You have five seconds to capture a potential customer’s attention.
That’s as long as it took you to read the first sentence. If this terrifies you, you might need to make some changes.
As part of a SaaS (Software as a Service) company, you may not know how to increase trial signups and demo requests. The thing is, that takes good copywriting. Poor copy will instead drive potential clients away and straight to your competitors.
Consider a magazine stand.
Copy is like a magazine cover. If the cover doesn't pique the reader's interest or address a problem, they won’t pick up the magazine.
Don’t let this happen to you with your SaaS business. The longer you wait to learn SaaS copywriting, the more money it will cost you in software sales.
If you’re ready to become a master SaaS copywriter and increase profits, stay tuned. This article will teach you some of the best SaaS copywriting strategies so you can outpace the competition.
Table of Contents
SaaS is centrally-hosted software sold to customers as a subscription or license. Think Microsoft, Adobe, or Salesforce.
Good SaaS is much more than service. It’s a lifestyle. Are you someone who crunches a lot of numbers? Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Software is for you. Finally writing that novel you’ve always had in you? Try Scrivener.
You need to sell your customer on that lifestyle. They need to see themselves using your software and solving the problems they've had for so long.
SaaS turns up in every facet of the market. There's Mint for finances, Grammarly for writing, Photoshop for graphic design, etc. Whatever the industry, SaaS is everywhere.
It’s a booming industry forecasted to grow 18% in 2021. The opportunities for success are limitless, but so is the competition. Businesses that don’t keep up quickly fail.
SaaS companies conduct business on the web, so a robust online presence is critical. The main website or landing page will be the first information people see about your company.
It’s not enough to have an online presence. Customers need to be able to find you and connect you with their needs. They won’t read the page unless you have a specific solution to their specific problems.
Imagine you’re a grocer that needs to keep tracking fresh produce. You’d need a management system for all the distributors and sources of perishable food. If you don’t have the means to manage it, your product spoils.
Good copywriting identifies a problem and expands upon that problem. It describes how your service improves quality of life and optimizes businesses.
SaaS copywriting helps you get new customers and make them stay. Some examples are your website’s landing page or articles you publish.
High-quality SaaS copywriting will:
Terrible copywriting will push potential buyers away and into the hands of competitors. That’s the last thing you want to do.
Perfect this skill, and you’ll have the best sales generator at your disposal. Ignore it, and you’ll never reach your greatest potential.
Before you write your first word, you need to know why you’re writing it. SaaS copy isn’t a journal entry. You can’t write in stream-of-consciousness and expect it to dazzle your readers.
You need to write with intent.
A few questions you can ask yourself are:
Defining your copy’s main point will help you write more in a more effective way. Write with clarity, precision, and purpose. If your call to action isn’t clear to you, then it won’t be clear to your readers.
Let’s run through another example. Your customer is finally writing a novel. It’s been percolating in their inner minds for years. But they need a way to keep track of all your pages and notes. Enter Scrivener.
The USP starts with “Typewriter, Ring Binder, Scrapbook.” It describes how their software makes writing and managing notes easier.
Notice the prominent “BUY NOW” call to action button. Never underestimate the value of a good call to action.
Draw the connection between your Unique Selling Proposition and your call to action. Use that connection to captivate your customer.
Learn why they’re reading your page and seeking your service. Then you can lead them to the conclusion that they need your service.
When you know how you can help with these goals, you understand why your company needs to reach the customer. You can then tell them about the amazing opportunity you have for them.
Now that you know why you’re writing your sales copy, you need to learn who wants your software.
You may have many assumptions about your intended audience. Never assume. Those assumptions might lead you to write copy that doesn’t address their needs.
Irrelevant copy makes readers click out of your page. Make sure you research your audience inside and out.
How do you do this?
Your copy will be more effective if you know how people interact with your products.
Learn proper audience research for your copy here.
How does your customer relate to the copy? UX research evaluates your online presence. Whether it’s your website, social media, or SEM strategy, research how customers engage.
Do they go to the page and click away two seconds later without scrolling? Do they read to the bottom? Do they click on one of the CTA buttons you’ve sprinkled throughout your copy?
A/B Testing splits your copy into two or more versions and measures them against each other. You can do this in the testing phase or live if you’re ready to change your copy to match the better page.
Heat maps show where people are lingering on the page. Users often read in an “F” format. Across, down a little, across again, until they reach the end or lose interest. Put your best arguments in those zones to receive maximum attention.
Once you gather data about your audience, don’t let it sit there. Use it in your copy.
Potential clients have no loyalty to your software services (yet). You need to earn their trust and their business. Don’t waste precious space talking about yourself. Put your customer and their needs first.
Some tips on how to do this:
If you do these things, you’ll connect to your audience on a personal level. Treat your customers how you’d want others to treat you.
Better still, treat them as if their problems and the solutions you offer are your top priority. Earn their trust and establish your credibility.
Aristotle wrote “Poetics” over 2000 years ago. Despite its age, the work created the foundation for persuasive writing. The philosopher broke down arguments into three major categories:
Imagine you’re on a blind date. You’re getting to know each other over coffee, and your date only talks about how great they are. Their job, their education, their accomplishments, and their passions.
The whole time, your partner doesn’t listen to anything you say. They don’t ask any questions or follow up on anything that you tell them.
Would you go on another date with them? Not likely.
Talking about how great your software and company are does the same thing. Your reader might get to the end of the first paragraph if you’re lucky.
SaaS sales copy must bring value to your reader to sell.
This is why research and testing are so important. You have to know who you’re talking to and what’s bothering them. Then, tell them how your service addresses their concerns.
Learn how to make our copywriting "benefit-centric" here.
Answering those questions and tailoring your copy will make your message more effective. There’s no better way to show this than by telling a story.
Picture the customer’s journey. Imagine the first notion of their problem to the stage where they buy or subscribe to your product.
A banana farmer is losing money because their bananas start rotting in transit. They have a problem that needs fixing.
They might need a way to get their product to the stores faster. Or, they could need a preservative to help the bananas stay fresh longer. Depending on the context, they'd explore different solutions.
You might program and sell logistics software that makes transport faster. They search for “produce transportation,” and your company is on top of the page.
This is where SEO and keyword focus come into play. If you’ve structured your copy well and chosen the right keywords, their research will lead them to you.
You’ve laid out what you have to offer and how it benefits your reader. How do they know that you’re telling the truth? You have supporting evidence.
The major types of social proof are:
Many SaaS companies have more than one buyer persona. You need to be aware of all your ideal customers and appeal to each one of them. If you’re too general, they’ll lose interest.
How do you create copy that appeals to many buyers? Simple. Segment your message. Draw readers to the category that best fits their needs.
Salesforce is an excellent example of a SaaS company using segmenting. On their landing page, there’s a different call to action button for each potential buyer. Each button leads to software purchasing information customized for each client.
If you use similar approaches to SaaS copywriting, you can capture potential buyers.
By now, you should have customer profiles to use when crafting segmented messages.
Group your audience based on characteristics such as demographics, interests, needs, or locations. When you’ve detailed these “buyer personas,” you can respond to that specific segment’s needs and wants.
Targeted ads use previous information stored in cookies. This information determines which ad or page appeals to which psychographics.
Psychographic segmentation measures social status, values, beliefs, and opinions. These factors can determine what drives consumer behavior. Once you understand these, you can:
It’s easy to take geographic segmentation for granted now that you can reach everyone online. The thing is, your customers’ discrete physical locations matter. Their local environment and economy affect their consumer behavior.
Don’t forget to take the above considerations when segmenting your market.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Did you understand that?
You shouldn’t have, because it doesn’t mean anything. It’s filler text for testing layouts of documents. By design, it doesn’t mean anything and doesn’t add to your content.
That’s how your copy will come across if you use too much jargon to describe your software. Customers may as well be reading nonsense because they won’t understand it.
Make your copy user-friendly. You’re not writing a doctoral dissertation or a novel. Industry-specific language can make readers feel like you’re not talking to them.
If your reader doesn’t feel like you’re talking to them, they will leave. Assume your reader hasn’t heard of your product and keep terminology straightforward.
Describe it as if they are reading about it for the first time. Be methodical and precise with your copy.
User-friendly, easy-to-read content sells software. Complicated technical jargon doesn’t.
It’s also important not to talk down to your audience. Make sure to research psychographics, demographics, and behavior. That prep work helps you find a balance when choosing your language and the level of detail you provide.
Remember how you only have five seconds to capture a reader’s attention? Make your words count. Keep your copy simple.
People tend to skim read. They want to get to the point. Your main goal is to show the reader how your software will benefit them and why they should try it now.
Overcomplicating your copy will bore your readers and make them leave your page. Cut out excess information that doesn’t contribute to your goals. Cut flowery language and wordy sentences.
Have you ever tried to read a book that is more than a hundred years old? It’s tough to follow. The sentences and paragraphs are long, and the author rambles and loses the point.
Modern reading isn’t like that. It’s short, direct, and to the point. You don’t have to wade through the treacle of elaborate descriptions to find out:
The more direct you are in your copy, the more likely you will produce demos, trials, and sales. People are busy. Show them that you know their time is valuable, and don’t waste words.
Here are some strategies to improve clarity in your copy.
You already know that you have great software. High-quality copy will highlight that and make you stand out from your competition.
Know your audience. Figure out what they need, what they want, what they need but don’t know about yet. Do the appropriate research and find out who they are, what they’re like, and how you can help them.
Segment your audience into the top few customer profiles. Then, personalize your copy to appeal to users in different markets. They’ll enjoy your software in different ways.
Find out how your reader engages with your content. Discover what works, and cut out the rest. Replace it with clear, concise, and compelling information that adds to your argument. Make sure you're not wasting anyone's time with fluff.
All you need to do is practice the principles you learned in this article to get there. Proper research, customer-centric language, and simplicity. That’s all you need to create SaaS copy that converts.
Think about what appeals to your customers, not what appeals to you. Copywriting isn’t about you.
Make your audience comfortable and find a way to make them see themselves as potential clients. Use their experiences, their language, and their emotional life. That’s their journey to using your company.
If you can do that, you’re going to earn their business, gain their trust, and see more conversions.
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