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Quick Wins for Efficient SaaS Growth Hidden In Your CRM
Here is the step-by-step process we use for SaaS clients who come to us seeking efficiency and quick wins. It works well for self-funded, venture backed, or private equity owned companies that have an existing CRM, we can help if you’re using HubSpot, and want more value out of the investment they’ve made in attracting and nurturing contacts.
This approach is not rocket science, but it does work. It is also a great way to increase your marketing ROI while driving outcomes for sales.
Here’s the Key to Quick Wins You Can Implement Fast
- Audit the communications and automations along your SaaS customer lifecycle. Start by identifying what messages/materials are sent automatically along every touch point of the customer journey from subscriber to customer renewal.
- Identify communication gaps. Where do automated follow-ups stop? Where can you insert a sales team member/SDR/BDR to keep the conversation going?
- Make a list of "stuck" prospects that are in your CRM today. Can you identify/tag the contacts in your CRM that have received a demo, but have not engaged with the company within the last 60 days? If so, tag them, create a list, and analyze who they are even further
- Segment this "stuck" list into personas - for instance, maybe 50% is an IT persona who watched a demo and the other 50% is a functional buyer who has budget authority but needs IT's buy-in to move forward
- Identify what pain each persona is having at this stage. Here's an example of how we approach this with our clients....
Personalize content multiple stakeholders along the SaaS customer lifecycle
Let’s say there are two types of stakeholders: Functional buyers and IT buyers
Functional buyers have a job to be done, but they can’t because the software they are using is out of date and requires a lot of manual workarounds because it was built 15 years ago. The functional buyer is ready to go, but he/she needs IT’s support and approval to implement the software.
In this example, functional buyers often need to create a business case they can take to their boss. This is a lot of work, so we would create or repurpose a framework for a business case for them including a definition of their problem, explain how our client’s SaaS solution will solve this, and forecast possible or historical outcomes.
Then we give the IT buyer what they need. Let’s say we know from 100’s of sales calls, their #1 concern is the integration of this new SaaS product with their existing technology stack. If it can’t then that’s a huge issue. We create a simple video that shows them how this is easy. Perhaps you show your pre-built integrations, the integration process, or a well-documented API
Next we take this content and craft it into one multi-step outbound sales sequence for each persona. We typically include steps like email, phone, and text outreach (if available). We track and test the efficacy of every step to calculate ROI and effectiveness. Then we either continue or cancel this effort.
Here’s the Magic to Making This Work
The bottom line is you must care. I mean really care. Like put yourself in their shoes type of caring. Empathize with what they are experiencing and why they are having this issue. Try to solve for that and if you don’t know why they are “stuck” – ask. Give a customer that is a raving fan a call and ask them what they faced at that stage of the buying process. You can also meet with sales and ask them what feedback they are hearing in sales calls.
I know, it’s hard to spend the time to care in our hurried world, but the truth is you have to care about the prospect’s problems. Understand what they are going through and how you can incrementally help them in this moment rather than rambling on about how your software is amazing. There is time for that and it can be added to the conversation, but it cannot be the focal point. Be helpful, be of service, be patient.
Communicate with empathy and show you understand their plight and you are willing to help get them “unstuck” by providing value and making their life easier.
Do that over and over again…and you’ll evolve from lead generation to demand generation – when your customers search for you and never stop. When laggards become raving fans.
Let us know if this resonates and if so, and you’d like a hand getting more value out of your CRM – we’re happy to chat.
Hope this helps! Julie
Julie Edgett, Founder and Growth Leader
She is passionate about partnering with innovators and status quo challengers to drive market share growth for B2B SaaS and technology services firms. From her time in dot com portfolio companies to today, she thrives on crafting, running and optimizing novel growth strategies for her clients so they become “must have’s” instead of “nice to know about’s.” When she’s not dreaming up new ideas for clients, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and two teenage boys on the lake.