SaaS for the enterprise: Making the right business decisions for success

​I love to talk to people about their businesses. Thinking through strategy. Tackling challenges and opportunities. Helping leaders take tough decisions. That has been my working life and there is nothing I would rather do. 
 
Every so often, I facilitate a group of SaaS entrepreneurs based here in Scotland. This means I get to talk business with a dozen or more startups at the same time. Heaven. 
 
The focus of the group is to share common challenges in SaaS. When we met on 4 October the discussion topic was selling to enterprise customers. This is a great sign. A number of companies in the group are now mature enough to be targeting deals with larger customers. (We also had some new joiners so the community is growing nicely.)
 
Our discussion picked up some great ideas that would help anyone dealing with large companies. The main things in my mind are: Team/ hiring; target markets; patience and process; land and expand. 

Build the right team

​Enterprise revenues are like every other aspect of your business. The biggest determinant of success if the quality of your team.
 
You need to find a way to sell your product to large and complex customers. A good SaaS pricing page and clever inbound marketing are not going to cut it. You will need to build a team. That means some combination of hiring and developing/ promoting your existing talent.
 
People are the biggest decisions you make as CEO. So think through the type of person you want. Get a second pair of eyes and ears involved in the interview process. For example, an advisor, mentor or NED might be able to help. Design the right package for the best talent. 
 
And remember, at the end of a recruitment interview, maybe means No.

Target the right customer

Making a sale to an enterprise customer is often a long process. Growing that initial deal into substantial revenue requires even more time. And there is no guarantee of success when you start. How can a startup or scale up with limited resources handle the demands?
 
Focus on the right target.
 
It can be tempting to respond to every corporate enquiry. When a household name approaches your little SaaS it is flattering and exciting. There is nothing wrong with having an initial discussion. Use that time a bit of research to find out if this company is a genuine opportunity for your product.
 

• Could your SaaS generate real value for this company? Be realistic!
• How does this company like to buy? This will give you insight into the competitive landscape. And the type of benefit that might appeal. This How Companies Buy post from Intercom should help. 
• Can the customer make the changes needed to realise the potential value?
• Is the company serious about the enquiry and willing to invest time? Remember its a cost for your customer too.
• Are you confident you can build a business relationship with this company? This is about the people you meet, compatible culture and values and just gut feel.

Patience, Patience, Patience

​Completing an enterprise sale takes a long time because the process is complex and slow moving. Large companies have whole departments just to buy stuff. Called procurement, purchasing, supply chain or whatever. These teams have systems, processes and standards that take time and effort to navigate. Often it feels like you are up against the deal prevention team.
 
And procurement is not the only challenge. You must convince and reconvince the business of the value in your product. You may also have to prove you are better than the competition.
 
No wonder one of the companies in the SaaS group had planned for 9 months to complete its first enterprise sale. And is running behind schedule!
 
Tactics and specifics for managing these matters is a big subject. The biggest risk is impatience. Push too hard. Appear desperate for a deal. Or just let your frustration show. And the prize will slip through your fingers.

Hunt for thrills, farm to live

Winning deals with enterprise customers is worthless. The goal is revenues. Actual cash in the bank. Sustainable and underpinned by rapid growth.
 
For a SaaS company that means the long and painful sales effort is only the tip of the iceberg. The value is only delivered after the contract is signed. Persuading and supporting individuals, departments and divisions to adopt and use your product. All the moving parts inside your new minted enterprise customer. 
 
A bit of new language has grown up around this. Customer success, upsell, negative churn etc. These are all terms for an old fashioned business fundamental. Account relationship management. 
 
You should plan for your SaaS to have account management people, systems and resources. Think about the organisation you want after you win the deal. Develop budgets to reflect a realistic view of the way enterprise customer revenues develop.

The Chairman's view

​Moving from an SMB focus toward enterprises is not an easy road. From a board/ investor point of view I want to help the leaders of SaaS companies focus on the key decisions. Give entrepreneurs the best chance to realise the opportunity and manage the main risks. You should for an experienced head to help you with:
 

• Finding the best people for the enterprise team.
• Choosing the right enterprises to target.
• Keeping sane during the long and frustrating process.
• Building relationships to turn enterprise deals into concrete revenue numbers. 

 
All are interdependent. Nothing happens in a neat sequence. You never have all the information you want. Welcome to leadership!