How To Make Your Subscription SaaS
Business Model Successful

SaaS subscriptions are one of the most popular and fastest-growing types of businesses. However, many subscription SaaS businesses don’t succeed because they don’t understand how to make them successful. According to Zippia, SaaS subscriptions are a good business model but are not a good way to build a profitable SaaS business. The average subscription SaaS company makes less than $20,000 in annual recurring revenue.

 In this article, we’ll show you how to make your subscription SaaS business succeed.

The 5 key components of a successful subscription SaaS business

In the world of SaaS, there are two types of businesses: those that offer a subscription-based service, and those that don’t.

Offering a subscription-based service has become the gold standard in the SaaS industry. It’s no secret why: recurring revenue is more predictable and stable than one-time sales, it builds customer loyalty, and it can be a powerful differentiator in a crowded marketplace.

But simply slapping a subscription pricing model on top of an existing product is not enough to guarantee success. To create a thriving subscription business model, you need to focus on five key components.

• A great product that people want and need
• A pricing strategy that allows you to make a profit while also attracting customers
• Marketing and sales strategies that reach your target market
•  Customer service and support that keeps customers happy
• Continuous improvement to keep your business growing

 We will discuss these all key components in detail below.

Tips for making your Subscription SaaS business model successful

1. Get the market sizing right

Too often, subscription SaaS businesses underestimate the size of the market and how much demand there actually is for their product. This can lead to them being underutilized and not being able to scale as quickly as they would like. On the other hand, if you overestimate the size of the market, you may end up with too much competition and not enough customers to go around. So it is important to do your research and come up with an accurate estimate of the potential market size for your product.

2. Build a great product

In the subscription SaaS model, building a great product is critical because that’s what your customers are paying for. They’re not paying for your company’s overhead or marketing expenses; they’re paying for the product itself. And if you don’t deliver a great product, they’ll be quick to cancel their subscription and find a competitor who does.

That’s why it’s so important to focus on building a great product from the beginning. But what makes a great product that people want and need? And how do you ensure that your subscription SaaS business model is successful?

There are several things to consider when building a great product. The first is understanding your target market and what they need. You may want to create a buyer persona to help you define the problem that you’re trying to solve. A buyer persona is a fictional person who uses your product at home or in their business and helps you understand what features would be of most value to them.

Next, you need to build a product that meets those needs while also being easy to use. To do that, you should consider all the aspects of a good product. 

What features will your potential users expect? How easy is it for them to use? What’s the right balance between functionality and design? Is it intuitive or can they figure out how to use it without any instructions?

You may also need to talk to the customers. As you build your SaaS business, you’ll find that most of your clients are existing customers who have already paid for a service or product, but are struggling with how they can pay their bills. You can help them by answering their questions and making suggestions. In return, they will recommend your product to their friends who might also find it useful. It s a win-win situation for both you and the customer.

A subscription SaaS business model is successful when it provides value to the customer. The customer must see the value in the subscription in order to continue paying for it. Don’t try to add too many features or bog yourself down in complex development plans. Just build something that solves a real problem for your customers and makes their lives easier. As long as you stay focused on that, the rest will take care of itself.

3. Create a pricing strategy that works

You need to find the right price point that will cover your costs, generate a profit, and entice customers. It can be difficult to find the right balance, but it’s worth taking the time to get it right.

There are a few things to keep in mind when setting your prices: 

First, make sure you know your costs. How much does it cost you to produce each SaaS subscription? What are your overhead costs? You need to cover your customer acquisition cost and generate a profit, so be sure to factor these in when setting your prices. 

Second, consider what you’re offering. What value does the subscription provide? Is it worth more than the cost? 

Third, consider what you’re charging. Are you offering an introductory rate? Is it a one-time payment or a recurring subscription? If you’re offering a one-time payment and your customers aren’t likely to re-subscribe, then they should be paying full price.

A pricing strategy that allows you to make a profit while also attracting customers is a successful subscription SaaS business model. This can be done through a variety of methods, including offering different pricing plans, providing a free trial, usage-based pricing, or giving discounts to new customers.

It’s important to find the right balance between profit and customer attraction, as too high of prices will scare away potential customers, while too low of prices will not provide enough subscription revenue for the business. By using a pricing strategy that allows for both profit and customer attraction, businesses can create a successful subscription SaaS business model.

4. Market your SaaS product

Use every marketing tool at your disposal to get the word out there about your SaaS product. Marketing your product is essential to a successful SaaS subscription model. In order to attract new customers and improve customer retention, you must have a consistent marketing strategy in place. This means creating a plan that outlines how you will reach your target market, what tactics you will use, and how often you will communicate with your audience. Without a strong marketing strategy, it will be difficult to make your subscription SaaS business successful.

There are many different ways to market a subscription SaaS business as follows:

• content marketing: You can create website content that educates potential customers about the benefits of using your product or service.
• paid ads: You can also run paid advertising campaigns, participate in industry events, and build relationships with bloggers and other influencers in your niche.
• social media marketing: You can use social media to promote your services. You can also gain publicity by getting featured in articles and other forms of media coverage.
• email marketing: You can send out emails to current customers, which may be the best way to market your business because you already have customers who are interested in what you offer.
• direct mail advertising: You can use direct mail advertising to promote your services. You can send out postcards, flyers, and catalogs to potential customers who are interested in your type of business.
• referral marketing: You can use referral marketing to promote your services. You can send out gift certificates, coupons, and other promotional items to people who refer customers to you.
• branding: Your brand is the name of your business or services. You can use branding to promote your services. You can use logos and other visual images on your business cards, stationery, and other marketing materials.
• public relations: You can use public relations to promote your services. You can write articles for newspapers, magazines, or newsletters and give them to journalists. You can also hire a publicist who contacts the press for you.

The most important thing is to be consistent in your efforts and to track the results so you can optimize your strategy over time. Some important SaaS metrics to check in on whether your subscription SaaS business model has been successful include:

• Customer churn: Customer churn is a metric that measures how many customers a business has lost in a given time period. If customer churn is high, it may be an indication that the company needs to make changes to its pricing or product in order to keep customers. Alternatively, if customer churn is low, the company may be able to increase prices without losing too many customers.
• Conversion rates: A high conversion rate means that many people who visit the website are signing up for a subscription, while a low conversion rate means that few people are signing up. This metric can help businesses determine whether they should continue to offer their subscription service and make changes to their website in order to improve their conversion rate.
• Cost per customer: To calculate cost per customer, divide the total cost of the subscription by the number of customers. This will give you an idea of how much each customer is costing you. There are several things you can do with this information. You can use it to determine whether you are making a profit on each customer and to identify areas where you may be able to reduce costs. You can also use it to determine whether you need more customers or if you are losing money on each one.
• Customer lifetime value (CLV): CLV is calculated by estimating the total future revenue that a customer will generate during their lifetime as a customer. This revenue can be estimated by multiplying the average customer lifetime by the average monthly or annual churn rate.
• Gross margin: Gross margin measures the profitability of a company’s products and services. The calculation takes revenue and subtracts the cost of goods sold.  A high gross margin means that the company is making more money from each product or service it sells, which is a good indicator of success. Conversely, a low gross margin could be an indication that a company is struggling to make money. There are several factors that can affect gross margin, including the cost of goods sold and the pricing strategy for products and services. Companies can improve their gross margin by lowering the cost of goods sold or by increasing prices. However, it’s important to note that increasing prices too much can lead to lower sales volumes and reduced profits.
• Net promoter score: NPS is a metric that measures customer loyalty and satisfaction. It gauges how likely customers are to recommend a company’s products or services to others.  A high NPS indicates that customers are satisfied with a company’s products or services and are likely to recommend them to others.

5. Manage your growth

As your subscriber base grows, you’ll need to make sure you can handle the increased load on your infrastructure and support systems.

Rapid user acquisition can strain your resources and put the quality of your service at risk. Additionally, too much growth can lead to pricing pressure and churn.

Managing your growth means striking the right balance between growing your customer base and maintaining the quality of your service. It also means being deliberate about how you expand into new markets and choosing the right pricing strategy for your specific business.

 Your growth strategy should include the following:

• A clear strategy for how you will expand in new markets or new geographies.
• The right pricing strategies ensure that you can manage your growth and maintain quality of service.
• A clear growth plan for when to launch new products/services, and how you will spend your marketing budget.
• How you will handle other product/service launches in the future.

 The growth process is a very powerful driver of value creation for a company. The best companies are able to grow in line with their customer’s needs while at the same time they are able to maintain excellent service quality and provide new services that meet those needs.

Final Thoughts

A subscription-based SaaS business model can be successful if you take the time to understand your customers, what they want and need, and develop a pricing strategy that meets their needs. By providing a valuable service that is easy to use and affordable, you can build a loyal customer base and enjoy a successful SaaS business. For more tips on growing your SaaS business, don’t forget to check our blog.