Comments on: Are Paid Pilots or Free Trials Better for B2B? http://www.b2bmarketingroi.com/2009/08/05/paid-pilots-or-free-trials-b2b/ Just another WordPress site Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:26:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Susan Fantle http://www.b2bmarketingroi.com/2009/08/05/paid-pilots-or-free-trials-b2b/#comment-78 Susan Fantle Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:43:50 +0000 http://b2bmarketingroi.com/?p=242#comment-78 Just saw this post and like what you've said very much. I recently talked a client out of something similar. He was going to offer a one-year subscription for a deeply discounted price. My fear is that it would diminish the perceived value of the product and he would never be able to sell it for the full price again. Instead he is doing an "almost free trial." This is exactly what you are advocating -- a paid pilot. This approach supports the product "value" and should generate business that is serious about getting the solution. Good advice. Thanks. Just saw this post and like what you’ve said very much. I recently talked a client out of something similar. He was going to offer a one-year subscription for a deeply discounted price. My fear is that it would diminish the perceived value of the product and he would never be able to sell it for the full price again. Instead he is doing an “almost free trial.” This is exactly what you are advocating — a paid pilot. This approach supports the product “value” and should generate business that is serious about getting the solution. Good advice. Thanks.

]]> By: Anna Talerico http://www.b2bmarketingroi.com/2009/08/05/paid-pilots-or-free-trials-b2b/#comment-77 Anna Talerico Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:47:07 +0000 http://b2bmarketingroi.com/?p=242#comment-77 great post Adam! I think the 'trial' is something a lot of SaaS vendors struggle with—there aren't any easy answers. great post Adam! I think the ‘trial’ is something a lot of SaaS vendors struggle with—there aren’t any easy answers.

]]> By: Adam Blitzer http://www.b2bmarketingroi.com/2009/08/05/paid-pilots-or-free-trials-b2b/#comment-76 Adam Blitzer Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:49:10 +0000 http://b2bmarketingroi.com/?p=242#comment-76 Thanks for the comment Jame. I definitely like the approach of actually requiring someone to do something as part of the trial/pilot (send an email campaign, create a landing page and drive traffic to it, etc.). Thanks for the comment Jame. I definitely like the approach of actually requiring someone to do something as part of the trial/pilot (send an email campaign, create a landing page and drive traffic to it, etc.).

]]> By: Jame Ervin http://www.b2bmarketingroi.com/2009/08/05/paid-pilots-or-free-trials-b2b/#comment-75 Jame Ervin Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:11:36 +0000 http://b2bmarketingroi.com/?p=242#comment-75 Good post Adam! I see the benefits of both. In some orgs it is hard to get the $$$ approval. Maybe a good compromise is a paid trial with no money due until the end of the trial. So it seems free, you still get money and people in organizations with tight purse strings will still have access. I totally agree, people are really busy and they need a reason to actually try something out and devote time to using it. I liked the approach of one vendor where they forced you to execute something during your trial of the automation suite. This was a good way to ensure you used it, I think other apps could take a similar approach! Good post Adam! I see the benefits of both. In some orgs it is hard to get the $$$ approval. Maybe a good compromise is a paid trial with no money due until the end of the trial. So it seems free, you still get money and people in organizations with tight purse strings will still have access.

I totally agree, people are really busy and they need a reason to actually try something out and devote time to using it. I liked the approach of one vendor where they forced you to execute something during your trial of the automation suite. This was a good way to ensure you used it, I think other apps could take a similar approach!

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