February 2015 Summaries

The traditional sales model has shifted with the rise of self-service technology, where potential customers now expect to sign up for free trials and explore product documentation without direct interaction with vendors. However, this shift also poses challenges, as it's unclear whether everyone can work things out on their own or if they need assistance. In a typical SaaS sign-up flow, sales are responsible until the trial ends, at which point responsibility passes to customer success/support teams. The focus is then on understanding what features of the product are being used and how customers perceive its value. A feature audit can help identify which features are most likely to help customers see the value of the product, and bloat-free products that start with nearly all users using their features tend to grow the business. Customer success teams should focus on understanding customer expectations and defining what success looks like for each user. By tracking activity over time, it's possible to predict failed trials and intervene before they become too costly. Ultimately, customer success teams need to provide targeted help, support, docs, tutorials, and case studies to ensure customers achieve their goals, and by doing so, create a positive experience that leads to successful trials and long-term customer retention.

We've published a book titled "Intercom on Product Management" that consolidates our best content on product management, aiming to provide practical and grounded advice for those working in the field. The book is designed to be an engaging read, optimized for various devices, and features a curated selection of our most useful learnings. It's free to download, and we encourage sharing it with others who may benefit from it, as we plan to continue writing about product management topics in the future.

Your B2B SaaS company's sales strategy should be tailored to the size of its customer base. As companies grow in size, their needs and constraints become more sophisticated, requiring a different approach to sales tactics and processes. The ideal sales strategy depends on the customer's size, ranging from early-stage startups with fewer than 10 employees to large government organizations with over 1,500 employees. Each stage of growth brings new challenges and opportunities, such as introducing middle management, establishing formal budgets, and navigating complex purchasing requirements. By understanding these differences, B2B SaaS companies can create targeted sales strategies that meet the unique needs of their customers and drive growth.