Speed Dating SaaS Software
Speed Dating SaaS Software
If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I love starting things. I love the ‘newness’ of experiences, things and people. If you…
If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I love starting things. I love the ‘newness’ of experiences, things and people. If you need someone with lots of energy to get a project off the ground, I’m your girl. After years of beating myself up for not being good at finishing things, or getting bored after a few months/years in a job, I’ve finally found a way to harness this personal characteristic in my career for the powers of good. Having the perfect business partner who compliments me so we can finish projects on time has been crucial and I’m grateful for her every day.
Enter Speed Dating SaaS (Service as a Software). I get really excited about ways to streamline business operations processes. The introduction of SaaS to our daily lives has been a game-changer for me. I’ve spent the last 8 years signing up for trials, paying for memberships and testing out different SaaS products so I can recommend the best product and solution for customers and friends.
I like to think of testing out new SaaS solutions as a speed dating event. The rules of engagement are as follows:
Research Your Options
What challenge am I trying to find a solution for? Once I’ve outlined the goals I want to achieve, I can start my research for SaaS software that cater to the challenge I want to conquer.
Time Period
Every product offers a different trial length. I ask myself what I can accomplish and test out in the time I’m given. In those cases where I have to sign up for a demo with a salesperson, I make sure I’m armed with a list of questions and potential scenarios to get the most out of my time with them. Quite often I’ll have a sample customer journey or operations process from my client — or, if I’m dating these solutions purely out of interest, I just enjoy some free-play with the product to learn the ins and outs of the system.
Reset Yourself Before Each Mini-Date
Much like dating in real life, it’s a good idea to go into a new date with no expectations and an open-mind. Make and effort! Really get to know the software you’re dating so you can confidently say whether or not it would be a good solution for your client. Or, if you’re just getting to know SaaS without a particular end-goal in mind, the more you get to know a software the better equipped you’ll be to recommend it to potential clients.
Take Notes
If you’re anything like me, my mind is so full of information that if I don’t take notes it’s highly likely I’ll forget important details that could come in handy later on. I’ve tested out products and then not had to reference them again for 2–3 years. It’s a good idea to have a special place to reference back to these dates you’ve had later on.
Speed dating SaaS software can sometimes be a tiring process, but I’ve learned to enjoy the journey and appreciate what each experience has given me. What may seem like a waste of time in the moment usually turns out to provide a valuable lesson in the long-run. I’ve even come back to a few that I’d originally written-off for whatever reason.
Happy SaaS dating!