Episode 758 | Do Free Trials Suck?, What Moves the Needle, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer)
Feb 18, 2025
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Discover ingenious strategies for launching a SaaS product in crowded markets, including the importance of transparent positioning against competitors. Dive into the complexities of free trials and their true objectives—understanding customer motivations and the impact of urgency on conversions. Learn how to pinpoint what drives business growth, as well as pre-launch marketing tactics that build anticipation. Gain insights on navigating bottlenecks and aligning daily tasks with your bigger business goals to enhance efficiency and success.
Strategically positioning your product by emphasizing unique advantages, rather than attacking competitors, can foster customer trust and interest.
Understanding the motivations of potential customers is vital when deciding on free trial structures to ensure meaningful engagement and onboarding.
Deep dives
Launching a SaaS Product in an Established Market
When entering a market with an established competitor, new players should strategically shape their narrative to highlight their unique advantages. Focusing on positive attributes, such as superior customer service or product features, can create a compelling comparison without directly attacking competitors. For instance, promoting transparency in policies can resonate with customers who have faced deceitful tactics from established companies. This approach not only emphasizes what sets the new product apart but also avoids potential legal issues associated with naming competitors directly.
Identifying What Moves the Needle
Successful SaaS companies often achieve growth through consistent, incremental improvements fueled by well-defined strategies. Understanding the company's objectives is crucial, as different goals necessitate distinct approaches to decision-making and prioritizing initiatives. Once the primary strategy is established, founders can identify bottlenecks that hinder progress and focus their efforts on resolving these issues. This involves an ongoing assessment of what actions truly impact growth, ensuring tactical decisions align with the overall vision.
Marketing a SaaS Before Product Launch
Building anticipation for a SaaS product before its launch is essential for determining market interest and positioning. Entrepreneurs should leverage their existing networks to foster conversations and generate initial buzz, while simultaneously testing their messaging through landing pages. Engaging with potential customers helps validate the problem being addressed, which is crucial for refining the product’s market fit. By marrying product development with marketing efforts, founders can gain insights that shape both the product and promotional strategies.
The Challenge of Free Trials
While free trials can incentivize potential customers to engage with a SaaS product, they may also diminish urgency for users to fully onboard and utilize the service. Some companies have explored unique solutions, like offering refunds for completing onboarding tasks, to motivate users more effectively. However, the decision to maintain or eliminate free trials ultimately hinges on understanding the target customers' motivations and behaviors. Companies must balance providing a no-cost trial experience with cultivating a sense of commitment that drives meaningful product engagement.
In episode 758, Rob Walling is joined by Derrick Reimer to tackle a variety of listener questions. They discuss strategies for entering a market with established competitors, including how to position your product without directly attacking rivals. They also reflect on the challenges of free trials, weighing the pros and cons of extending trial periods versus incentivizing onboarding.
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Topics we cover:
(1:18) – How to launch a SaaS product in a market with an established competitor
(6:21) – Do I call out competitors by name?
(14:24) – How do you really identify what moves the needle in your Saas?
(19:59) – Breaking down the “one thing”
(23:32) – Selling and marketing SaaS before building
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!