Pekka Koskinen is the CEO & Founder of Leadfeeder, a lead generation software. He’s founded 5 other companies - Solinor, Snoobi, & Fraktio.
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According to research by Databox, SaaS companies are feeling the blows of Covid-19.
Under the pressure of unraveling uncertainty, the right tone, message and actions are critical to building trust and connection at a time when people need them the most. A genuinely empathetic response magnifies the existing core values of a brand and positively affects customers, employees and communities.
But what does an empathetic response look like for SaaS brands?
As was the recent case for a few big-name brands that were called out for being cliche, a rushed response can backfire on your brand. Instead of inspiring trust, it can project an aloof, tone-deaf brand image that severs the connection with your customers.
Ahead, I'll share how leading SaaS brands are responding with impactful support for their customers and communities.
Turning exclusive data into unique content for users.
Every year, the team at WordStream — an online ads software — gets together to update Google Ads industry benchmarks that account for emerging trends and changes. This year, it's used its unique troves of data from 15,759 U.S.-based WordStream clients to report how Covid-19 has influenced PPC costs across 21 different industries.
As you can imagine, this information is game-changing for advertisers looking to protect budgets and maximize spend. With the shift worldwide to digital channels, content marketing will continue to be pivotal for inbound lead generation. However, with more companies reliant on inbound channels, content saturation means more competition and less visibility.
Now more than ever, it's critical that SaaS brands pause existing content in the pipeline and prioritize information that's relevant to their customers. An effective way for them to do this is to use the exclusive data they have access to. Databox, for example, surveyed its email list of B2B companies to share exactly how the pandemic is affecting businesses in different verticals.
We've received feedback from our marketing and sales teams that shows our users are (understandably) struggling with outbound sales during COVID-19. To help them, we're publishing content to support their outbound sales efforts and are seeing record levels of engagement — especially with webinars and online events.
Helping customers by observing analytics.
After experiencing a surge of new users from the education industry due to Covid-19, online communication company Loom made its service permanently free for teachers and students. Based on user trends, it has also:
• Removed limits for their free plan.
• Halved the price of their Pro subscription plan.
• Extended all free trials of their Pro subscription from 14 to 30 days.
There's no playbook for responding to a crisis. Should you drop prices? Create more content? Develop or improve new features? It all depends on the unique circumstance of your user base. What's relevant to them right now?
Before taking any action, SaaS brands should first observe user behavior so they can offer the right type of support. Most of your customers don't need beaten-to-death "remote work tips" or productivity webinars. To identify opportunities to help, investigate user-related metrics that signal changes in user behavior.
This means monitoring:
• Questions that users ask.
• Changes in user demographics.
• The popularity of certain features and products over others.
It's also a good idea to pair social listening and your customer-facing team's observations with user analytics. Social listening will keep you updated on customer sentiment, while front-line feedback will reveal informational needs that your brand can fulfill.
Asking customers what they need.
As well as offering free services to nonprofits that are fighting Covid-19, Intercom, an AI chatbot provider we use, is using one-minute, bite-sized surveys on their website to collect feedback that shapes new content and product development.
Nonintrusive feedback tools like micro-surveys help customers communicate their real-time needs without feeling like they're being used for information. When implementing this strategy, you can reassure users by highlighting that surveys are only one minute long.
To avoid tone-deaf surveys that tarnish your brand image, avoid questions that:
1. Estrange your customers. For example, asking customers what they were looking for when they arrived on your website can send the signal that you do not know or understand them.
2. Have a transactional undertone. Asking customers how likely they would be to recommend you is completely insensitive right now.
3. Ask about demographics like occupation, age or income. These questions feel "nosey" under normal circumstances. In the middle of a crisis, they yield too little insight to justify the level of intrusion.
Selflessly supporting through assistance programs.
In response to Covid-19, Buffer — a social media management tool we use — has launched a dedicated customer assistance program. The company has set aside $500,000 to support businesses that are in key industries, performing essential services to support their communities or have been seriously affected by the pandemic.
They're also supporting customers by:
• Gifting essential product features.
• Extending 90-day trials for new customers.
• Waiving upcoming payments.
• Allowing customers to pause Buffer subscriptions.
Of course, not all SaaS companies are in a position to offer financial support to their customers. However, most are capable of lending a hand by extending free trials or gifting product features to those who really need it.
Empathy is the most important response.
To survive a crisis and retain users during Covid-19, SaaS companies must respond and adjust to the new landscape that their customers face. However, the right response is reliant on a brand's ability to empathize with their users.
Like the SaaS companies above, finding opportunities to selflessly support customers, listening to user needs and using exclusive data to create unique content will enable brands to inspire lifelong loyalty by empathizing with and supporting customers during times of need.
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