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How to use free trials to increase conversions on your landing page for SaaS

Written by Jimit Mehta | Mar 6, 2023 8:00:00 AM

As a business owner, you're always looking for ways to increase conversions on your landing page and attract more customers to your software as a service (SaaS) product. One effective tool in your arsenal is the free trial. By offering a limited-time, risk-free way for potential customers to try out your product, you can build trust, showcase your product's value, and ultimately drive conversions. In this article, we'll explore the best practices for using free trials to boost your landing page's conversion rate and help you get the most out of this powerful tool. So, whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your existing free trial strategy, read on to discover how you can use free trials to drive success for your SaaS business.

Benefits of offering a free trial

Offering a free trial can be incredibly beneficial for your SaaS business and can help you increase conversions on your landing page. Here are a few of the key benefits of offering a free trial:

  1. Builds Trust: By allowing potential customers to try out your product risk-free, you're giving them the opportunity to experience the value of your product for themselves. This can build trust and credibility with your target audience and make them more likely to convert into paying customers.

  2. Showcases Your Product's Value: A free trial gives you the chance to demonstrate the value of your product and show potential customers how it can solve their problems and meet their needs. This can be especially powerful for complex or technical products where it may be difficult to understand the value proposition through marketing materials alone.

  3. Increases Conversions: By offering a free trial, you're removing a significant barrier to conversion for many potential customers. People are more likely to sign up for a product if they can try it out first, and this can lead to a significant increase in conversions on your landing page.

  4. Provides Valuable Feedback: Free trials can also be a valuable source of feedback for your business. You can use the insights you gain from free trial users to improve your product, marketing materials, and overall customer experience.

Overall, offering a free trial can be a highly effective way to increase conversions on your landing page and build a successful SaaS business.

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Best practices for setting up a free trial

Setting up a free trial for your SaaS business can be a great way to increase conversions and build trust with potential customers. However, it's important to do it right to maximize the benefits. Here are some best practices for setting up a free trial:

  1. Make it easy to sign up: The sign-up process for your free trial should be quick and straightforward. Avoid asking for too much personal information, and make sure the process is as frictionless as possible.

  2. Set clear expectations: Make sure potential customers know what they can expect from the free trial. Specify the duration of the trial, what features are included, and any limitations that may apply. This will help set realistic expectations and avoid confusion or disappointment.

  3. Provide support: Provide support and resources to help free trial users get the most out of your product. This could include online tutorials, video walkthroughs, and dedicated customer support.

  4. Highlight the benefits: Use your free trial landing page to highlight the benefits of your product and how it can solve your customers' problems. Make sure potential customers understand the value they will receive from trying your product.

  5. Make the most of the trial period: The free trial period is a valuable opportunity to engage with potential customers and build a relationship with them. Make sure you're communicating with free trial users regularly and providing value throughout the trial period.

By following these best practices, you can set up a free trial that effectively showcases your product's value, builds trust with potential customers, and increases conversions on your landing page.

Creating an effective call-to-action for your free trial

A call-to-action (CTA) is a crucial component of your free trial landing page, as it's what drives potential customers to sign up for the trial. Here's how to create an effective CTA for your free trial:

  1. Make it prominent: Your CTA should be prominently displayed on your landing page, so potential customers can't miss it. Make sure it's visually appealing and stands out from the rest of the page.

  2. Use action-oriented language: The language you use for your CTA should be clear, concise, and action-oriented. Use phrases like "Start your free trial now" or "Get started today" to encourage potential customers to take action.

  3. Keep it simple: Your CTA should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid using overly technical language or complex instructions.

  4. Use contrasting colors: Use contrasting colors for your CTA to make it stand out from the rest of the page. This will draw the eye to the CTA and make it more likely to be clicked.

  5. Test and optimize: Regularly test and optimize your CTA to see what works best. Try different wording, placement, and design elements to see what drives the most conversions.

By following these best practices, you can create an effective CTA that drives conversions and encourages potential customers to sign up for your free trial.

Maximizing the value of your free trial for potential customers

Your free trial is a valuable opportunity to showcase the value of your SaaS product and build trust with potential customers. Here are some tips for maximizing the value of your free trial for potential customers:

  1. Offer a full-featured trial: Your free trial should offer potential customers the full range of features and capabilities of your product. This will give them the chance to experience the full value of your product and make an informed decision about whether to convert to a paid subscription.

  2. Provide a seamless experience: The trial experience should be as seamless and frictionless as possible. Make sure the product is easy to use and that you provide clear instructions and support to help free trial users get started.

  3. Offer added value: Consider offering additional resources or bonuses during the free trial period to increase its perceived value. This could include access to premium content, a dedicated customer support team, or discounts on future purchases.

  4. Provide a clear path to conversion: Make it easy for free trial users to convert to a paid subscription. Provide clear instructions on how to upgrade, and consider offering incentives such as discounts or special promotions to encourage conversion.

  5. Encourage engagement: Encourage free trial users to engage with your product and provide feedback. This will help you build a relationship with them and increase the likelihood of conversion.

By following these tips, you can maximize the value of your free trial for potential customers, build trust, and increase conversions on your landing page.

Converting free trial users into paying customers

Converting free trial users into paying customers is a crucial step in growing your SaaS business. Here are some tips for converting free trial users into paying customers:

  1. Offer a great product: The most important factor in converting free trial users into paying customers is having a great product that delivers real value. Make sure your product is easy to use, solves real problems, and provides a great user experience.

  2. Communicate regularly: Regular communication with free trial users can help build trust and keep them engaged with your product. Consider sending regular email updates, offering personalized support, and encouraging feedback.

  3. Provide incentives: Offer incentives to encourage free trial users to upgrade to a paid subscription. This could include discounts, special promotions, or early access to new features.

  4. Make upgrading easy: The process of upgrading from a free trial to a paid subscription should be quick, simple, and frictionless. Make sure it's easy to understand and follow the steps to upgrade.

  5. Provide ongoing value: Provide ongoing value to your paying customers to keep them engaged and reduce the risk of churn. Consider offering regular software updates, new features, and additional resources to keep your customers engaged.

By following these tips, you can increase the likelihood of converting free trial users into paying customers and grow your SaaS business.

Measuring the success of your free trial

Measuring the success of your free trial is crucial to understanding how it's impacting your business and making improvements. Here are some key metrics to track when measuring the success of your free trial:

  1. Conversion rate: The conversion rate is the number of free trial users who convert to paying customers. This is a key metric to track as it will give you an idea of how effective your free trial is at driving conversions.

  2. Trial sign-up rate: The trial sign-up rate is the number of visitors to your landing page who sign up for the free trial. This will give you an idea of how effective your marketing and call-to-action are in driving sign-ups.

  3. Trial usage rate: The trial usage rate is the number of free trial users who actively use your product. This will give you an idea of how well your product resonates with potential customers and whether there are any barriers to usage.

  4. Trial to paid conversion rate: The trial to paid conversion rate is the number of free trial users who convert to paying customers. This will give you an idea of the effectiveness of your conversion strategy and whether there are any barriers to conversion.

  5. Customer satisfaction: Measuring customer satisfaction is crucial in understanding how well your product is resonating with your target audience. Consider using surveys or feedback forms to gather customer feedback and make improvements to your product and customer experience.

By tracking these metrics, you can measure the success of your free trial and make data-driven decisions to improve it and increase conversions on your landing page.

Strategies for overcoming common obstacles with free trials

Offering a free trial can be an effective way to increase conversions on your landing page, but there can be obstacles that can hinder its success. Here are some strategies for overcoming common obstacles with free trials:

  1. Addressing concerns about commitment: Some potential customers may be hesitant to sign up for a free trial because they don't want to be committed to a paid subscription. Address these concerns by highlighting the flexibility of your product and making it easy to cancel or downgrade at any time.

  2. Overcoming technical barriers: Technical issues can be a barrier to free trial success. Make sure your product is easy to use and that you provide clear instructions and support to help free trial users get started. Consider offering a dedicated support team to help with any technical issues.

  3. Encouraging engagement: Some free trial users may sign up but never use your product. Encourage engagement by regularly communicating with free trial users and providing value throughout the trial period.

  4. Improving the user experience: If your free trial has a high drop-off rate, it may be a sign that the user experience is poor. Consider using customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and make changes to improve the overall user experience.

  5. Providing value beyond the trial: Make sure your free trial provides real value to potential customers. Consider offering additional resources, bonuses, or access to premium content to increase its perceived value.

By following these strategies, you can overcome common obstacles with free trials and increase conversions on your landing page.

Using customer feedback to improve your free trial experience

Customer feedback is a valuable resource that can help you improve the free trial experience for your SaaS business. Here are some tips for using customer feedback to improve your free trial experience:

  1. Ask for feedback: Encourage free trial users to provide feedback by sending surveys, feedback forms, or other mechanisms for gathering customer insights. Make it easy for them to provide feedback and let them know how their feedback will be used to improve the product.

  2. Listen to your customers: Pay close attention to the feedback you receive from free trial users. Take the time to understand their needs and concerns, and use this information to make improvements to your product and customer experience.

  3. Act on the feedback: Use the feedback you receive to make improvements to your product and customer experience. This could include adding new features, improving the user interface, or making other changes to better meet the needs of your customers.

  4. Communicate changes: Let your customers know when you've made changes based on their feedback. This will build trust and show them that you value their input.

  5. Continuously seek feedback: Make feedback a continuous part of your process. Regularly seek feedback from free trial users and use it to make ongoing improvements to your product and customer experience.

By following these tips, you can use customer feedback to improve the free trial experience for your SaaS business and increase conversions on your landing page.

Best practices for communicating with free trial users

Effective communication is crucial for building a relationship with free trial users and converting them into paying customers. Here are some best practices for communicating with free trial users:

  1. Personalize your communication: Personalize your communication with free trial users to build a relationship and make them feel valued. Use their name, reference their trial experience, and tailor your messages to their specific needs and interests.

  2. Provide value: Provide value to free trial users by offering tips, resources, and other information that will help them get the most out of your product. This will help keep them engaged and interested in your product.

  3. Be transparent: Be transparent about the trial period and any limitations or restrictions. Make sure free trial users know what to expect and what will happen at the end of the trial period.

  4. Encourage feedback: Encourage free trial users to provide feedback by sending surveys, feedback forms, or other mechanisms for gathering customer insights. Make it easy for them to provide feedback and let them know how their feedback will be used to improve the product.

  5. Stay in touch: Stay in touch with free trial users after the trial period has ended. Consider sending follow-up emails, offering promotions, or providing additional resources to keep them engaged and interested in your product.

By following these best practices, you can build a strong relationship with free trial users and increase the likelihood of converting them into paying customers.

Using upselling techniques to increase conversions during the free trial period

Upselling is a sales technique that involves offering customers additional products or services that complement their current purchase. This can be a powerful way to increase conversions during the free trial period. Here are some best practices for using upselling techniques to increase conversions:

  1. Offer complementary products: Offer complementary products or services that can enhance the value of your main product. For example, if you sell a project management tool, you could offer an upgrade to a premium version that includes additional features.

  2. Highlight the benefits: Highlight the benefits of the upsell and how it can enhance the overall value of your product. Make sure potential customers understand the value they will receive from the upsell.

  3. Make it easy to upgrade: Make it easy for free trial users to upgrade to the upsell. Provide clear instructions on how to upgrade, and make the process as frictionless as possible.

  4. Offer discounts: Consider offering discounts or special promotions to encourage free trial users to upgrade to the upsell. This can be an effective way to increase conversions and drive revenue.

  5. Test and optimize: Regularly test and optimize your upselling approach to see what works best. Try different pricing models, promotions, and messaging to see what drives the most conversions.

By following these best practices, you can use upselling techniques to increase conversions during the free trial period and grow your SaaS business.

Over to you

Free trials can be a powerful tool for increasing conversions on your landing page for SaaS businesses. By offering potential customers the chance to try your product for free, you can build trust and showcase the value of your product. To maximize the benefits of free trials, it's important to follow best practices such as making the sign-up process quick and easy, setting clear expectations, providing support and resources, and creating an effective call-to-action.

Additionally, you can increase conversions by maximizing the value of the free trial for potential customers, converting free trial users into paying customers, measuring the success of your free trial, overcoming common obstacles, using customer feedback to improve the free trial experience, communicating effectively with free trial users, and using upselling techniques. By following these best practices, you can use free trials to increase conversions on your landing page and grow your SaaS business.

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