Accelerating SaaS Success: The Power of Sales Velocity & Trust with Artem Gassan [Ep.119]

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every investor dreams of spotting the next unicorn business. But it takes a seasoned pro with a wealth of industry knowledge to identify the unique characteristics that make or break an early-stage SaaS business. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Artem Gassan is one of these experts, having scaled and invested in over 50 SaaS companies, including a unicorn business now worth over $2 billion. He not only knows how to identify SaaS businesses with huge potential, but he also knows how to take early-stage SaaS companies from zero to hero.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we soak up Artem’s expert advice as he joins us to discuss the building blocks of a successful SaaS business. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We dissect why almost 70% of early-stage SaaS companies don’t reach their second round of funding as well as where businesses go wrong when trying to engage with customers on LinkedIn. Artem explains why trust is a vital part of attracting and retaining customers, and he breaks down the core operational differences between B2B and B2C SaaS businesses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We also dive into the importance of calculating and tracking your sales velocity and Artem outlines a step-by-step guide to creating a powerful go-to-market strategy. According to Artem,</span></p> <blockquote> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are four key elements to a great go-to-market strategy. First,</span></em> <strong><em>build trust</em></strong> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">through thought leadership content. Second,</span></em> <strong><em>create product-led growth elements</em></strong><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. These are things like calculators or diagnostic tools that give consumers value and a sneak peek into the product without purchasing the product. Third,</span></em> <strong><em>optimize your pricing</em></strong> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and make it clear, and trans