š± Selling features, then solutions
You canāt be a unicorn unless you have a āSolutionsā landing page.
Imagine this: You're the CEO of a growing B2B SaaS startup. You've hit your numbers for the past several quarters but are starting to see growth decelerate. What's the first thing you should do? The answer is clear: Add a "solutions" section to your homepage.
Are you selling features or solutions? It depends on how early you are.
All startups start by selling features. You devised a new way to do things and supply that to your customers. Your primary goals are: Make the features better and find more people who want to use them.
When the buyer is the person who's also implementing the features, your homepage should simply tell them exactly what your features do. They've stumbled upon your website looking for a specific feature, and you have it! You'll want them to know the following:
We have the thing you need. ("Products," "Features," "Capabilities")
Here's how to use it. ("Docs," "Resources," "Learn")
This is how much it costs. ("Pricing")
Here are some startups I love that are "pre-solution."
As products mature, these startups may experience a shift in the buyer. The "buyer," in this case, is no longer one individual but a "champion" working with an implementer. Complex needs such as compliance requirements, SSO, or contractual SLAs are required, with higher average contract values (ACVs) as a result. To help the buyer, homepages may prominently feature "Contact Sales" or "Get a Demo" buttons that route complex buyers straight to a capable account executive. This is the mid-stage of B2B SaaS.
If the implementer and the champion love your product, eventually, you'll face the final boss, the decision maker. They don't need you to explain the features; they need to know why they should invest in your solution. How will it make their lives easier, help the company become more successful, or save their business money?
Eventually, great startups will have enough notoriety that decision-makers will come inbound on their own! What a great problem to have! To capture their interest and maximize the chance of conversion, a Solutions section summarizing the product features can be deployed. This section should include case studies, testimonials, or white papers, demonstrating that you have thoroughly considered the problem and have a comprehensive solution. Investment in your product will surely result in a high ROI - after all, nobody ever got fired from buying IBM!
Successful B2B SaaS startups need to serve all segments, the early-adopting implementers, the mid-stage champions, and the late-stage decision makers. As the product matures, the buyer will change, and so should the content on the homepage. Over time, startups should move away from selling just features and towards selling complete solutions. By giving buyers the correct information they need to make informed decisions, you can help them to achieve success and ultimately drive more growth for your startup.