Loading...
Answers
MenuWhat's the best way to get my first 100 customers for my SMB SaaS software I'm about to launch?
We target companies with 10-100 employees using a 14-day trial, self sign up model with pricing at $5/user/month.
Answers
At that pricing I would include in your advertising that the per month fee is only about the cost of a single cup of coffee. To make that clear, tell them that you'll in fact make their first month free by emailing them a starbucks coffee coupon when they sign up. That initiates your relationship with them as more of a 'social contract', rather than a business one, since you've given them a gift (make sure to include their first name in the starbucks coupon email), and their brain now associates the $5/month fee with just a single cup of coffee, which is money they basically throw away each day anyway. A social contract makes people more committed to your brand, and pay less attention to the cost and more to the relationship. With that said, once you start a social contract, you have to keep it up (keep interacting with them in a more buddy way, in terms of email wordings, things you may send them occasionally, etc), otherwise if you switch back to treating it more like a business contract again they will get pretty offended / pissed. If you want more advice on this let me know.
There is no one best way to land your first 100 clients out the gate. I recommend running small experiments with prospective target markets in order to sculpt the right message and identify the correct market/vertical. An example, I hypothesized that LinkedIn would be the best channel to reach family law attorneys. I proved out that Twitter was a much more successful channel.
If you're specifically targeting your first 100 customers, I would make the free trial much longer. At this very early stage, you're better off with customers using your product than with paying customers. Look for customers 101- and beyond to be paying your bills. So do a 3-month free trial instead - or longer. I would also target customers in the same industry and possibly in the same geographical area. You're more likely to get referrals if you have a universe of users that are similar.
I would encourage to do pre-trial gamified engagement with target companies/employees. Create indirect yet relevant functional experience and rewards those users with something encouraging. It can be a coffee mug, T-shirt or even a month free for product. Then introduce the SaaS software to use.
Pre-trial engagement gamification can be as simple as - Q & A or Take a photo moment or Mention a problem (one your SaaS software can solve) via tweet.
I have given this method a try and seen very valuable results. Indirect relevance in gamification can be extremely helpful.
We solve this problem with our platform http://oly.io
I am a call /email away if you need further help.
All the good luck!
Best,
Shail
I would look for people who are influential in your target market and talk with them individually.
Even though your product is based online, it might be beneficial to start with local chamber of commerce networking so you can meet your prospects in person. If your product can capture their attention, keep them close to you and overcommunicate to get their feedback on what they like and don't like and where they get stuck. Help them build the habit of using your SaaS.
Iterate if you need to overcome roadblocks to successfully adopting the software - maybe make training videos, or add documentation, or make changes to the product itself if there's resistance to using some part of it.
What you want to do is really bond those early users to you and find your evangelists who will talk about your product on social media and livestreaming platforms like Periscope and Blab.
Interview the early users on video using Blab or Google Hangouts or use one of the Skype recorders to ask them how they use the product, how it helps them, how it's made their life easier or their business better, and get their permission in writing to add that to your YouTube channel and then share it on your social media channels, paying careful attention to LinkedIn, since that's where you'll find a lot of B2B customers.
Once you've built up about 5 or 6 of those evangelists, start hosting webinars. Splice the YouTube comments into the webinars so attendees can see how people just like them are using your SaaS.
The main thing is to remember to treat people as individuals and not try to lump them into a group, and really do a good job of babysitting and nurturing those early users of your service.
If you'd like some strategies on finding those people and how to reach out to them, please feel free to schedule a call with me.
I would use FB ads.
Related Questions
-
What is a better title for a startup head....Founder or CEO? Are there any pros/cons to certain titles?
The previous answers given here are great, but I've copied a trick from legendary investor Monish Pabrai that I've used in previous startups that seems to work wonders -- especially if your company does direct B2B sales. Many Founders/ CEOs are hung up on having the Founder/ CEO/ President title. As others have mentioned, those titles have become somewhat devalued in today's world -- especially if you are in a sales meeting with a large organization. Many purchasing agents at large organizations are bombarded by Founders/ CEOs/ Presidents visiting them all day. This conveys the image that a) your company is relatively small (the CEO of GM never personally sells you a car) and b) you are probably the most knowledgeable person in the organization about your product, but once you land the account the client company will mostly be dealing with newly hired second level staff. Monish recommends that Founder/ CEOs hand out a business card that has the title "Head of Sales" or "VP of Sales". By working in the Head of Sales role, and by your ability to speak knowledgeably about the product, you will convey the message that a) every person in the organization is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the product (even the sales guys) and b) you will personally be available to answer the client's questions over the long run. I've used this effectively many times myself.VR
-
How was SnapChat able to grow so quickly?
I'm answering your question assuming that you hope to be able to replicate it's own success in your own mobile app. There are a couple of factors responsible for it's growth that are instructive to anyone building a mobile app. "Leveraging the intimacy and privacy of the mobile phone." We now have an *intimate* relationship with our phone like no other device in the history of technology. Every internet company that started before around 2010 has built their core interactions around "the old web" one which was accessed primarily via a browser on a computer. Companies that start with a clean slate, should be building their interactions around how to do whatever the app is supposed to do while leveraging what is unique to people's relationship to their mobile devices. Photo-sharing has become a core part of the way we communicate now. Snapchat built something that provided an experience that leveraged the feeling of privacy and intimacy that is unique to mobile. "Provided an escape from the "maturity" of other online services." Too many parents, aunts, uncles and other "old people" have encroached into the social networks of teens and young people. As a result, they've had a desire to find places to express themselves in places inaccessible by older generations. An important distinction is that it's not just parents and relatives that young people are trying to avoid, but also employers & colleges who are increasingly using "mature" social networks to review applicants. "Leveraged PR even bad PR" The fact that the app got so much press about it being used to sext was perfect PR for the company, as it essentially reinforced the brand experience that it has today. Essentially, "if it's safe enough to send a sext, it's safe for any kind of communication I want to have." And although the safety and security of Snapchat is actually not as advertised, it still enjoys the reputation of having less impact than any primarily web-based service. Building a successful mobile application is one of the hardest challenges to face designers, programmers and entrepreneurs in the history of writing software. Happy to talk to you if you're considering building a mobile app, about what I've learned about the "table stakes" for success.TW
-
What are average profit margins in Ice Cream store business?
Hi! I am owner of an ice crean chain with 45 stores in Chile. We have stores in shopping centers, streets and also karts that you can put in events and parks. The average cost margin of ice cream (depends on the amount of materials you use in producing the ice cream) is around 40%. This is italian gelatto where you serve the ice cream without a specific measurement so your costs can vary due to the size of each portion you serve. About the brand you should focus on your unique value proposition and what kind of ice cream you are selling. We import the pastry from Italy and the fruits and milk from our country. Your ROI depends on your sales price and costs. If you focus on high market ice cream you can charge high and keep costs down.MF
-
What is the most creative way to introduce myself (and therefore my service) to 100 key decision-makers without selling or pitching anything?
You've answered your own question. Reach out to your prospects with the question, such as "How would you...". Ask what people want then give it to them if you can with integrity and thoughtfulness.DI
-
How has Uber grown so fast?
Obviously, they do the fundamentals well. Good brand. Good experience. Good word of mouth. Good PR. Etc. Etc. But after my interview with Ryan Graves, the head of Global Operations at Uber (https://www.growthhacker.tv/ryan-graves), it became clear that they are operationally advanced and this is a huge part of their success. I'll explain. Uber isn't just a single startup, it's essentially dozens of startups rolled into one because every time they enter a new city they have to establish themselves from essentially nothing (except whatever brand equity has reached the city ahead of them). This means finding/training drivers, marketing to consumers, and building out local staff to manage operations for that city. This is where Ryan Graves comes in. He has a protocol of everything that must be done, and in what order, and by who, to ensure the best chance of success in a new city. So how has Uber grown so fast? Essentially, they figured out how to grow in one locale and were relentless about refining their launch process to recreate that initial success over and over in new cities. No plan works for every city, and they've had to adapt in many situations, but it is still a driving factor for their success.BT
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.