B2B SaaS Copywriting: How to Drive Persuasion and Conversions
Struggling to transform visitors into paying customers? It’s frustrating as hell when this happens but there’s a reason for it. Your prospects don’t trust you. And if they don’t trust you then it’s because your B2B SaaS copywriting has failed, leaving you in a conversion rut that dials up the pressure and whittles down the morale.
This is unjust, especially if your solution offers tremendous value. It all boils down to crafting persuasive B2B SaaS copywriting that hits a number of different emotional triggers and compels visitors to click on your freemium or free trial.
Well, I’m going to show you exactly how to do this.
By the end of the blog, you’ll discover 5 powerful persuasion hacks that will convert more of the traffic generated from your marketing campaigns into leads.
You can use these tips in your homepage copy, landing pages, and just about any other format that involves conversion optimization.
What’s more, is that you don’t need to be an expert copywriter to apply them. These techniques are easy to learn and it won’t take long for them to stop leads from slipping through the net on your website.
Ready to get started?
Ok, let’s dive straight in.
Sabotaging b2b SaaS copywriting errors you must avoid
Let me cut straight to the point – your customers don’t care about your SaaS company. Or your product. Or even its features (up to a point). They care about themselves and the outcome of using your product.
Therefore, your B2B SaaS copywriting must be customer-centric. Here are common copywriting blunders that will put you on the back foot from the get-go.
Copywriting error #1: Using the copy to talk about yourself
Ever met someone at a house party who only talks about themselves?
Well, this is kind of what it’s like here (image above) and it’s an immediate turn-off.
‘We build the future of relationships.’
Do you really?
Apart from anything else, what does this actually mean?
Avoid cliches that are all puff and zero substance. Your customers will read right through it.
And don’t let your copy get sucked into a vortex of self-adulation – It’s unattractive and will create friction.
Instead, your B2B SaaS copywriting needs to rivet the reader’s attention on the benefits of your SaaS solution. As you’ll notice in the image above, the copy has fallen on the first hurdle by saying ‘we’ more times than saying ‘you’ (2 vs 0), shifting the entire focus on them and not the customer.
Do this and you’ll get your reward – a dwindling conversion rate. The key is to write benefit-driven copy that targets your customers’ pain points, something that I’ll dive into later in this blog.
But first, let’s take a sneak peek at the next error…
Copywriting error #2: Using too much technical jargon
I remember watching a video on finance, an industry that I’m completely oblivious to. Anyway, the guy on the channel was dropping investment terminology left right and center, and boy did he make me feel like an idiot.
It was just as boring as it was confusing because I didn’t have a scooby of what was being said. So I then put on a video of Messi’s World Cup highlights on. Now I don’t feel like an idiot.
It’s the same in B2B SaaS copywriting. Technical jargon is part of the vocabulary that specialists use in the SaaS industry. Your customers are likely to be outside of that bubble, so speak the language that they speak.
Each time you use technical jargon you risk confusing the customer. When your customer doesn’t understand something, they’re likely to switch off and leave your website.
Limit your technical jargon and speak the language your target audience speaks.
Copywriting error #3 Leading with the features, not the benefits
The features of your product are important. But they shouldn’t shift the limelight off from the benefits of using your product. Why?
Emotions play a significant role in human decision-making, making it more difficult to sway someone’s buying behavior using pure logic, as opposed to leveraging their emotional triggers.
Neuroscience shows that we buy on emotion and justify with logic. And so here’s what you should do…
Focus on highlighting the benefits of your product first to create a connection with potential customers. This approach taps into their emotions and helps establish an emotional connection.
Once the emotional connection has been established, you can then provide additional information about the features of your SaaS solution, which can help customers justify their purchase decision with logical reasoning.
This is how you boost conversions and generate more paid users. Follow this principle and you’ll bask in the riches of a sky-high conversion rate.
Anyway, now that we’ve covered some of the B2B SaaS copywriting blunders to avoid, let’s now turn our attention to the five tricks you can use to write persuasive copy.
1. Make prospects imagine a desired outcome
Here’s an important rule I want to share with you that you don’t hear in any other B2B SaaS copywriting blog:
Featured-driven copy is weak.
Benefit-driven copy is good.
Copy that makes prospects visualize an outcome is persuasive.
So what do I mean by this? Let’s go through each of these step-by-step. We’ve just been through the ins and outs of feature-driven copy, so we can push that aside. Many B2B SaaS copywriters will argue that benefit-driven copy is the way forward.
Yes, to an extent.
Customers are interested in what benefits your SaaS solution can provide.
BUT
They are more interested in what the outcome will look like.
Let’s look at an example using Loom.
Note: Loom is a screen recording software that can help you get your messaging across in instantly shareable videos.
Example 1A: Benefit-driven copy
The homepage copy here is flat. Yes, it’s benefit-driven but it doesn’t dig deep enough into the reader’s emotions.
Example 1B on the other hand is quite the upgrade.
Example 1B: Visualizing an outcome
Any manager who’s been around the block a few times will know just how boring and time-consuming meetings can be.
Loom know these are common pain points and have targeted them in their homepage copy with a powerful visualization – fewer meetings.
The copy here is clever.
By using antithesis, the copy illustrates a sharp contrast that draws attention to the fact that Loom can be used as an alternative to meetings.
Loom On.
Meetings Off.
And because the copy visualizes the outcome of using Loom, prospects gain a deeper understanding of what the product is and the value it offers.
A few pointers on how to make your copy visualize an outcome
Not many SaaS companies know this secret – 80% of copywriting is understanding your target audience. The words on the page have to be aligned to the needs of your customer – any mismatch you’ll flunk your copy.
And so, you need to understand your customer’s problems, pain points, challenges, and desired outcomes. Here’s a quick three-step process to writing copy that visualizes the end result of using your software:
- Identify your target market’s biggest problem
- Find out what their desired outcome is
- Make them visualize their desired outcome with pain point-driven copy
Ok, moving on…
2. Communicate credibility
Why should I trust you?
Every prospect will be asking this question when they land on your homepage. You don’t have long to make a strong first impression – 8 seconds to be exact. If you can communicate credibility then you’ll immediately gain momentum by pulling prospects deeper into your website.
There are a few ways you can achieve this. Check.
Insert a logo banner above the fold
Above the fold is the section at the top of the page that’s visible without scrolling down on the website. This section has just as much importance as your Tinder profile picture.
If visitors like the look of you, they’ll search a bit deeper. If not, they’ll bounce off to another profile to find what they’re looking for. First impressions count and a logo banner will instantly instil trust into the reader.
Anyway, let’s see how HotJar have used a logo banner.
TechSmith. Microsoft. Nintendo. Hubspot. Adobe…
The list goes on (it’s a sliding banner).
If all these heavyweight brands are using HubSpot, then why wouldn’t you?
Logo banners are powerful because they highlight the prestigious businesses that are using your software, which instantly communicates credibility.
This also creates a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out).
If they’re all using it, shouldn’t I be as well?
Above the fold is not a place for you to be modest. If you have had any customers that have used your SaaS solution, let the world know about it.
Highlight how many users you have
This is another subtle but powerful persuasion trick that goes a long way toward building trust for software companies. Check the image below.
Trusted by 1,148,546 websites.
In 180+ countries.
Not bad eh?
Once again, prospects will be feeling at least a tinge of FOMO and will be more confident that Hotjar’s product is a solution that can solve their products.
From simply using a logo banner and displaying the number of users, Hotjar have demonstrated a hell of an amount of credibility.
All from just a glance.
It’s that easy.
But what if you don’t have a roster of reputable clients to show off or millions of users to boast about?
Fear not.
There’s another way.
Customer testimonials
It’s one thing to say that your SaaS solution is the best thing since sliced bread. And it’s another for this statement to come straight from the horse’s mouth.
Do both and you’ve got yourself a slam dunk.
Big statements. Supported by evidence. This is something that should exist both on your homepage and landing page. Here’s how to use testimonials in a way that maximizes persuasion.
Sprinkle testimonials throughout your page
Don’t cram all of your testimonials in one section on your webpage – it’s unlikely that visitors will dig through all of them. Instead, sprinkle them across your page in between sections. This is more powerful for two reasons:
- Prospects will actually read them
- Drip-feeding testimonials will subconsciously create a positive image of your brand, thereby leading to more trust.
Match testimonials that support big statements you make with your copy
Marketing is an industry full of empty vessels that make a lot of noise. Your customer knows that and they’re weary of any bold statement you make. To disarm their doubts, back every big claim you make in your copy with a testimonial.
If your copy says that your SaaS solution can cut costs then look for a testimonial that supports this statement. Let’s have a look at an example.
Lattice example
See the copy that I’ve highlighted in red?
Transform talent management into talent acceleration.
Ok, so Lattice is a software that claims to nurture talents. Where’s the proof?
Right here (image below).
We never had a tool that made it easy to facilitate development.
Great testimonial – it supports the big claim made in the copy.
Use this trick and visitors will actually believe every big claim you make.
3. Make it easy for your prospects to try your product
Here’s an important rule for you to remember…
Prospects are always looking for an excuse NOT to do business with you.
All it takes is one small bit of friction to repel a customer. And so, the solution here is simple.
Make it easy for them.
Tear down all the barriers. Don’t give them a reason to say no. Here’s one trick you can use.
Allow users to sign up for your demo/free trial with their Google account
Website visitors are impatient and won’t be willing to jump through a lot of hoops to try your product. You can remove this apprehension by making it easy to sign up for your demo/free trial in your CTA.
Let’s see how Vidyard have done it.
When viewers see that they can sign up with their Google account, they know that won’t even have to touch the keyboard to complete this process. Easy.
4. Remove Commitment
Despite being free, some trials require visitors to enter their card information for them to be automatically billed once the golden period is over. Your target audience are weary of this – they’re used to side-stepping booby straps that lock them into some sort of financial commitment.
Their guard is up.
But you can easily lower it with one line of copy…
No credit card required.
Here’s how some SaaS businesses have used it (I’ve highlighted the copy in red).
Calendly
Modash
Bonus tip: Place no credit card required above the fold and close to the CTA just like in the examples. Make sure to use this trick in your landing page copy as well.
5. Make the product sound easy to use
SaaS is sexy. But it can also be intimidating. Solutions that promise to move mountains also look difficult to use. This can create friction – spending weeks learning how to use a new product is rarely worth the candle.
But if your copy emphasizes that even dum dums like me who know nothing about coding can use it, then you’ll boost conversions. Remember…
The more user-friendly your product sounds, the more inviting it becomes.
Check how Akkio have nailed this in their copy.
Go from data to AI in 10 minutes
Wow. That’s quick. I won’t have to waste so much time learning how to use this software.
No code or data science skills required.
Fantastic. Even newbies like me can join in the fun.
Use these 5 persuasion hacks to transform visitors into hot leads
Social proof. Credibility. Ease of use. Minimal commitment. Minimal effort. Visualization. These are all part of a winning formula that helps to drive persuasion. Yet, nothing will hit the bullseye if you don’t understand your target market’s pain points, needs, and desires.
Begin with customer research. End with the copy.
This is the secret to persuasive copy. Do this and you’ll boost conversions, push leads further down the funnel, and activate users.
And what does this lead to?
More growth.
Now I know I’ve revealed a lot here but I’ve only just scratched the service. I’ve got many more conversion tricks to share with you that will accelerate the growth of your SaaS solution.
If you’ve enjoyed this post then follow me on LinkedIn to receive weekly copywriting secrets on how to write persuasive B2B SaaS copy.
Who am I?
I’m Harry – a B2B SaaS copywriter who helps SaaS companies accelerate growth through conversion copy and SEO-optimized content. I’ve helped many SaaS clients level up their marketing over the years through the written word.
If you’re struggling with anything copy-related, then I’d be happy to provide a free copywriting consultation.
