Why B2B SaaS Companies Must Develop ROI Tools for Their Sales Process

I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of websites where B2B SaaS companies claim to save 66% in operational costs or 40% in time. This is a common ploy to articulate value and stand out from the competition, but if everyone is doing it, it becomes difficult to stand out from the crowd.?

Unfortunately, these numbers are often hollow marketing messages with no real merit or proof behind them...and buyers can tell.

This presents an excellent opportunity for innovative, customer-centric B2B businesses to take how they prove their ROI to the next level and outperform their competitors.

What's your best story of proving ROI?

In the competitive world of B2B, these tools are crucial for several reasons, each aimed at strengthening the sales process and ensuring that potential buyers see the undeniable value in the solution being offered while creating a competitive advantage in every sale.?

Educate Your Buyers

First and foremost, B2B SaaS companies need to shift their mindset from merely selling to educating.?

Specifically, educating them in the problems, why they exist, the direct and indirect impacts they might be having in their business as a result.?

The goal is to impart knowledge to potential buyers so they can learn from you. You must be able to influence their thinking and not just give them information.

This approach builds trust and positions your company as a thought leader in the industry.

By educating your buyers, you help them understand the value proposition of your solution in relation to the problems they have in a clearer and more compelling way.

The Fundamental Principle of Value

Every business decision is driven by the need to equate value to any purchase.?

Yet most sellers don’t deliberately aim to communicate this and rely largely on the buyer to make the connection.?

This is a fundamental principle.?

Buyers need to see clear benefits before they make a decision and sellers must take control of this critical element.?

This is where ROI tools come into play.?

These tools should measure the three primary reasons why clients make purchases: revenue generation, cost reduction, and risk reduction.?

Sometimes, it might be a combination of these factors that drives the decision.

Creating Business Cases

To effectively prove value, it’s essential to develop business cases or similar tools that can clearly illustrate the potential ROI.?

These cases should be proactive, involving inputs from various stakeholders to ensure that all potential benefits are highlighted.?

For instance, if your SaaS product promises to improve operational efficiency, the business case should quantify how this efficiency translates into cost savings and/or revenue generation.

Working closely with potential customers during this stage is a great way to build relationships and over time, a library of business cases can be built for future use.?

Demonstrating Substantial ROI

A significant aspect of these ROI tools is to demonstrate a substantial return on investment.?

A benchmark goal for any SaaS business should be to aim for an ROI ranging from 10 to 20 times compared to their current business processes.?

This kind of demonstrable value can change the fundamental question a potential client asks from "Should we go with them?" to "Why wouldn't we go with them?"

The second question is a far stronger position to be in for any seller.?

What lessons have you learned about developing ROI tools?

Three Key Reasons Why Clients Buy

1. Revenue Generation: Demonstrating how your product can drive additional revenue for the client is critical. This might involve showing increased sales, higher customer retention rates, or expanded market reach facilitated by your SaaS solution.

2. Cost Reduction: Cost savings are another powerful motivator. Your ROI tools should be able to show how your product can streamline operations, reduce manual labor, or cut down on other operational expenses.

3. Risk Reduction: In some industries, reducing risk is a primary driver. Whether it’s compliance risks, data security, or operational risks, your ROI tools should quantify how your product minimises these risks and the associated costs.

If you can prove more than one or all three, you are essentially value stacking and increasing the return on investment. This will create a massive competitive advantage for your company against others.

Proactive Value Proof

Often, buyers need tangible proof of the value before making a purchase.?

By proactively using ROI tools, you can provide this proof early in the sales process, making it easier for clients to justify the purchase internally.?

Transforming the Buyer’s Perspective

By consistently proving value through these ROI tools, you effectively transform the buyer’s perspective.?

Instead of merely considering whether to buy from you, they start seeing the decision as a no-brainer due to the clear, quantifiable benefits your product offers.

They NEED your solution and creating DEMAND has been the goal the entire time!

Conclusion

Developing and utilising ROI tools in the sales process is not just beneficial—it’s essential for B2B SaaS companies.?

These tools help educate buyers, demonstrate undeniable value, and facilitate a smoother, more compelling sales process.?

By focusing on revenue generation, cost reduction, and risk reduction, and proving a substantial ROI, you can turn potential objections into strong affirmations, leading to higher conversion rates and long-term client relationships.?

In the end, the aim is to change the conversation from "Should we buy?" to "Why wouldn't we buy?"?

This shift is crucial for sustained success in the competitive B2B SaaS landscape.

Questions for you

1. What's your best story of proving ROI?
2. What lessons have you learned about developing ROI tools?

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The above article is part of the B2B growth strategy newsletter.

Gavin is the Founder of Sales Market Fit and helps B2B SaaS companies be better at selling by rethinking their positioning/sales strategy to create a competitive advantage and close more sales.

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