3 Healthcare SaaS Marketing Challenges for 2021

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” 

This familiar adage demonstrates the difficulty of converting visitors to leads and customers for SaaS products. The intangible nature of the product makes SaaS marketing efficiency, best practices, and lead generation more of a challenge. Not to mention these intangible products may cost a pretty penny. 

COVID-19 is expected to transform the healthcare landscape for years to come, but these three factors were already changing the industry going into 2021:

Common Obstacles for Marketing SaaS

You may have noticed recurring issues when managing and nurturing prospects for your B2B company. The three most troublesome are: 

1. Free trials
2. Gaining trust 
3. Cost of acquiring customers 

Although these obstacles make SaaS marketing lead generation strategies difficult to implement, keeping in mind these potential problems can help you prepare accordingly. 

To learn more about each issue in-depth, check our list below. 

1. Free trials

Since no physical embodiment of a SaaS is available to potential customers, free trials are a common request. Free trials are essential for decision-makers to figure out if a software is ideal for their healthcare facility. However, two major issues arise.

Complicated Software

Never assume everyone knows how to use your software. Buyers often want a seamless experience, but not all people perceive functionality the same. 

On-site demos can be more valuable than free trials when software setup is substantial or requires additional knowledge. You always want to make sure that prospects never lose sight of the value you offer. 

When on-site demos are not possible, try to strengthen support channels and online tutorials to help their leads through the process. 

On-site and off-site resources will not only help guide leads but also demonstrate the top-notch customer support SaaS can supply.
 

Giving Away Value 

Free trials are the norm. Many potential leads presume a free trial will be offered before they consider purchasing software. SaaS providers must balance how much value they give away to leads. 

Balance providing enough value with leaving the prospect wanting more. You want to provide enough value so that your leads become a customer, but you also do not want to give away all of your value out of the gate. Save some features for customers only. That way it gives them a reason to pay for your services. 

This idea should also apply to paid, short-term trials. Although this tactic implies payment, the user is still in the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey and should not be treated as a client yet.

2. Gaining Trust

Trust is vital in every business relationship. The healthcare marketing industry should uphold the idea of credibility above all else. However, gaining trust isn’t easy.

Word-of-Mouth

This method may seem outdated, but referrals from others can go a long way. Perfectly following SaaS marketing best practices won’t matter much when a bad review speaks volumes. 

Marketing strategies that adopt the delight stage are great for increasing word-of-mouth brand awareness and customer referrals.

Delivering on Your Promises

No client wants to be disappointed. Let’s be honest -- health care facilities don’t always have the greatest reputation among the general public. 

Exceeding or satisfying the expectations of leads is vital to a company without a physical product.

Transparency

Scandal and deception are the last things a healthcare tech company wants. Make sure to be transparent with clients.

One mistake can hurt SaaS marketing efficiency and divert your efforts to damage control.

3. Cost of Acquiring Customers

The healthcare industry is notorious for long sales cycles. The market is conservative, and a slew of stakeholders have a say in large purchases. It’s safe to say that healthcare buyers behave differently than those in any other industry. 

Healthcare buyers ask themselves a seemingly endless number of questions when evaluating a product: 

• How much money will this software save us?
• How trustworthy is this company?
• How can this SaaS improve productivity? 
• Can the SaaS translate well to a network of hospitals with multiple locations? 
• How will patient care be affected? 
• Will employees like or accept the new software? 
• Will the board of directors see the SaaS as an improvement? 

SaaS providers must understand that converting visitors to leads and leads to clients requires patience. 

A long-term inbound marketing plan that uses SaaS best marketing practices doesn't turn a profit overnight. Because your industry has long sales cycles, it’ll take time to see ROI. It’s cliche but true: B2B inbound marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Overcoming Obstacles 

It’s admittedly hard to gauge how well a business is meeting the expectations of clients, especially if those customers are not particularly vocal. The move to more remote meetings -- a practice that may long outlast COVID -- makes it even more difficult. 

The challenges that SaaS product marketing encounters are daunting, but never fear.

This inbound SaaS marketing guide will help you get your product in front of potential leads at an affordable cost.