<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

# Chapter 23: SaaS CRO Optimization

## 23.1 Trial-to-Paid Conversion

### Trial design constraints

- SaaS trial challenges: value must precede payment; time-delayed decision; multiple B2B stakeholders; PQLs vs MQLs
- Engagement metrics: days active, features used, data input volume, team members added, time-to-first-value
- Trial extension: offer to engaged users; require specific actions to extend; treat as conversion opportunity

### Onboarding milestones

1. First Login — welcome sequence, guided tour
2. First Action — core feature activation
3. Team Invitation — collaboration setup
4. Integration — connected to existing tools
5. Value Realization — first successful outcome

### Trial length guidance

| Scenario | Recommended trial |
|----------|-------------------|
| Time to first value ≤3 days | 7-day trial |
| Complex implementation | 30-day trial |
| Simple tools | 3-day trial |

## 23.2 Pricing Page Optimization

- Plan structure: 3-4 plans max; clear differentiation; recommended plan highlighted; annual discount visible
- Decoy pricing — middle plan most popular; anchoring — enterprise price makes others look reasonable
- Charm pricing — $99 vs $100; free trial emphasis
- Calculators — ROI, savings estimators, cost comparison; sliders — usage-based pricing, team size, feature toggles

## 23.3 Product-Led Growth CRO

- Self-serve onboarding: no sales required; immediate value delivery; in-app education; viral sharing mechanisms
- Viral loops: team invites, shareable content, public profiles, social proof
- Freemium optimization: clear upgrade triggers; feature limitations; usage quotas; watermarks/removal

| Tactic | Examples |
|--------|---------|
| Contextual upsells | Feature gate messages, usage limit warnings, advanced feature teasers, power user prompts |
| Upgrade triggers | Feature attempt, limit reached, team size growth, usage milestone |

## 23.4 B2B SaaS Specifics

| Area | Key elements |
|------|-------------|
| Champion enablement | Business case templates, ROI calculators, competitor comparisons, security docs |
| Decision maker content | Executive summaries, TCO analysis, implementation timelines, risk mitigation |
| Sales-assisted trials | Dedicated success manager, custom onboarding, technical support, EBRs |
| Proof of concept | Limited scope pilot; success criteria upfront; timeline commitments; expansion planning |
