Customers Don’t Really Care About SaaS

/  

It wasn’t that long ago that just describing your application as a “software-as-a-service (SaaS),”  or saying that it ran “in the cloud” was enough to get attention.

Companies like salesforce.com and a few other pioneers could differentiate themselves largely by saying they weren’t traditional on-premises software.  ‘Why buy applications built on old technology when you can buy solutions built on new technology?’

Not anymore.

SaaS just isn’t so new and different anymore.  In almost any market these days, people are well-aware of SaaS, and they have a decent choice of cloud-based solutions for HR, CRM, ERP and a whole range of other acronymed applications. 

“SaaS” doesn’t make you different anymore

If your goal as a marketer is to differentiate yourself, simply highlighting the fact that your solution is “SaaS,””runs in the cloud” or is “web-based”  really doesn’t do much for you anymore. 

In your marketing messages, there’s no point in putting your “SaaS-ness” or “cloudiness (?)” front & center anymore.  

For customers, it’s just not the most important thing.

Instead, focus on what customers really care about.  Explain what SaaS really means for them:

  • They can deploy the solution quickly without adding lots of new hardware
  • They can access the application from any device connected to the internet
  • They can rely on regular updates
  • They can avoid a large up-front license fee
  • They can let experts worry about uptime and security.

SaaS buyers aren’t techies

Highlighting benefits, not the technology itself, is an especially good idea for most prospective SaaS solution buyers.  Usually they’re professionals in HR, sales, marketing, or finance.  They’re not technologists. 

Of course they care about security, access, performance and other benefits that depend on the platform.  And sometimes a SaaS primer can help. (Call me if you need help with a primer.)  But most SaaS solutions are not a technical sell.

Talk so the customer will listen

Of course you’re proud of the solution you’ve built and how you’ve built it, and you’d love to tell everybody about your clever technology.

But if you want to get the attention of prospective customers, don’t talk about what you want to say.  Talk about what your customers want to hear.