For B2B SaaS buyers, decision-making is far from immediate. Unlike consumer purchases, where an emotional trigger can lead to an impulse buy, B2B decisions are driven by logic, data, and long-term value. Multiple stakeholders are involved, extensive research is conducted, and the financial investment can be significant.
But how long does it really take to close a B2B SaaS deal? According to a 2024 study by HockeyStack, it’s not a matter of days or weeks, but rather hundreds of interactions and impressions, spread across multiple stages of the buyer journey.
The Numbers You Need to Know: Breaking Down the Stats
According to Hockey Stack’s data, which analysed over 1.5 million impressions across 50 B2B SaaS companies, here’s how many LinkedIn impressions and touchpoints are required at each stage of the funnel:
From first LinkedIn impression to a marketing-qualified lead (MQL):
🔹 700 LinkedIn impressions🔹 54 touchpoints
From MQL to a sales-qualified lead (SQL):
🔹 1,068 LinkedIn impressions🔹 87 touchpoint
From SQL to a closed deal:
🔹 836 LinkedIn impressions🔹 81 touchpoints
These figures highlight just how many meaningful interactions and valuable content pieces a prospect needs to experience before they convert into a paying customer.
Why Are These Stats Important?
These numbers clearly show that simply setting up a sales page or running an ad isn’t enough. Your prospects need a steady flow of content and engagement across multiple touchpoints before they’re ready to take the next step. As a SaaS company, it’s your job to show up in the right places, with the right content, at the right times to guide your audience along their decision-making journey.
The content you create plays a pivotal role in establishing trust, addressing pain points, and positioning your brand as the solution to their challenges. But the question is, what types of content should you create, and when?
Understanding the B2B Buyer Journey
In B2B SaaS, the buyer’s journey typically involves three key stages:
Awareness Stage: The buyer realises they have a problem that needs solving.
Consideration Stage: The buyer begins exploring solutions and comparing vendors.
Decision Stage: The buyer is ready to make a purchase and chooses the vendor that best meets their needs.
Let’s explore how you can create the right type of content for each stage to nurture your prospects along the way.
Stage 1: Awareness – Creating Top-of-Funnel Content
At the top of the funnel, potential customers are just becoming aware of a problem they need to solve. They may not know much about your product yet, or even fully understand their issue. Your goal here is to create content that educates, informs, and sparks interest without pushing for a hard sell.
Types of Content to Create for the Awareness Stage:
Blog Posts and Educational Articles
These should focus on common industry challenges or trends. For example, a blog post titled “Top 5 Challenges Facing Growing SaaS Companies in 2024” could help identify pain points that your prospects are facing, positioning your company as a thought leader.
Infographics
Quick and visually appealing, infographics can help explain complex industry topics or trends in an easily digestible format.
Social Media Content (LinkedIn, Twitter)
Frequent posts that highlight industry insights, interesting stats, or common problems in your niche are great for building awareness. These should be tailored to generate engagement, including comments, likes, or shares.
Whitepapers and Industry Reports:
A whitepaper or report that dives deep into industry data can capture the attention of decision-makers at large enterprises who are researching potential solutions to their problems.
Content Frequency:
At the awareness stage, the key is visibility and consistency. Post regularly—on LinkedIn, for instance—2-3 times per week to build awareness over time. Educational blog posts can be published weekly or bi-weekly to establish your brand’s expertise.
Stage 2: Consideration – Mid-Funnel Content for Evaluation
In the consideration stage, your prospects are now aware of their problem and are actively researching potential solutions. They might be comparing several different software options, and this is where your content needs to highlight how your product or service can meet their specific needs.
Types of Content to Create for the Consideration Stage
Case Studies
Case studies offer real-world examples of how your SaaS product has helped other companies solve similar problems. A well-constructed case study, complete with data and results, can be the deciding factor for many decision-makers.
Webinars and Video Content
Host webinars that showcase your solution or educate your audience on best practices. A product demo webinar is particularly effective at this stage, giving prospects a clear view of how your solution works. On-demand product demo videos can also be crucial for those who want to learn at their own pace.
Product Comparisons and FAQs
A product comparison guide that objectively compares your software to competitors is helpful at this stage. Make sure you highlight features that set your product apart and address common questions or concerns.
Email Drip Campaigns
Mid-funnel prospects are more likely to engage with personalized email campaigns. Use email to deliver relevant case studies, product videos, and helpful content directly to their inbox, keeping your brand top of mind as they evaluate solutions.
Content Frequency
Create case studies regularly—ideally monthly or quarterly—so you can demonstrate your success across different industries and use cases. Webinars can be hosted monthly, while email drip campaigns should be carefully timed to nurture prospects without overwhelming them (2-3 emails over a 2-4 week period works well).
Stage 3: Decision – Bottom-of-Funnel Content to Close the Deal
By the time a prospect reaches the decision stage, they’ve narrowed down their options and are ready to choose a solution. This is where your content needs to focus on building trust, addressing final objections, and showcasing your SaaS product’s value.
Types of Content to Create for the Decision Stage:
Detailed Product Demos
While a high-level overview might have worked earlier in the journey, prospects at this stage want to see how the product performs in detail. Offer live demos or personalized walkthroughs tailored to their specific needs.
Pricing Pages and Custom Proposals
Transparent pricing is important at this stage. Make sure your pricing page is clear, easy to navigate, and provides enough detail to make an informed decision. Offer custom proposals that outline exactly how your solution fits their business and ROI projections.
Customer Testimonials and Reviews
Showcasing positive testimonials or reviews from other customers can provide the social proof needed to push a prospect over the line. Include testimonials on your product pages or follow up with a tailored email containing customer success stories.
Sales Enablement Content
Arm your sales team with the content they need to respond to specific questions or objections during the final stages of the deal. This can include competitor analysis documents, detailed product sheets, or custom ROI calculators.
Content Frequency
At the decision stage, content should be delivered as needed. Sales enablement content should be updated regularly to reflect current customer stories, competitive differentiators, and evolving product features.
Nurturing Leads from Start to Close
The statistics from Hockey Stack’s 2024 study show just how much content your prospects need to consume before they’re ready to engage with sales or make a purchase.
By creating valuable and relevant content for each stage of the buyer journey, you can build trust, nurture relationships, and ultimately close more deals.
Do you know how many touchpoints and impressions it takes for your SaaS company to close a deal? It’s time to measure and optimize your content strategy accordingly!
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