What is the best strategy when you own a start-up that is trying to sell a SaaS solution? What are the best ways to monetize such a platform? Many times, in such a business model, it is difficult to separate sales form marketing, as these two happen to overlap.  The most important thing you must keep in mind is that this type of business operates online, so you should focus on the online strategies.

A possible action plan for such a business can look like this:

1. Expect that the majority of your SaaS solution leads will come through the online channels.  To achieve this:

• Your website needs to be engaging

-You should present on the website the various persona (fictional characters created to represent the different user types within a targeted demographic that might use a site or product) as part of the lead qualification process.

-The call-to-action needs to be very clear

• Offer multiple ways for visitors/prospects to reach you from your website. Telephone or chats deliver an automated process to contact the prospect in a timely manner.

2. Generate online demand. You need to generate incoming, high quality links from sources that are relevant to your SaaS solution and the persona addressed. This includes online paid advertising, as SEO/SEM is cheap and effective on the long term.

3. Establish thought leadership with blogs, webinars. Since you are a start-up, you do not have the case studies for webinars just yet, so you need to use blog marketing to educate the audience. (eg. Send a demo to the expert industry bloggers and get them to write independent opinions about your SaaS solution, articles on your community blog etc).

• Find leaders – use them to get the word out for your SaaS solution. For example, try pushing it for adoption with a few leaders in consulting industry and than use this as a case study for webinars.

4. Research on customers: online customer communities, their industry news, their key competitive points etc. What customer media you need to address?
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newAD continues to grow! This time, we are looking for a B2B Telesales Specialist.

This person will be responsible for executing and managing the telesales activities for B2B IT&C customers. The job is opened to an ambitious professional who is on the lookout for opportunities of fast career progression and its substantial rewards.

If you have more than 2 years experience in telesales, pre-sales and/or business development activities in selling complex solutions like: IT, professional services, outsourcing, software products, ISP services, telephony, etc and great English skills, then you are the right person for us!

You can find more details here: http://www.ejobs.ro/user/locuri-de-munca/b2b-telesales-specialist/396515/sqi and send your application to daniela.toader@newad.ro.

We offer flexible working conditions, a professional environment and a young dynamic team willing to support you all the way.

“If you live your life on Facebook or Twitter, then you are the right person for us”.  As I am a true Internet addict, this tweet caught my attention and eventually led to my joining the newAD team.

It has been now more than one week since I started working here.  As expected, on the first day I was full of emotion and excitement. Getting to know my new colleagues proved to be a difficult task, as I forget their names in the instant they introduced themselves.  Also, getting accustomed to the software and to the new programs I was going to use was sometimes quite challenging. However, at the end of the first day, I felt I had absorbed a lot of information and that the second day would be better.

A week has past since, and now I am proud to say that I know the names of all my colleagues. I am involved in a lot of projects and I can see now that my instincts were not wrong, as I really enjoy my tasks. At newAD, there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm, exactly what I was hoping for in a work place. Now I am looking forward to improving my  skills and to prove myself a valuable asset for newAD.

Big company, complex IT structure, stressed IT manager – what happens when he or she wants a day out of the office just to have fun, and learn something new in the same time?

If you, as an IT services provider are there to offer them the kind of professional stimulation  and relaxed atmosphere they need, all combined in an original event, the awareness you generate for your own solutions might bring sales leads, and even contracts. Best way to get to know IT people who are decision makers in their companies is to challenge them to interactive seminars where they can prove their skills and acquire additional ones.

What you need most of all to organize such an event :

• a well-known trainer in the industry of Service Management for example (most major companies have contact centers or client service departments)
• a good catchy story-line. An airport simulation is always a good idea, as it simulates a complex environment with multiple isses to tackle
• a good set of professional benefits to offer to participants, such as the possibility to develop their IT-business relationship understanding skills
• professional logistics (meeting hall, technical equipment, printed materials)

Benefits for your company, as an organizer:

• you increase your own awareness as a provider of IT services
• you get interesting network opportunities
• you have the possibility to acquire qualified leads
• ultimately, the leads you acquired have a very strong chance to turn into contracts

Can your company perform all the research, analysis, strategy, planning and management, advertising, public relations, direct marketing, internal communications, Web marketing, media buying and printing activities required by the marketing strategy in house, with reasonable costs and visible results? Does your company even have a marketing strategy developed by a professional?

I know that the marketing jargon can be a little bit confusing for professionals outside the marketing field, that is why we have put together a white paper explaining in detail why outsourcing the marketing department is a much better option than keeping operations in house: http://www.nnc-services.com/reduce-marketing-costs-through-outsourcing.html . I would really appreciate your professional opinion on this topic!