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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.

When you work RevOps in a SaaS company, you face a lot of challenges. And those challenges raise a lot of questions when it comes to scaling your business with speed. Questions like: How can we align our sales, marketing, and customer service when we have silos? Why are we struggling to create a seamless customer experience? How can we keep up the pace of scaling, especially for the SDRs? How can we build out to generate more and more leads? What’s the best way for CSMs to nurture subscribers and help them understand how to optimize their user experience? How can we leverage the subscriber base to maximize upselling and cross-selling? If these sound familiar, you’re probably in the middle of scaling your SaaS brand. And you’ve hit a few roadblocks in your RevOps along the way. We get it. We’re a SaaS company too. That’s why we’ve pulled together our experience and knowledge to help you with the RevOps headaches that at best stifle your growth and at worst keep you up at night with stress and upset. This article is a guide to the world of RevOps, its benefits, key components, and best practices for implementation. By the end of it, you’ll have a clear understanding of how streamlined RevOps works. You deserve to have your SaaS operations run smoothly and to have a team that has the tools it needs to run your RevOps so that your lives area whole lot easier and your revenue much bigger. Break silos, drive revenue. Learn strategies to streamline your SaaS Revenue Operations! In this guide: Understanding RevOps: The Foundation of SaaS Success Marketing, Sales, and Customer Services: The Trifecta of Awesome Marketing in RevOps Sales in RevOps Customer Service in RevOps The RevOps…Opposition SaaS RevOps Success: Best Practices Speeding Up Your SaaS Game: The Need for Velocity in RevOps Maximize your business growth with Bluefort’s end-to-end SaaS software platform. Unleash your revenue potential and deliver unmatched subscriber experiences. Understanding RevOps: The Foundation of SaaS Success RevOps, short for Revenue Operations, combines marketing, sales, and customer service into a unified business model. This means it must break down traditional silos. It demands constant and consistent collaboration between these departments with the aim of creating a more centralized customer experience. And it needs to show specific results- driving increased revenue growth. The problem is (as anyone working in RevOps knows) that the SaaS landscape runs at breakneck speed. We’re talking blink-and-you-miss-huge-changes. Those changes can be industry trends, disruption, or competitor gains. On top of that is the rapid pace of your company’s own growth. Nine times out of ten, a SaaS company explodes FAST, and RevOps is meant to suddenly magic an enormous customer base out of thin air. That’s a huge ask. Which is why adopting the best RevOps model possible is essential to scale your SaaS business, stay ahead of the competition, and bring in that sweet cash. Marketing, Sales, and Customer Services: The Trifecta of Awesome Bringing together marketing, sales, and customer service teams under one umbrella is no mean feat. But when it works, it’s a beautiful thing because it ensures that your customers receive a consistent, high-quality experience at every touchpoint of their journey. That’s exactly what they want and that’s what keeps them coming back to you for more. Let’s have a quick look at the role of each team in RevOps. Marketing in RevOps It goes without saying that marketing plays a critical role in the RevOps framework because it lets people know the brand exists. It piques their interest and generates leads. The RevOps marketing team must work closely with sales and customer success teams to make sure that all messaging is consistent, targeted to the right audience, and meets the ever-changing needs of potential SaaS customers. When marketing gets the right insight about ideal customers, they can create more effective campaigns and generate higher quality leads for the sales team. Some key marketing strategies in a RevOps model might include: Content marketing to educate and engage potential customers Social media marketing to build brand awareness, generate curiosity, and connect with prospects Email marketing to nurture leads and keep your brand top-of-mind Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) adverts to drive targeted traffic to your website Disruptive advertising to differentiate the brand Sales in RevOps Sales Development Reps are the foot soldiers of RevOps. They’re brought in, expected to deliver with extremely tight deadlines, and have to work, often with cold leads. Whatever they’re given, they convert suspects into prospects. RevOps SDRs collaborate with marketing to get the necessary resources and information to generate interest. They then work with the Account Executives (AEs), who get the deal done. Key sales activities in RevOps include: Prospecting and lead qualification Spotting new opportunities Booking and facilitating product demos and presentations Negotiating contracts and closing deals Customer Service in RevOps Given how much customer churn plagues the SaaS market, customer service plays a vital role in nurturing the entire customer lifetime cycle. Customer Success Managers (CSMs) ensure that customers hang around and spend as much as possible. They’re tasked with customer retention, improving the ROI on acquisition, and the CLV (customer lifetime value). It’s a delicate operation because they’re in charge of anticipating the ever-changing needs and wants of SaaS customers, as well as ensuring customers know what they’re doing with the products they have. Customer service teams work closely with both marketing and sales to make sure that customers receive consistent support and information throughout their entire journey. Key customer success activities in RevOps include: Giving good support through various channels (e.g., phone, email, chat) when it’s needed Proactively addressing potential issues and concerns Gathering feedback from customers to inform product improvements, offerings and innovation, and marketing messaging Identifying and closing upsell and cross-sell opportunities Helping customers to make the most of the products they use and adjusting where necessary These roles form the backbone of your RevOps team. They drive revenue growth and enhance the customer experience and satisfaction. Of course, they’ve got to do all this in the face of some serious opposition. The RevOps…Opposition The Trifecta face opposition to their success everywhere. Here are four that the SaaS companies we work with are constantly up against: Lack of cross-functional collaboration: There can be a lack of good collaboration between the sales, marketing, and customer success departments because data is siloed. You probably winced just at the thought of silos. We don’t blame you. Silos are a nightmare. They’re also very common. And they kill your bottom line. The reason is simple – when teams work in isolation and don't communicate, the whole customer experience disintegrates. Data gets lost. Mismatched. Fragmented. That means crucial information and insights might not be shared or used, which means strategies aren’t aligned. Opportunities are missed. And because the teams aren’t growing together, they can’t cross-fertilize each other’s ideas to solve problems. Inefficient processes and tools: SaaS RevOps teams usually have to juggle a Frankensteined mismatch of multiple tools and processes. They’re not fully integrated. They’re not optimized. This means unnecessary inefficiencies in day-to-day operations. How can they quickly respond to changing market conditions or customer needs? They can’t. And when there is no unified data platform, insights are incomplete or inaccurate. That hinders data-driven decision-making and revenue growth. Difficulty in measuring and optimizing performance: When silos abound, there’s not an integrated process, and the SaaS continually evolves, it’s hard to establish clear, measurable, and actionable performance metrics (or KPIs). On top of that, when there’s no real-time visibility into performance, it’s hard to figure out which areas need to be improved and which strategies need to pivot. Then significant scaling becomes a pipe dream. Rapid scaling and customer base expansion: Speaking of scaling, SaaS RevOps faces huge pressure to scale fast and grow the customer base at a breakneck speed. But when they must act fast 24-7 but can’t adapt their strategies, processes, and tools you get shortcuts and compromises in quality. That’s not going to help customer acquisition or retention. Rapid growth, high levels of service, and retention rates have to be balanced and the teams must be able to work together. When there's no collaboration between teams, important customer feedback might not make its way to the right people in time. That means essential improvements and bug fixes get delayed, and nobody wants to use a service that's slow to improve. Plus, without cross-functional teamwork, you can end up with misaligned priorities and duplicated efforts, which just wastes valuable resources. All of this adds up, making it harder for SaaS businesses to grow and thrive. So breaking down those barriers and getting everyone on the same page is crucial for keeping customers satisfied and protecting the company's bottom line.. None of this is the fault of the RevOps teams. They can only do what they have the tools and the resources to do. But if they’re given the tools and resources they need, they are aligned, collaborating, and driving revenue growth and customer satisfaction. So what can you as a SaaS company do to eliminate these problems, scale your growth and establish excellent customer retention rates? Optimize subscription success and unleash growth. From strategy to operations with Buefort's all-in-one SaaS platform. SaaS RevOps Success: Best Practices Follow these best practices to implement a successful RevOps strategy in your SaaS business: 1. Assess your RevOps’ current state to see how much works, what needs to be changed, and any resistance/concerns about change. (Note: Don’t overlook resistance to change. People don’t generally like change, even if it’s in their best interests. Your RevOps teams will let you know exactly what they’re concerned about if they feel safe and encouraged to do so. And you’ll need to show them everything they have to gain by changing to get them on side.) Schedule regular meetings, encourage open channels of communication in the teams, and ask for their suggestions on what they need to do their jobs. Openly discussing potential challenges and outlining a well-defined plan for overcoming them can help alleviate concerns and build trust among team members. Providing ongoing training and support throughout the transition which will equip your people with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their new roles. Then take customer feedback into account. What’s missing? Why did customers who left leave? What do they wish would change? What do they like? It can be tough to listen to criticism, but it’s actually gold. Customers literally tell you what you have to do to make them happy. You as a SaaS company operate at high-speed, but you don't have to rush the process or neglect to establish clear goals and metrics. Thoroughly analyze current operations, find your areas to improve, nail down the measurable objectives. 2. Break Down Silos Some strategies for breaking down silos in a RevOps model include: Establishing clear lines of communication between departments Choose RevOps tools that streamline process and integrate data in real time, easily Encouraging cross-functional team meetings and brainstorming sessions Align and share KPIs and metrics across all teams Develop a shared understanding of the customer journey and each team's role in it 3. Choose the KPIs You’ve got a lot of choice, but here are some of the most helpful: Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR): Critical for SaaS because it measures the total predictable revenue generated each month from subscriptions. This shows the health of the business and helps you spot trends in revenue growth or decline. Some companies prefer ARR, but the math is pretty simple to convert between the two. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): This is the total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing, sales, and onboarding expenses. It shows how efficient the RevOps acquisition strategies are so that they can adjust. Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): One of the holy grails of KPIs – this is the total revenue a company wants to generate from a customer throughout their entire relationship. This is all about long-term value and needs its own strategies. Churn Rate: The percentage of customers who cancel. A high churn rate can point toward root causes like poor customer user experience and product fit. Sales Conversion Rate: This measures the percentage of leads that convert into paying customers. It gives insight into where bottlenecks in the sales funnel might be. 4. Build a Loyal Subscriber Base At the centre of any successful SaaS business is a strong subscriber base. It’s so important to build a base that is not only broad, but deep as well. You don’t want them going anywhere! You probably already have your team in place, hitting those phones, booking demos. And that’s a great place to start. And there are other things that RevOps can do to help the base grow. Personalized customer experience: Customers expect personalized experiences tailored to their unique needs and preferences. Data insights and customer feedback can help RevOps create targeted marketing campaigns, offer customized product recommendations, and provide relevant support resources that resonate with their users. Proactive customer success management: Engaging with customers will help RevOps weed out issues before those issues escalate, ensuring customers get maximum value. Whether that’s regular check-ins, useful onboarding materials, and best practices, customers need to know how to meet their goals with your product. When the right upselling and cross-selling opportunities are spotted, companies can introduce their customers to new products that make their experience even better. As a tip here, upsell and cross-sell is always more effective when it’s based on existing product usage rather than just which products the customer doesn’t already have. Exceptional customer support: Fast, efficient, and empathetic customer support builds loyalty and trust. Support staff should be trained and equipped with tools (like chat bots) that help them work to their potential and assure customers that they’ve got help when they need it. Continuous product improvement: Using customer feedback (and working with DevOps on prioritizing features and improvements) will keep customers engaged, buying, and spreading the word about you. It also gives you a competitive edge. Customer-centric culture: It’s more than just lip-service. It’s creating a culture that motivates and equips RevOps to show the customer that their needs are important. Customers will stay and they will convert if they know a SaaS company strives to deliver the best possible customer experience. So, how to do this? All these changes can feel pretty overwhelming. In fact, this level of change in your RevOps can seem like a huge task that could be extremely disruptive, and… …dare we say it - slow down your growth. But it doesn’t have to be like that. And here’s the best news. The technology that ties all the needs of the RevOps team together in one solution also puts speed at the center. Speeding Up Your SaaS Game: The Need for Velocity in RevOps Speed is everything. That’s why the solution has to not only help you streamline everything, but make everything much faster. Which helps you act faster. That’s why a digital automation platform is a necessity. You’re a SaaS company. You understand that the simpler and more powerful a solution, the better. Automation can unify ALL your processes and sort out all the routine tasks and processes throughout the end-to-end cycle. Here’s what you can gain with an end-to-end automation solution that solves the RevOps problems that hold back your growth and revenue, fast: Accelerated lead management: Automation speeds up the process of capturing, tracking, and nurturing leads. Your SDRs only need to focus on engaging and converting your leads. Fast-tracking email campaigns: Automating email marketing means RevOps teams to quickly send personalized, targeted upselling and cross-selling messages at the optimal time. More engagement, better results. Ultra-fast sales forecasting: Automated data analysis means accurate sales forecasts faster. Resources can be allocated to the right place at the right time. And you can make informed decisions that drive revenue growth. Rapid customer segmentation: As you scale, automation tools create detailed segments based on behavior, preferences, and needs. RevOps will have a much better idea of how to give your customer base an excellent customer experience. Expedited billing and invoicing: Automating financial processes like billing, invoicing and recurring revenue cuts down on errors and brings in that revenue with timely, trackable payments. That means healthy cash flow no matter how fast you’re growing. Boosted customer support response time: Because automation handles routine customer support tasks like ticket assignment and responses to common queries, support teams can quickly focus on solving more complex issues and building long-term relationships with customers. Real-time performance metrics: Automation can collect and analyze key performance data and KPIs in real time, which means RevOps has the insight they need to come up with the best strategies, find growth opportunities, and maximize revenue potential. Identified upsell and cross-sell opportunities: Automation analyzes customer behavior and purchase history so it can quickly spot potential upselling and cross-selling opportunities. This cuts an enormous RevOps cost, brings in new revenue, and enhances customer experience. Breaks down data silos with real-time sharing: Automation allows for real-time data sharing across departments. No more silos. Everyone has access to the information they need to unify the approach to driving growth. All this help means your RevOps team is free to focus on building that customer base as much as possible, bringing in revenue, and crushing churn for good. You and your RevOps have a lot to do. And you have to do it fast. The digital advantage that you believe that your customers deserve? You deserve it too. The future of your SaaS business is in your hands – make the most of it by implementing streamlined RevOps today. 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.

Chasing small overdue payments is a nightmare. It keeps CFOs and their teams up at night with sheer exhaustion and frustration. At best it’s something that saps your time and your soul. At worst it will have you questioning life and reality. It’s something so many of us have gone through. And it’s an end-to-end process that always follows the same pattern. Does this sound familiar to you? The Polite Reminder Okay, so you‘ve just noticed that a client has missed a payment. You think “Hmm, that’s odd and send them a gentle nudge- a polite reminder sent. But first you agonize over the wording - DON’T BE RUDE! There might even be a few smiley faces in there (you know who you are) and not too many exclamation marks. Anything to remind them “We’re friendly! We’re not mad! You can pay in this very easy way and let’s put it behind us.” And then…tumbleweeds in the inbox… Want to get paid much faster and improve cashflow? ​Revolutionize the way your business handles payments with Bluefort TAPP. The Voicemail Diplomat So then you move on to the next stage: phone calls. Your optimistic fingers might dial, excited, anticipating something. Anything. Nothing except endless rings. On hold to the same two songs everyone plays when you’re on hold, and then, just the voicemail. So you leave messages so diplomatic you wonder how on earth no one ever contacted you to be an ambassador. Yes, it’s urgent but we’re here to listen We understand what you might be going through We’re looking forward to sorting this out for everyone And the calls are unreturned. Your eye starts to twitch. You might pop an ibuprofen. Maybe two. The Passive-Aggressive (but oh so Creative) Escalation Desperate times call for desperate measures. Trying to get their attention in any way possible. Eye-catching payment reminders. Meme-inspired emails. Poetic verses about the beauty of prompt payments. And when it gets bad, the LinkedIn post about paying on time. It’s all creative ways to get the client to definitely, absolutely, fully know that they have our attention. All you want is to not have that invoice sitting on your desk or blinking on your screen, mocking you. Mocking you most cruelly. Which is a fun pressure to feel when you’re talking to stakeholders about revenue in. Note: this is where the sleepless nights really kick in. The Great Detective Because you obviously have nothing better to you, it’s time to channel your inner Angela Lansbury. Or Poirot. Or Benoit Blanc. (Whatever floats your boat.) And with your double espresso because you’re tired, you try to find them. LinkedIn. Facebook. Twitter. Insta. TikTok. Looking for something that gives the slightest bit of hope that they’re 1) alive 2) still trading 3) have money to pay their debts. You probably know where your client likes to get their coffee, and what their favorite band is, but unless you find some magical sentence like “just landed a huge account”, you’re probably feeling a lot more nervous. The Emotional Roller Coaster Days turn into weeks. Weeks into months. You’ve been sending them more messages than your best friend. You don’t even remember the last time you didn’t think of them. The emotions are all over the place. Hope. Despair. Cruel optimism. Frustration. More excuses. More “It’s getting paid today. It’s first on the list” as you pop ulcer medication and eyeroll yourself into a coma. And you can’t believe how much time and mental space this overdue payment has cost. Then the big philosophical questions start - What is life? This can’t be it, right? What has happened to me?! Will I never be able to close out this invoice spreadsheet?!?   Epilogue: The Triumph (Or So We Hope) But then, 2 months late, 5 months, 7 months late, it happens! It’s paid. Not with a bang, but a whimper. It really happened! You won! You no longer have to sleep under your desk. You can emotionally let the chase go. You’re packing up to finally go home, and then… You realize another client’s payment is late. Give me strength. It’s a truly awful experience. It takes its toll on your work life and your bottom line.You’ve probably already tried things to tackle this problem (besides changing your name and leaving the country and business altogether). But just in case you missed one, here are some things you can do to cut down on the frequency of chasing small overdue payments: Set up clear payment terms from the beginning Follow it up more regularly (ie before the payment is late) Change your approach from aggressive or confrontational to collaborative from the start Stop using the wrong way to communicate (ie email chasing vs. a phone call) Offer flexible payment options using the client’s preferred method of payment Use automation so that much more of the process is taken care for you. Whatever you decide to do, just know that you’re not alone. Most finance people know all about this, the worst end-to-end process. Hang in there- that payment’s coming. Eventually. 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 provide your customers with easy payment options to inspire long-term relationships?​

You've poured your heart, soul, investment revenue, and one jillion sleepless nights into creating an incredible SaaS product offering. And you know exactly how it will change the game for so many people out there. There’s just one obstacle - you haven’t got many customers walking through the proverbial door. As a fellow SaaS company, we understand that customer acquisition is the lifeblood of any SaaS business. That means that if there isn’t a solid strategy to bring them in, even the most brilliant products won’t get traction. It’s a frustrating place to be, and it really puts the pressure on you. The good news is that you’ve got plenty of options for where to go to supercharge your customer acquisition strategy. There are a million articles out there on strategies like: Contacting your customers personally to find out their needs Investing in SEO-boosted content marketing Referral rewards Personalized onboarding Webinars, demos, and masterclasses And those are all great recommendations. But if you want to get more customers, you’ll have to do things the others aren’t doing.That’s why we’ve pulled together some of the most out-of-the-box customer acquisition strategies to get your creative juices flowing. Because your next customer might be where you least expect it. Develop relationships with universities and students This is more of a long game and works in two ways. First working with universities can give birth to interesting research, publications, products, and campaigns. You also establish your credibility faster, expand your brand and business network, and get more attention all around. When you work with students (offering them free webinars, inviting them to your events, mentoring), you establish brand loyalty and have access to a potential workforce. Co-create content with lateral industry influencers Sometimes shortcuts are great! Industry influencers can help you make valuable content that shows off your expertise and the benefits of your SaaS product. It’s important to choose them wisely - they should be reliable, have a good reputation, and have an audience that needs your solutions. And, importantly, broaden your network of influencers. You want influencers in industries that can benefit from your solution. Macro-influencers will have a larger audience over a wider geographical area, but micro-influencers will have a small, locally-based audience. Which would work best for you? Targeting niche online communities It really can pay to go super-niche. Find and comb niche online forums, social media groups, and other communities where your target audience is engaged and active. You’ll have to invest some time and give the community value. Engage with them by sharing helpful content. Answer their questions. Occasionally showcase your SaaS product's value- doing it all the time will turn them off. Hosting virtual hackathons or innovation challenges Bring in all the tech-heads for some fun - developers, data scientists, people in incubators - bring ‘em all to create innovative solutions using your SaaS product in a virtual challenge. Always select a good prize that will generate buzz. Yeah, free subscriptions can be great, but people love big bucks. The competition can show the versatility of your software, so be open-minded about how people might want to use your solutions. With Bluefort’s end-to-end SaaS software platform, you can streamline your processes and take automation to the next level, to effortlessly personalise your customer experience. Use augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences This is a great way to be memorable. Create immersive demonstrations of your SaaS product so that potential customers get a better understanding of how your software makes their life easier. What would their world look like with your solutions in it? How would they feel better? Create a networking community for your customers One of the most tantalizing (but rare) strategies we’ve come across is creating chances for their own customers to meet one another and develop relationships outside of them. They did everything from live events to promoting the customers’ business and even personal introductions. If potential customers know that you’re so dedicated to their success that you’ll form outside relationships for them, they’ll be more likely to sign on. Don’t ignore Z They’re around 1/4 of the workforce and they’re inexplicably ignored for the most part. But soon they’re going to be making a lot more of the crucial decisions, so why not give them the attention others won’t? Here are a few points to drive home how they can be reached: 62% of Gen Z said social proof makes them confident to buy something. Gen Z holds $44 billion of buying power in the U.S. 46% of Gen Z say they are stressed all or most of the time. 37% of Gen Z rejected a job because it clashed with their ethics. (stats https://www.answeriq.com/gen-z-statistics/) Even just general stats like that shed light on the financial potential and what types of problems they’ll need solving. Collaborating with charities and non-profit organizations Consider partnering with social causes that align with your company’s mission and values. Whether you collaborate on content to raise awareness, co-sponsoring live events, or giving them your software solutions for free, there’s a huge range of things you can do. It’s all about getting creative and figuring out how you can best meet their needs. Working with charities and NPOs shows you’re committed to your beliefs and want to make a positive impact. It’s a great way to build trust and make the world a better place at the same time. You can do it When it comes to customer acquisition strategies, your strongest ally is always going to be the unshakable belief in your product. That will give you the strength and stamina to put in the work you need to get those long-life customers. Stay creative and open-minded as you figure out which acquisition strategy combination will work best for you and any given time. Though the well-traveled paths can offer plenty of help, being willing to do the things that others aren’t, can help you find the customers that others have overlooked or been unable to reach. Keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. After all, that’s what worked for your products. 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. Want to see how you can gear up your SaaS business for success, through streamlined processes and automation, with Bluefort’s solutions?

Ah, the human brain – yeah, it keeps our bodies going (can’t say the same for the knees past 40, obviously). But it can also use emotions and personality traits to mess us up in ways we might not even realize. Like with self-esteem. Relationships. Pricing strategy. It’s true - pricing strategy has emotions at the heart of it. On the surface, the SaaS industry has made pricing a crucial part of driving growth and customer acquisition. And SaaS companies have to strike the right balance between perceived value, affordability, and profitability. However, all of that has to be balanced against our brains and its mess. Stuff that not only gets in the way of making sound pricing decisions but downright sabotages the whole thing. Allow us to explain. Signs your brain’s secretly sabotaging your pricing There are tons of ways your brain will lead you astray when making the big pricing decisions: Fear of change Doesn’t matter how impulsive or free-spirited you are, all of us fear change. Don’t believe us? Then stop being impulsive and free-spirited. Change is scary, and a pain. Our primordial brains are wired to resist it. But eventually, we have to change our prices. That kicks in fear and uncertainty. Will customers run away? What if they think we’re not worth it? Stubbornness Clinging to an outdated pricing strategy like we’d cling to the cool side of the pillow on a boiling hot night is bad for business. Products change. Markets evolve. Customer expectations are all over the place. A closed mind helps no one. Laziness Oh boy. The idea of lazy people in SaaS is confusing to us- what are you doing here? This is no place for the weak! But we guess it happens. Complacency is the sworn enemy of progress. Loss aversion Our brains feel the pain of loss more than gain. We’ll bet you still remember when you were a kid and your scoop of double-chocolate ice cream plopped right on the ground. You might fixate on the fear of losing customers, revenue, and good feedback if you change, no matter how great your product is. Hiding Hiding’s great when it’s your neighbor who’s electric sander you haven’t returned. But hiding with pricing? You might be all about safety in numbers- jump on the latest pricing trend or copy your competitors. This means you’ve lost sight of your own USP. If you add up all these things together, they mainly can be traced back to one thing - fear. Fear you won’t make the right decisions. Fear you aren’t worth money. Fear they don’t understand you’re worth the money. Fear of getting it wrong. It’s easy to forget about all the amazing things we’ve accomplished. Building a SaaS company is no joke! It requires grit, vision, hard work, and commitment. That’s what makes the brain such an insidious little beast - it can just pick one thing and mess it up. With Bluefort’s end-to-end SaaS software platform, you can streamline your processes and take automation to the next level, to effortlessly personalise your customer experience. Stop it in its tracks Maybe you recognize one of the above signs. Maybe you recognize more than one. There’s no difference between this type of self-sabotage and wearing a high-powered hearing aid to a fireworks display. It’s always going to be a disaster. The thing is, there are things that can help turn it all around. Here’s how. Giving yourself the best chance After you confirm your market research is all up-to-date, it will be a lot easier to check those emotions and traits making sure they align with what you want to do. There are specific pricing strategies to think about when you figure out which is the best approach for your SaaS offering. Selecting the right strategy (or combination of strategies) depends on things like your target audience, industry landscape, competition, and unique value proposition. So, before we get back to our emotions and the like, let’s get down to business for a second. Here are some of the best-known and most popular: Cost-plus pricing This strategy is simply figuring out the cost of making your product/service and then adding a percentage on top for profit. It’s a straight-up approach, but it must align with the ideal customer’s perception of value. So cost-plus needs checking against the market and competition. Value-based pricing Value-based pricing is based on the perceived value of your product/service in the eyes of your customers. This demands a strong understanding of the problems you solve and the benefits you give. This works better when there’s less competition and demands a deep understanding of your target audience. Competitive pricing This is about altering your prices according to your competition’s offerings. This can be a tricky one because it undercuts your USP. Many businesses use competitive pricing as a starting point, and then change after brand awareness kicks in. Tiered pricing Variety is the spice of life. Tiered pricing means multiple plans or packages at different price points, features and benefits. It can be complex to run, but at least you can cater to a range of personas and encourage upgrades. Usage-based pricing AKA pay-as-you-go or metered pricing, this pricing charges customers based on their actual usage. Though it’s tough for the business to make forecasts, this model is very attractive to those whose needs are more flexible. Freemium model This gives basic version of your product/service for free, and offers features and benefits through paid upgrades. This is a great one for customer acquisition, but requires thoughtful planning to convert free users to paying. Captive pricing Similar to Freemium, it involves you offering your customers a cheap core product and then add-ons and accessories that they will eventually need to maximise the core product. The Pricing Page (Dun dun DUNNNNNN!!) A couple of years back, we heard a debate (some would say shouting match with several adult beverages involved) at a conference on whether SaaS companies should have an up-front pricing page. We’re not surprised it’s an emotional issue. The pricing page is ground zero for fear because a potential customer could run for the hills if they know the prices without first hearing the very slick sales script offered by your CSRs and AEs, right? The thing is that when done right, a good pricing page can convert website visitors to customers. But there are elements that need to be included: Clear and concise plan descriptions They should be accurate and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical language- your customers probably don’t know it. Highlighting key features Lead with the most important features and benefits of each plan so customers can choose which option is best. Icons or visual cues always help. Easy Comparison with Anchoring Customers love spotting value. You can suggest a higher price first, which makes anything that follows more reasonable. Or offer a slightly high price with a decent offering, but give much more with the higher-priced packages. Pricing transparency Pricing should be upfront because surprises later on make people bounce, fast. Social proof Testimonials, case studies, or customer logos on your pricing page can reassure people you’re worth it. Calls-to-action (CTAs) Make it easy for people to take the next step by including action-oriented, easily spotted CTAs on your pricing page. Flexibility and customization with bundles Give the people what they want- options, flexibility and personalization. Let them customize plans into bundles that are perfect for them- and then as time goes on, they can adjust as needed. Checking out the pricing on your competitors’ websites will give you information on what they’re doing and charging. And customer feedback pages and forums on the prices will give you great insight. Ready to provide your customers with easy payment options to inspire long-term relationships?​ Want to get paid much faster and improve cashflow? ​Revolutionize the way your business handles payments with Bluefort TAPP. How to get over those sabotaging traps in your pricing Finding the perfect pricing strategy is an ongoing process that requires continuous iteration and optimization. As market conditions and customer preferences evolve over time, it's essential to adapt your approach accordingly. Here are some tips for optimizing your pricing strategy: Regularly conduct A/B testing Fear usually comes from the unknown. We’re not sure what’s going on, so our brains catastrophize everything. The great thing about testing is that although the wait for results can give a little anxiety, at the end you have concrete results. Being in the SaaS industry, you are already great at experimenting. That’s how you ended up with your products. You can also extend this talent for experimenting to your pricing- it takes the pressure off you because you can’t get it wrong. You’re free to experiment with different pricing structures, tiers, and features to figure out what resonates with your target customers. Take the data insights and let that inform your pricing strategy. It’s competitive because your potential customers have already chosen what they like. Solicit customer feedback Some customers are a dream - their feedback shows they love everything you do. And their suggestions are immediately helpful and build on your strengths. Sometimes they don’t give the best feedback. In fact, they might be really unhappy with a product or process, and they don’t mind shouting it from the rooftops. But at least then you can take this feedback and improve, so that you don’t hear it again. But wait - let’s be honest here. Sometimes it’s so frustrating talking to your customers that banging your head against a wall made of straight razors would be better. They’re flaky. They change their minds. They get distracted by your competitors. Their needs evolve. They might not even know what they want. And you’re supposed to get feedback from that? The thing is that even those annoying situations shed light on their needs and problems. That’s why the hiding has to go. It’s about listening and asking questions that deepen the engagement with them. For example, maybe the reason they can’t make up their mind about a product is that the package doesn’t offer benefits that they need - or maybe they can’t see how the benefits would work. But you won’t know that until you talk to them. When you actively seek input from your existing customers (combined with your research on your competitors’ customers), you’ll better understand their needs, preferences, and willingness to pay. They are telling you what to do to make them happy. You can fine-tune your pricing strategy and ensure it aligns with their expectations. It builds trust and cuts down your anxiety and fear. Monitor performance metrics Whether you do it manually or have an automated software solution, this is an important one. Knowledge will make you feel empowered- especially if you’re a numbers person. Numbers feel secure. And they cut down stubbornness because true numbers can’t lie. It’s hard to argue against them. When you keep a close eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, average revenue per user (ARPU), and churn rates, you’ll know where you stand. No more guesswork. These metrics show you how effective your current pricing strategy is. And more importantly, it will help you find what you can change. Stay informed about market and industry trends Though this takes some time (and you’ll have to overcome laziness if that’s your Achilles heel), it pays dividends in the end. If you can’t be bothered to do it, bring someone in to do it or subscribe to SaaS industry newsletters and websites. However, you decide to do it, keep your eye on industry trends, competitor pricing, and customer preferences. That will help keep your pricing strategy relevant and up-to-date. Staying informed about where the broader market is moving can help you get over the fear of change because there will be a point where you will HAVE to change unless you want to go the way of Blockbuster and Kodak. And bonus benefit - the more you enmesh yourself in the industry, the easier it will be to also spot future trends to consider in your innovation and product strategies. Iterate and optimize It’s a mistake to see a growth mindset as woo-woo. Growth is great with profit, why wouldn’t it be great for mindset? Part of it can be down to fear of change or fear of failure, of course. But those are part of any process. And they are at the heart of SaaS. Innovation and change are built right in. That mindset of continuous improvement can absolutely impact your pricing because you’re constantly refining and optimizing your pricing strategy based on data, feedback, and market conditions. Remember that pricing is an ongoing process, not a one-time decision, and be prepared to adapt as needed. It’s an ongoing improvement, just like you. Just like your business. Conclusion In the competitive landscape of SaaS, pricing can be a make-or-break factor for your business. On top of that, sometimes our brains can sabotage our efforts - even with things as business-y as pricing. However, by becoming aware of some of the emotions and personal traits that buzz around our head during the decision-making process, we can figure out if there’s something behind our pricing. And once we know about our pricing options and how they can help us simmer down the noise inside, the road to pricing success opens. Don’t let mind tricks get the best of your business. You can craft a pricing strategy that reflects your product's value and drives sustainable growth. You’re a SaaS company and deserve to profit off your hard work and effort. The future is yours if you want it! 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. Want to see how you can gear up your SaaS business for success, through streamlined processes and automation, with Bluefort’s solutions?

There are many articles and pieces of content out there on SaaS omnichannel issues. As there should be - it’s an important topic! However, not a lot of people have thought about how SaaS omnichannel strategies can impact employee satisfaction. But it does. And knowing about it can help make operations faster and employees happier. It’s tough to work in SaaS. The pressure can be crazy. That’s why we’re here to help spread the word about opportunities that make a SaaS company stronger, and its employees more satisfied and engaged. So from one SasS company to another, let’s dive into the world of SaaS omnichannel issues, what it has to do with employees, and how SaaS businesses can overcome these roadblocks to create a work environment that rocks. Understanding SaaS Omnichannel Issues An omnichannel approach aims to give customers a seamless and consistent experience across multiple channels and touchpoints. This requires a joined-up approach to the customer success tools for smooth communication and collaboration. And it means data consistency throughout the company. That can be a massive ask. A mammoth task. Because businesses usually face a couple of challenges when trying to integrate multiple tools: 1. Integration issues: Combining platforms is complex and time-consuming. It’s easy to be seduced by ‘best-of-breed’ customer success tools, but what about the plumbing? 2. Data consistency: Accurate and up-to-date data across all platforms is daunting. How often have we been on the phone to a contact centre and they ask you to hold whilst they log into another system? 3. Cross-platform communication: How likely is good communication and collaboration between teams across platforms? It’s not uncommon to have miscommunication or delays. With Bluefort’s end-to-end SaaS software platform, you can streamline your processes and take automation to the next level, to effortlessly personalise your customer experience. How SaaS Omnichannel Issues Torture Employees Okay, maybe not “torture”. Though sometimes it probably feels that way. Here’s a tip of the iceberg as to why: 1. Lower job satisfaction Dealing with multiple SaaS platforms and fragmented systems and processes makes employees frustrated. And frustration is not a good emotional place to be. Have you ever made a good decision when you were really frustrated? We haven’t. 2. Increased stress levels The additional workload and inefficiencies caused by omnichannel issues can contribute to higher stress levels for employees. 3. Reduced motivation When employees feel they cannot meet customer expectations because of internal structures, their motivation and sense of accomplishment plummets. They’ll be unable to think of creative solutions, collaborate on new ideas, or even care what happens to the brand. 4. Higher employee turnover If it looks like a company isn’t going to provide the tools and processes employees need to succeed, they’ll be out of there the millisecond they get an offer somewhere else. They’re only humans…humans that every single lunch break debate running for the hills to be a hermit and never speak with anyone ever again. 5. Decreased productivity When employees have to waste their time managing badly connected systems, you can kiss their productivity goodbye. And that’s the eventual kiss of death for your SaaS profitability. Lower employee job satisfaction and engagement is a killer for SaaS companies. Even if you can replace employees fast, it sends your costs through the roof. What Needs to Change So, how can businesses tackle these SaaS omnichannel issues and make their workforce satisfied and engaged? Here are three of the most popular strategies: Investing in one platform When employees can access everything they need in one place and there is no Victorian plumbing, processes are streamlined. Team collaboration is better. This not only reduces the workload and stress employees face - it also ensures they have access to accurate and up-to-date information, everywhere and anywhere. Implementing effective training programs When employees have a thorough understanding of the customer success tools they're using, they are efficient and frustration becomes a thing of the past. Comprehensive training programs and ongoing support give employees the confidence and experience they need to excel. That’s simply because they have the knowledge and skills they need to tackle any challenges that might crop up. Encouraging open feedback and communication Employees need a culture of improvement and open communication. They need to feel heard and a sense of control in their environment. Your Customer Success Managers are speaking to customers all day long. Believe it – they have all the answers you need to increase your bottom line. Seeking feedback and implementing suggestions also helps a business show its people that the company is dedicated to improving the work environment and supporting their teams. Conclusion All SaaS companies work best when their employees are happy with the job. The connection between SaaS omnichannel issues and CSM satisfaction may be unexpected or passed over, but it's undeniable. When you address the challenges of going omnichannel you can not only improve your operations but also create a more satisfied, engaged, and productive workforce. And that’s the kind of investment that will pay your SaaS business back in dividends. 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. Want to see how you can gear up your SaaS business for success, through streamlined processes and automation, with Bluefort’s solutions?