When this topic matters
You sell SaaS product and want to launch outbound. SaaS model specifics affect what works and what does not.
Key differences: subscription (not one-time sale), often PLG interference, demo/trial as first goal.
What happens in practice
SaaS outbound complications: 1) Prospect can try product themselves (why should they talk to SDR?). 2) Technical stakeholder vs business stakeholder — different messaging. 3) Subscription = retention matters more, so lead quality matters more.
What works: focus on value, not features. Demo as goal, not immediate sale.
Why it fails
Feature-first messaging: customer does not care what product does, but what problem it solves.
Wrong stakeholder: technical buyer without budget authority, or business buyer without technical buy-in.
PLG conflict: customer signed up for free trial, but nobody contacted them in time.
How to think about it
Messaging: value-first, not feature-first. "We help you [outcome]" > "We have [feature]".
Goal: demo or trial with personalized onboarding, not immediate close.
Multi-stakeholder: identify who decides (budget) and who influences (technical). You need buy-in from both.
- Messaging: value > features
- Goal: demo/trial, not immediate sale
- Stakeholders: budget + technical buy-in
- PLG sync: coordination with product-led motion
What you gain and what you lose
Value-first messaging: higher engagement, but requires deeper customer understanding.
Demo goal: longer sales cycle, but higher quality and retention. Fast close on wrong customer = high churn.
When to apply
For every SaaS outbound. Specifics depend on: ACV (SMB vs enterprise), PLG vs sales-led, horizontal vs vertical product.
High ACV enterprise: more personalization, longer cycle. Low ACV SMB: more volume, faster qualification.
SaaS outbound = value-first messaging, demo/trial as goal, multi-stakeholder buy-in. Subscription model means lead quality matters more than quantity.