve your customers in product development. Their insight is invaluable! They’ll also get emotionally invested in your brand, and become loyal. It turns customers into die-hard fans. 9. Wow Them with Augmented Reality (AR) Are you ready to push things from possibility to reality? AR can make your product tours fun and interactive. They help customers understand and love your product too. And how many people will they tell about the experience? 10. Show you care with social responsibility It’s a fact - customers love brands that care. Social responsibility initiatives build trust with customers, making them think twice before leaving.And that’s it! The battle against churn will never be easy. Customers are fickle! We know, because we’re customers too. It takes a lot of effort to cut churn, but it’s always worth it. Knowledge, empathy, and the best strategies will help you put up the best fight possible. When you win the battle against churn, you’re free to focus on helping your company reach the potential you’ve already seen in your vision of the future. Every single customer retained is a step towards growth, profitability, and a good night's sleep. No more c-word. Just amazing words like growth, scaling, and profitability. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Don't let churn hold you back. Embrace growth, scaling, and profitability with Bluefort's solutions today. Contact us to get started on your churn-conquering journey.

Who doesn’t need a little excitement? We're buzzing with excitement as we introduce Bluefort’s very first fireside chat. It’s the first in a series that will focus on SaaS subscription management, the expansion of our Partnership Program, and what SaaS companies have to gain from joining our family. The chat features Edward Borg Grech, Bluefort CEO and Nigel Ridpath, Bluefort Business Development Director, and the new Senior Account Executive E.J. Harof. So what did they talk about? The explosion of the SaaS subscription market, and the challenges that brings including subscription management.The good news is there’s also a solution that will make things so, so easy. Optimization While AI continues to be one of the buzzword in SaaS, the real monster lurking under our beds - the lack of optimization. Especially in the subscription landscape. Because that landscape is packed with problems – selling, revenue recognition, and collecting payments. So basically the entire process! What SaaS companies have been forced to do is act like a plumber at a 500-year-old building. Adding new pipes and joints and bits where they’re needed - an ERP here, a CRM there, a billing platform elsewhere, and something else to optimize customer communication. Anyone who has ever stayed in a really old building for long enough knows the system is 80% plumbing and 20% functionality. And it’s going to have constant problems, meaning teams spend all their time figuring out where the leaks are coming from. Fixing the hot water. Doing damage control. Figuring out how to hook everything up and keep it running. And because of scaling, the system just gets bigger, and less manageable.  And at some point it’s gonna blow up and everyone will be dripping in gross, brown water. The real problems As time goes on it gets harder for a SaaS company to review all their subscription management processes and how they interact with each other? In fact, many wouldn’t be able to pinpoint the last time they were able to do that. How could they? Their subscription base has grown so fast that they haven’t had times. But what they do know is that ROI is taking a massive hit due to labor costs and mistakes. They’re hemorrhaging money. And maybe the churn’s getting out of control. Let’s look at how the biggest impacts are seen in finance and sales. 1. Finance GAH. Accounting standards and revenue recognition. The responsibility of getting the numbers right and compliant is extremely difficult to deal with, without the right tools. They have to recalculate revenue recognition every time a subscription is upgraded or downgraded.And they have to do it for thousands of subscriptions that change constantly. And then there's the fear of compliance officers questioning the numbers. The errors resulting from an inefficient system can even force finance folks to make sales and product departments limit subscription options. That means a smaller product offering, untold missed revenue opportunities, and unhappy customers who will leave for a better offering. 2. Sales Whew. From a CRO's perspective, the sales strategy involves selling a product that a customer doesn't have. But what’s often overlooked is usage. This means the sales team has to risk pushing products that might be completely unnecessary, missing out on what the customer actually needs. This means inefficiency and high churn rates. Sales teams are bogged down with admin work instead of selling. The solution The solution isn’t just optimization of all these processes – it’s optimization into ONE process. And this has been at the heart of Bluefort’s development of the only end-to-end subscription management solution out there. We’re a SaaS subscription company too. We get it. We’ve lived the nightmare. And our journey to this solution came through three key milestones: The Scaling epiphany: We realized that the enterprise market was yearning for a solution that could manage everything involved in subscriptions at a large (and always growing) scale. Filling the Dynamics 365 gap: Our first customer discovered that Dynamics 365 didn't meet all their SaaS needs. So, we found a solution that complimented Dynamics. Customer-centric viewpoint: We decided to lean into the focus on customer needs first. And it must always stay that way. Our solution and partnership with GoCardless is designed to streamline the entire subscription process, making it as easy as pie for businesses to get paid with minimal effort. So how does the solution solve those pain points that plague SaaS companies? Revenue Bluefort's solution automates subscription payments and integrates seamlessly with Dynamics 365. This automation knocks down silos between the teams. It significantly reduces errors. It delivers real-time accurate revenue recognition no matter how many changes. It also eliminates the need for manual data entry because everything from invoicing and billing to payment collection and reconciliation is done automatically. That means the numbers can always be relied upon. And subscription offerings will never be limited because of a lack of resources. The finance department becomes available to focus on strategic tasks rather than admin. Sales Bluefort's solution addresses these issues by creating opportunities based on usage data and feeding those opportunities to the sales team automatically. All the sales team has to do is sell offerings that they know are suitable for the customer at the right time. That means more inbound revenue. Happier customers. All leads are managed and tracked. In other words, no more bad plumbing. But there’s one more big thing we talked about… Optimize subscription success and unleash growth. From lead to sale with Buefort's all-in-one SaaS platform. Our Partnership Program Our partner program is constantly growing and we’re loving it! In true Bluefort style, we don't do one-size-fits-all so we offer three types of partnerships: Referral partnerships: Perfect for those who stumble upon opportunities that they'd like to pass our way. Think of it as a friendly handshake between businesses. If we end up working with the referral, we send a thank you the referee’s way. Strategic partnerships: For those looking for teamwork. If they have another partnership prospect and they think our products would fit into the mix, we can join forces and co-sell. It's all about teamwork! Implementation partnerships: For those already in Dynamics but feel like a subscription element would add some extra spice. Doesn’t matter if they want to do the implementation themselves or want us to take the reins. And there’s plenty of room for their partners too. Wrap-up And there you have it, folks! We've chatted about the exciting world of SaaS subscriptions, tackled the challenges, and explored some pretty awesome solutions. But remember, this is just the beginning of our journey together. As we wrap up our first fireside chat, we hope you're walking away with a better understanding of the subscription landscape and how to navigate it. More importantly, we hope you feel inspired and ready to take on the SaaS world by storm! We firmly believe that with a little collaboration and a lot of passion, we can turn any challenge into an opportunity. And isn't that what the SaaS family is all about? Now, don't go too far! We've got plenty more chats lined up for you. So keep your eyes peeled and your mugs ready for our next fireside chat. We promise it's going to be another exciting deep-dive into the world of SaaS. Until then, keep blazing trails and remember, you've got a partner in Bluefort. Together, we can make the subscription world a better place. Cheers to that! 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Ready to elevate your SaaS success? Drive growth, crush churn. Transform your subscription business revenue strategy with Bluefort.

 (And How to Fix Them) Is there anyone in SaaS not talking about customer research? We see it everywhere. On paper, it looks like it should be easy. But so is eating spaghetti when you’re wearing white. The thing is, the better your customer research strategy, the better your chances of making them happy. But to get things right, you need to know what things are wrong. So grab a beverage of your choice and buckle up while we explore the seven most common Get To Know Your Customer strategy mistakes that even the best SaaS companies make. 1. Playing 'Guess Who?' with Customers You know what happens when we assume. But some companies are still assuming everything about their customer base. They forget that things and people change fast (are ANY of us the same people we were before 2020?). Shooting in the dark leads to ineffective marketing strategies, missed opportunities, and a whole lot of wasted time and resources. At best you don’t reach your customers. At worst, you make them flee in the opposite direction. The Fix: Use a combination of data-driven insights and direct feedback from conversations to understand who your customers really are. Create dynamic personas that evolve through time. Bluefort is here to revolutionize your business with our cutting-edge subscription management platform, providing the tools and insights needed to avoid common pitfalls and create a personalized, data-driven approach. 2. Betting All the Chips on the Number Like hips, numbers don't lie. But they also don't tell the whole story because people are complex. Many SaaS companies become obsessed with metrics and KPIs, overlooking all the juiciness of that sweet, sweet qualitative data. Quantitative data is great for learning what people do, but qualitative data can show you why they do it. The Fix: Just keep it balanced. Qualitative data, from things like customer interviews, open-ended surveys, and engagement responses from social media shows you emotions, unseen pain points, motivations, context, etc. 3. Going Old School Some SaaS companies love their old customer research strategies so much they should just marry them. It’s okay to be Old School in your style, or politeness, or taste in hip-hop, but it’s got no place customer research. SaaS is one of the most leading-edge, innovative industries. Markets evolve. Customer preferences alter. Tech advances. The Fix: Regularly review and update your customer research strategy. Stay flexible and open to new tools, techniques, and data sources. Be nosy and check out what your more successful competitors are doing. 4. Not Getting Personal In the digital age, personalization is everything to customers. But some companies (who shall remain nameless because this is not the occasion to get personal!) treat their customers with the same level of personalization as a Big Mac. This one-size-fits-all approach can leave customers feeling overlooked. Why wouldn’t they go to a competitor that makes them feel valued? The Fix: Get as personalized as possible using your customers’ preferences and behaviors. Tailor your communication, offers, and services to create a 'made for me' experience for your customers. It’s what they expect. Our end-to-end platform goes beyond subscription management; it delves deep into understanding your customers and provides the essential tools and insights to steer clear of errors while enabling a personalized, data-driven approach to customer research. 5. Not Digging in the Social Media Goldmine Social media isn't just for sharing videos of cats startled by cucumbers. It’s one of the best natural resources for customer insights. But many SaaS companies don’t mine social media analytics so they miss out on a wealth of information about their customers. The Fix: Leverage social media analytics and do some social media snooping on industry pages and message boards. What are customers saying? What do they like and hate? All the information you need is there, for free. Keep digging. 6. Keeping Customer Research in the 'Marketing Only' Family In every family, there’s usually only one person who changes the toilet paper rolls. You know who they are - their eye’s mad twitchy and they’re THIS CLOSE to losing it. That’s what happens when you leave the customer research to the marketing team. Everyone in a SaaS company benefits from customer research - that’s why it needs to be a group effort to nail it down. Sales knows what customers like and need. R&D knows what’s in store for customers in the future. Finance is well aware of what customers will and won’t spend their money on. The list goes on. The Fix: Knock down silos and encourage collaboration. Involve everyone in your strategies- you never know what kind of insight or ideas someone will have. The more perspectives, the better. 7. Overcomplicating the Whole Thing Some SaaS businesses have customer research processes more difficult than solving a Rubik’s Cube in the dark. Overly complex customer research procedures, designed to learn as much as possible, can frustrate customers and backfire. You know how exhausting it can be keeping in touch with all the people you love. So imagine how hard it is for customers to keep in touch with people they barely know. They won’t appreciate it if you make things hard or complex for them. No one’s got time for it. The Fix: Simplify your customer research process to make it as easy as possible. Less is often more. Focus on getting the best info and present it in a user-friendly way.There you go - the 7 biggest, baddest mistakes SaaS companies make with their Get To Know Your Customer strategies. Like with everything else, we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. But now that you’ve got how to fix each problem, you can transform your customer research strategy that will work for you. Ready to Revolutionize Your Customer Research Strategy? Customer research is the lifeblood of SaaS success, but it's easy to stumble into common pitfalls. Bluefort is here to help you navigate these challenges and supercharge your customer research strategy. Our cutting-edge subscription management platform isn't just about managing subscriptions; it's about understanding your customers inside and out. We offer the tools and insights you need to avoid these mistakes and create a personalized, data-driven approach to customer research. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Don't let guesswork, outdated strategies, or complex processes hinder your success. Schedule a consultation with Bluefort today to transform your SaaS company's growth and customer satisfaction.

One of the most frustrating things about working in SaaS is KNOWING that if a company would just give your solution a chance, they’d love it. But they just won’t listen or give it a try. You can’t get them to click on and book that demo. Or maybe they’ve got the demo, but lose steam and never find out all the amazing things your software can do for them. Either way, they’re not going to be your customer. Ugh. We know it’s wild out there. The noise and the competition take up every square inch of the SaaS landscape. That’s why if you want to market your demo, and convert your demo to a sale, you’ve got to lay down a good foundation, but you’ve got to get creative to stand out. So… where do you begin? As a SaaS company that works with SaaS companies, we want to help and share what we’ve learned from working with people in our field. But, like always, we’re going to do things a little differently. We’ve pulled together the best tips to market your demo and make it so irresistible that your demo users are more likely to convert to customers. But we’ve split them into two - traditional tips that customers expect, and then the more creative, outside-the-box tips that might help you stand out a little more. Ready? Let’s go! Maximize SaaS Demo Impact: Proven & Creative Strategies to Convert Trials into Sales. In this guide: Traditional Tips to Market Your Demo Creative Tips to Market Your SaaS Demo Traditional Tips to Take Your Demo to a Sale Creative Tips for Crafting the Demo to Lead to a Sale Conclusion Traditional Tips - Marketing Your Demo What are the more traditional strategies that work? Create Content that won’t put them to sleep The next time you’re suffering from a little insomnia, why not check out 97.8% of the SaaS industry’s content? Notice anything? Of course you didn’t because you passed out from boredom about 9 seconds in, right? The thing is, we in the SaaS industry suffer from SaaZZZZZ big time. We’re not saying software solutions are dry - there’s nothing dry about solving the problems that keep people up at night. But you’d think it was judging from the content. So when you channel your inner Benoit Blanc and do the research - not only into relevant SEO keywords, have a look at the social media accounts of your competition (and the message boards that talk about your competition’s software). Is their stuff…fun? Intriguing? Does it stand out? Use that intel to make blog posts, infographics, articles, and videos that not only show key features and benefits of your SaaS product, but keep people awake. You can share your content on social media platforms, industry forums, podcasts, conferences, and in email marketing campaigns to drive interest in your demo and why it’s so awesome. Leverage Social Proof We love a testimonial, especially by someone we trust. Showcase testimonials, case studies, and success stories from your customers who’ve already benefited from using your SaaS product. Just between us - try and pick people who at least come alive. Ask them to talk about what features they like, what problems they solve, any hesitations about change that they had before the demo, and how the change has impacted them. And if they give permission, tag them in your posts. This helps build credibility and trust, which can encourage potential customers to sign up for your demo. Offer Exclusive Incentives Everyone likes to feel special. Encouraging sign-ups for a demo by offering exclusive incentives boosts the potential relationship you can enjoy with customers. Things like limited-time discounts create urgency, while bonus features that you tailor to their specific problems will show them you care about their success. And additional support shows them you want them to feel comfortable and valued in your world. Host Webinars and Live Events We’ve seen a lot of these and have something to say that probably isn’t going to be popular: Yes, webinars and live events to demo your product are a great idea. They let potential customers see the value of your solution. People ask questions and you can smash their doubts to smithereens. Most are as thrilling as getting an anesthetic-free root canal while you’re finding out you’re getting investigated for tax fraud. The solution is simple, but it’s one that not many C-Suite bosses are going to want to hear. Whoever does the demo HAS to be someone you want to listen to. They need to have charm, a bit of humour, and tell a great story. The most interesting person will do the most interesting demo. Don’t worry if they’re not as knowledgeable about the product. You can get the product expert to work in tandem, answering the technical questions. Utilize Targeted Advertising When written well, targeted ads on platforms like Google Ads, LinkedIn, or Facebook, can help you zero in on your ideal customer profile. Different profiles will require adverts on different platforms. The best place to start is to have a think about the specific questions your potential customers would google to solve their problems. That’ll give you hints on headlines and advert wording. Both the copy and eye-catching visuals can highlight the benefits of your SaaS demo and drive sign-ups. Maximize your business growth with Bluefort’s end-to-end SaaS software platform. Unleash your revenue potential and deliver unmatched subscriber experiences. Creative Tips - Marketing Your SaaS Demo You’re still going to need to stand out and be memorable. So here are the tips that are a bit more out-of-the-box: Leverage Influencer Partnerships You’re not Atlas - don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Save the martyr complex thing for that annoying person in your family that you can’t get away from at holiday meals. Nearly every concert has those people outside who sell bottled water, burritos, and bootleg t-shirts to excited fans. And the reason they do that is because it makes sense to make the most of customer groups and markets that already exist rather than going it alone. Have a think about what types of industry influencers complement the problems that your software solves. When you partner with industry influencers or thought leaders (and you offer them something that’s mutually rewarding), they can promote your SaaS demo for you to people whose ear and trust they already have. When it comes to getting the word out, good influencers (especially those that have been around for a while) know what they’re doing. They can create a variety of content that speaks to a variety of people. What types of content are your ideal customers here for? Influencers can reach them with reviews, personal tutorials and webinars, or interviews. They’ll drive interest and sign-ups for your demo. Create a Viral Challenge or Contest Okay- yes, it’s easier said than done. There’s no way of predicting if a campaign will go viral. But if you get all Benoit Blancy about your competitors again, your research will show you what works, what’s a disaster, and what’s missing. That’s why thinking about unusual ways to give people a fun and memorable challenge or contest around your SaaS product is much more likely to get attention. It’s an ice-cold Coca Cola in a creativity desert. An irresistible prize always helps. It just has to be worth the perceived pain-in-the-buttness of signing up and giving away your email address. When you encourage users to participate and share their experiences on social media, that will help build up the buzz and attract new potential customers to sign up for your demo. Find an industry mate to couple up with This is like the influencer angle, but with a little different flavour. The right partnerships between businesses can at least double, triple, or quadruple your market really fast. Again, it’s about finding the companies whose mission and purpose complement yours. Companies who have the same ideal customer personas as you. When they do, they can not only shout out about your demo but offer your demos to their customers as a perk. The chances for successful partnerships go up even further when these companies have a need you can fill for them too. After all, partnerships must go both ways. When Zendesk and WhatsApp partnered up in 2022 they gave each other their audiences and applications. Zendesk was able to contact and give support through WhatsApp, and this drives more customers to use the WhatsApp platform more often. And it’s all about cross-promotion and cross-purposes. Some of the best SaaS companies crow about their industry partners from the rooftops, not only on social media, co-hosting events, and even creating dedicated website pages with info and links to their partners. Gamify the Demo Sign-Up Process Who doesn’t love a game? It kicks in the old mega-competitive nature (not that we’re…erm…competitive….) You can add elements of gamification to the demo sign-up process. Offer badges, points, or rewards throughout the process - when they do things like sharing your brand on social media, taking quizzes, or referring friends and colleagues. You can also add exclusive access, longer length, or even additional features in the demo as extra perks. Anything that makes the signing-up process more entertaining will be welcome. You know what it’s like when you’re stuck in filling-out-fields purgatory. It’s as fun as a mortgage application. Now that we've covered some out-of-the-box ways to market your SaaS demo and grab the attention of potential customers, it's time to focus on the demo itself. We know you love your demo. You’ve poured time and effort and sleepless nights to make it amazing. So let’s look at tips that will help you turn your demo into something that customers realize they need in their lives. Optimize subscription success and unleash growth. From lead to sale with Buefort's all-in-one SaaS platform. Traditional Tips - Demo to Sale Of course, we don’t know what your demo does, or who your target audience is. But there are certain actions you can take that are a great starting point because customers do have expectations. Focus on the Customer's Pain Points You would be shocked at how many companies try to crowbar all their potential customers’ problems into one solution. But generic solutions won’t be the kind of thing that sticks in a customer’s mind. What will stick in their mind is if you take the time to go through their specific problems. Talk to them about any doubts they may have - it will show them that you care and that you’re confident that you can help. Take this info and shape the demo to tackle their pain points and challenges. Show them how your SaaS solution can alleviate these issues and help them meet their goals. Keep it Concise and Engaging We’ve all been somewhere where someone dumped lots of information on us. It’s called knowledge blindness and it happens to all of us. Because we’ve known so much about something for a long time, we forget that other people don’t have this knowledge, and can’t always pick up on it right away. Explaining the demo in simple language, not forgetting any steps along the way will really help. And even if your software tackles a really dry topic, you can make it more engaging by constantly bringing them and their company back into the instructions. Watch out for the trap of kicking into logic mode - A solves B because of XYZ. Bring it back over and over to how they will feel when each problem is solved. This feature will save them time so that they can work on their latest innovation. This feature will take the pressure off their sales team. This feature will take them out of damage control mode. Use stories from customers you already have. If you’re still new and haven’t got a massive list, talk about how your solutions have helped you and your own teams. That’s the kind of stuff that engages people. Interactive and Personalized Experience The demo can’t just be personalised at the start. We’ve all bought things and watched the person who was looking after us disappear. Chances are your demo is interactive so encourage them to experiment and explore the features. When they do, the data you get from how your customer uses it is GOLD. It shows you what they think is what is most valuable, and what they might be missing. When you keep adjusting how your customer uses your solutions, you make them feel safer. They know you aren’t going to run off, hoping for the best. Highlight Your Competitive Advantages Yikes - it’s like online dating, with tons of options jumping right onto the screen with little effort. That customer could be smack dab in your demo, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still looking around. They probably searched online to find you, which means the algorithm will continue pumping your competitors all over your screen. So, you’ve got to showcase the features and benefits that set your SaaS product apart from competitors. And the same goes for your team - if your team is on it, and they’re good people to work with, that is a competitive advantage. (Probably the best advantage). Provide Clear Next Steps When your demo ends, it’s tempting to kind of hide, and hope that your customer will magically realise that the next step is to buy the solution. But it doesn’t work that way. Your sales team will tell you about all the times the customer phrase “I’ll think about it” has made them roll their eyes back into a coma. It’s essential to guide the potential customer towards the next steps in the sales process. You can get the ball rolling with a chat about what they liked best, what surprised them, how your software made their lives easier, and what might still be missing. The jury’s still out about when you reveal pricing - some companies like to be upfront on their website so that the cash-strapped (or cheapo) customers don’t waste their time. But maybe you like to customise pricing in the same way as your demo. Keep listening to what your customer likes and needs in your products, and be flexible about how to price. They might be able to bring you something more valuable than upfront money. For instance - maybe they have 5 colleagues who they’ve told about your demo. Maybe they want to do a software solution swap. Whatever you do, it’s important to be transparent. Don’t hit them with a surprise charge, or they’ll leave a trail of dust after they run screaming for the hills, hopping out of a customer relationship forever. Creative Tips - Crafting the Demo to Lead to a Sale Again - to be memorable, you must stand out. Taking the time to do unusual things can offer long-term benefits. Here are a few of our favourites: Dive into Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality Hoo boy, this might make you grab your heart, because unless your SaaS solutions already involve VR or AR, it’ll take time and resources upfront. But it will make your demo memorable. When you integrate VR and AR into your SaaS demo, you create an immersive and interactive experience. Potential customers can do a deep dive into your product and check out the features. It’s a way that’s more fun than the one-on-one chat. This type of idea can work especially well at live events like conferences because right off the bat people understand what your product and UX is all about. And - bonus - it shows your commitment to keeping ahead of the curve and adopting cutting-edge tools. Boom- that’s more credibility and a better reputation. Bring on the Laughs and Storytelling Your demo doesn’t have to just be an exact replication of your software. You can make it so much more fun. In our day-to-day lives, jokes and stories are how we connect with each other. Why is it that this should disappear the moment we’re in business mode? You breathe life into your SaaS demo and delight your demo user with humor and storytelling. Related anecdotes, clever inside jokes, niche stories that your audience will get right away- these are the things that relax them into your solution. You know what it’s like when someone does something funny or unexpected or tells a great story. It breaks the ice and changes the vibe. It also breaks down barriers because it becomes a shared experience. We’re big believers in injecting a bit of fun and finding stories to share. We like to feel emotionally connected with people who take the time to engage with our content. That’s important to us. Your potential customers can enjoy a stronger connection with your brand. When you tell engaging stories in your demo you help them get the real-world benefits of your product. And your brand sticks out in their mind- why wouldn’t they want to keep the relationship going? Embrace Artificial Intelligence Is it safe to say you’re already using AI in your software? Probably. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are not just for your website landing page. They can give personalized guidance and support throughout the demo experience. These smart tools can answer questions, make recommendations, and even get feedback that you can use to improve the experience. We would add a recommendation on top - AI shouldn’t be used as a substitution for people-powered customer support. But it works great during unsociable hours! And you’ve once again got that bonus of showing your customers that your company’s committed to keeping ahead of the industry trends. After all, innovation in a software company’s kind of the point. Go Behind-the-Scenes Between you and us, we like this tip because it’s always hilarious to see how people act once a camera is pointed right in their face. The difference can be SHOCKING (and very meme-able). Now we’ve got that truth out of the way, going behind the scenes really piques curiosity and puts names and faces to the software your company’s developed. If you give your demo users an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how your SaaS product was developed, you can build trust. You can showcase the passion that your experts put into your solution. Let your team members share insights. Let them tell stories about those moments where things went wrong. Or those nights they couldn’t sleep till they got an a-ha moment. The things that surprised them. And all the while, keep reconnecting back to your company’s values and vision. Long-term customers need to believe in what you’re doing, and they want to be along for the ride so they can enjoy the same success. When you give exclusive glimpses, you humanize your brand. You make these potential customers feel special. And you pique their curiosity about what’s coming in the future. Incorporate a Collaborative, Real-Time Demo Break the mold! Traditional demos usually are really passive for the demo user. So turn it into a live event that’s a collaborative and real-time demonstration where multiple potential customers can actively participate. They can all interact with your product at the same time (even if it gets chaotic, it’s certainly different to most demos!). They can be guided by one of your product experts- the most charismatic one.  Because the experience is shared, potential customers learn from each other's questions and insights. And they see how your solution performs in a multi-user environment. You create a sense of community during the demo which means a deeper connection with your brand and a higher likelihood they’ll stick around for more. For extra points, lean into the fact that this is a networking opportunity for them. They’ll be  participating with other businesses with similar challenges and experiences. Who knows what kind of collaborations can come from the time together? For even more extra bonus points, if you have brand ambassadors (they’re customers who really love your brand and solutions and will crow about it), get them involved in the demo. It’s great social proof and builds trust with your demo users because they can see with their own eyes that your products are valuable and worth buying. Leverage Virtual Escape Rooms We wanted to save the wildest one for last. Yes- you too can create an adrenaline and anxiety-soaked experience for your demo users free of charge! Why not take your SaaS demo to the next level by creating a virtual escape room experience? You can design an interconnected series of puzzles and challenges that they must solve to survive and avoid a death more painful than the ones suffered by Indiana Jones baddies. Okay, maybe not survive. Maybe not death. That would require soooo much code. But maybe a ticking clock they have to beat, and if they do, they get a prize or special discount? But, they can solve the puzzles using your product's features and functionalities. And as they go through the rabbit warren of awesome, you can expose them to different bits of your solution while having fun in an immersive environment. This way you’re memorable. You’ve given them an exciting experience, and the satisfaction of completion. Not only are they more likely to buy your product, but they are very likely to tell other people about it. Conclusion There you have it! Tips a-plenty, both traditional and a little more creative. We’re certain that some of these tips leapt out to you as things you’d love to do to both market your demo and increase the likelihood of getting conversions. By implementing these strategies and crafting your demo in innovative ways, you can rise above the noise and make yourself more memorable to potential customers. Running a SaaS business is hard. It’s unrelenting. It’s expensive - the costs of the ulcer medication before that Series A funding pitch alone can break the strongest-willed of us. But one thing that’s certain is that when you can find opportunities to make your life easier, you need to grab them. After all, that’s what you’re trying to get your customer to do. So have some fun with making your demos memorable and irresistible. That way it’ll be so much easier to get that sweet, sweet leg-up on the competition. 86% of consumers will leave a brand they trusted after two bad customer experiences. - Emplifi So if you’re looking to give your subscribers the best possible experience (and reduce churn!), make sure personalization is at the top of your priority list—it could be the difference between success and failure. And if you give these SaaS customer personalization tips a try, you’ll be on track to providing them an unforgettable experience that keeps them coming back for more. Ready to elevate your SaaS success? Drive growth, crush churn. Transform your subscription business revenue strategy with Bluefort.