So you had a great idea for a new SaaS product. Your startup business has spent the last few months meticulously developing it. And after all that, it is now ready for the public to use. But you don’t just drop it in front of people.
As is with any new product, you want to launch it right. And as it turns out, there are many ways you can do it. Let’s explore these strategies and discover how you can use them to catapult your software towards a successful adoption.
What Makes A Successful SaaS Product Launch
There are myriad ways you can go when launching your SaaS products. However, whichever way you choose, you need to have a plan for it. And here, you need to account for several key elements to ensure a successful rollout.
A Thorough Market Study
Okay, so you have likely come up with a market study during the development of the product. But remember that the market can change by the time you roll it out. Thus, you would want to do another study to gauge your current position.
Some of the things that you would want to look into are:
- Competitors: Look into what your competitors are doing with their products. Are they launching at the same time as you? Identify their strengths and weaknesses as well.
- Your target market: See if there is a shift in market preferences during the time from development to launch. You might also need to revamp your buyer personas.
- Brand value: Be clear as to what overall value you want to provide. Determine how to deliver it
- The right KPIs: To have a clearer picture of your product’s performance after launch, select the most relevant KPIs for your business goal.
Studying these factors will help you determine the best launch strategies for your product. In some instances, it might even tell you to reschedule the launch for a better date. All of these ensure that you can push it successfully.
The Right Team
In most cases, you already have the core of your launch team right when you set up your startup business. Now is the moment to expand it. Some of the vital personnel that you want to have include:
- SaaS product managers
- Marketing team members
- Customer support agents
- Contractors
Often, you might not be able to hire all of these immediately. Virtua Solutions offers a great option through outsourcing. You can sign up for product management, sales, or customer support teams without going through a complex hiring process.
A Beta Testing Strategy
After launch, you will need to refine the SaaS product further. This is where a well-planned beta testing phase becomes essential. The test also serves another purpose, hyping your product to new users.
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Image from Lifewire.
Thus, you want to include prominent members of your target market among your beta testers. Give them clear instructions on what to disclose to the public during the testing phase. The idea here is to whet their appetite about what you have in store without revealing more.
The Launch Strategies Your Startup Business Can use
With the launch plan set in place, your SaaS startup business can focus on the strategies to employ for catapulting your product. Here, you need to choose the ones that best match the type of product you are launching, as well as the target audience.
Strategy no. 1: A Lifetime Freemium Offer For Early Adopters
Drawing as many users as you can during the early weeks and months of your software launch is essential to build a core user base. One nifty trick you can use here is to offer early adopters a freemium deal. That lets them access almost all of the basic features your product has. They can also opt for upgrading to the premium version at a lower price.
Image from CharMogul.
The question here is to what extent should your free component be. For this, you have to consider just the needs of your users. You also have to think what features would make them stick longer with you. For instance, you can offer some features only found in your premium software as part of the limited deal. But you should be clear that this option is only for the first few registrants. That creates a FOMO effect that encourages them to sign up.
Strategy No. 2: Share Your Product Roadmap
Getting people interested in your initial product version might seem hard enough. But that is just the first step. You also need to think about building interest in the product after the launch. Here, the question on users’ minds will often be what they can expect from you in the next few months and even years.
Image from Age of Product.
As such, it would be a good idea to share your product roadmap with them. Talk about the features currently in development and others you might be conceptualizing. You can also talk about possible expansions based on customer feedback. All of these build hype for your next version launches.
Strategy no. 3: Do A Lot Of PR About Your Startup Business
Of course, just speaking to a small section of your target market won’t do. You need to reach out to more people as your launch date approaches. So, you want to do a lot of press releases. However, the challenge is where you can publish these releases.
Image from Marketing Donut.
Here, social media becomes a useful channel. It lets you reach out to more people without the typical hurdles of other media channels. The idea here is to connect with pages that cater to your target market. There, you can share various updates about the current progress of your product. You can also collaborate with these pages for pre-launch promos to attract more customers.
Get Your Startup Business Ready To Hype Your New Product With Our Help
Virtua Solutions is always ready to help you make your SaaS product debut a resounding success. When you sign up with us, you get more than just launch support. You can count on a full-on marketing partnership. Contact us today and get ready to hype the new release of your startup business.