How research influenced SaaS selling strategy
Challenge
The company was developing new SaaS products for a global market and was curious if a certain product targeting individual customers would be a viable strategy.
Approach
The study was structured around the premise that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour
We conducted 1:1 interviews to gather detailed insights. The main function of the interviews was to guide the design of a comprehensive survey
Given that the target customers often utilize multiple similar tools, we focused our interviews on individuals using both free and paid tools. This approach allowed us to identify key features that justify the purchase of one tool while using other tools for free
A Qualtrics survey was distributed to 140 participants worldwide, providing a sizable dataset for the client to make informed decisions
Impact
The interviews yielded rich insights into what influences users' willingness to pay for certain tools, such as the availability of premade content. These insights were instrumental in designing a robust survey.
The survey revealed that out of 140 participants worldwide, only 3% pay for their tools, with 59% using free tools. The primary motivation to pay for tools was a low price, contrary to typical expectations for SaaS products.
In response to this research, the company opted to shift its SaaS selling strategy. This study also caught the attention of Usertesting who invited the researcher to share their findings and methodologies in a webinar.
“This survey was very interesting and there should be more like this.”
“[This survey] was helpful for me to reflect on why I use different platforms.”
“This survey was thought-provoking about the three platforms.”
- User feedback on the survey