When it comes to SaaS trials, most businesses are hoping to encourage free users to become full fledged subscription holders with ongoing accounts. The stats however, show that only 15% of free trial users usually convert into loyal subscribers. So what does it take to get users to make the jump?
Here are some tips our SaaS clients use that have helped them pave the way from lax loyalties to long term love… like this couple!
Understand your target audience
We hope you’ve had your audience personas and data research down pat before embarking on your marketing endeavours (ಠ_ಠ). The truth is, the more you know about your target audience, the more you’ll know what it takes to get them over the line in order to subscribe. You’ll also be able to create special features and special deals for them accordingly.
Make sure you revisit all your existing data before creating a strategy to convert your trial users. The best place to start is right back at the very beginning and really understand their behaviours. This will help you discover new offers and areas of opportunity to really personalise your message and get you the conversions you’re after!
Provide value to your leads
One way to ensure you’re on your trial users’ the good side is to ensure that you provide plenty of value along the way of their customer journey. Be sure you invest in UX and special features that address their pain points and streamline their overall processes.
Another thing to do is ensure that your sales team is fully equipped to take on the mammoth task and reaching out to these individuals, nurturing them towards the finish line. Follow up calls will be absolutely necessary and you’ll want to make sure your sales team are prepared with the right bedside manner to help your cause.
Lastly, you’ll need to consider your inbound strategy. There’s no better way to provide value to your clients than by having useful inbound assets at the ready. Spread your gospel of good news to your trial users through carefully curated EDMs and social posts that speak to them and get them falling more and more in love with your offering.
Make it easy to subscribe
Once your trial users are happy with your services and enjoy the valuable assets you’ve offered, seal the deal by making the subscription process as smooth as possible. One thing you may want to consider is ensuring users can sign up for trials without having to attach their credit card details. Another thing to consider may be to have pop ups that appear near the end of the trial date which link to your subscription page.
Whatever your strategy, ensure that your UX design is up to scratch in order to rise to the task. Make sure the process doesn’t bottleneck or exacerbate matters. Streamlining your processes as smoothly as possible will make all the difference in encouraging sign ups.
Create packages
Another great way to ensure that you convert users with ease is by offering packages to them based on a combination of their needs and your best features. Companies often have 3 packages that they offer that vary in price according to their features and usefulness. These often include a basic package, a middle tier package and a premium package. Determine the best offer that will not only be useful to your users but also what will be most cost effective for you. No use putting all your eggs in one basket just to appease users only for it to work to your detriment.
With careful planning and input from your team you’ll be able to create the right packages based on the success of the trial and what’s feasible for the longevity of your business.
Try all features in a limited time frame vs. limiting particular features
Another great method of getting subscriptions is by piquing interest in certain features during the trial process. There are two great ways to do this. First of all you can showcase all your features in the limited time frame of the trial. This is a great way of showcasing your USP and get users hooked on your offering. Once the trail ends, they’ll no doubt be keen to sign up based on the great experience they’ve had with you.
The second option available is to have particular features available for use while others are restricted. The idea here is to have the available items be so Impressive that users will want to experience how much more improved their lives can be with the additional features.
Either way, both are great ways to entice prospects towards your goals.
Offer a post trial discount
Once users have embraced your offering and ascertained your USP, a great way to secure subscriptions is by offering them a discount for subscribing with you (which can often be the biggest hurdle). Better yet, creating a sense of urgency for said discount is an excellent means of getting prospects over the line and signing up for your services. Offer them your services at a discounted rate that lasts for a month. Once they’ve seen just how reliant on you they’ve become, they’ll be ready to sign up and utilise your special offer.
These are just a few great ways to convert your free trial users into subscriptions holders at the end of their online trial. If you’re a SaaS brand keen to find out what you can do to achieve a better ROI for your software, get in touch with our team today! We’ll get you a FREE 45 minute strategy session that’ll help kickstart your marketing campaigns and get you the results you’re after.
