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SaaS startup checklist

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Last editedAug 20222 min read

Launching a SaaS startup involves a number of important steps that will ultimately determine whether the product is successful or not. Ensuring you thoroughly check-off every item on the SaaS startup checklist is crucial, and failing to do so is one of the main reasons why some SaaS startups flounder after launch.

Many failed startups have focused on getting their product up and running and out there as soon as possible. However, this approach can leave you unprepared and vulnerable to the various obstacles you must overcome. New products also need effective marketing, without which it may struggle to make any impact at all.

Here we present a SaaS startup checklist to help you ensure you have all the bases covered and are ready to launch your SaaS product

Product Launch Checklist

We won’t focus on the actual product here, but rather the steps you need to take in order to launch the product successfully. You must have your team in place and you must understand who the target audience for your product is. You will also need an online presence for your customers to discover the product and sign-up to use it.

You should be analysing your tech stack to ensure it will not become obsolete as new technology emerges, while also ensuring your product has been thoroughly tested for bugs.

Let’s look closer at each aspect of the SaaS startup checklist and see how to implement each step.

Assemble Your Team

Getting your team together is obviously an important step to take when launching an SaaS startup. You need to analyse the current skill sets that are on the team and identify any skill gaps. You may need more technical expertise in a particular area, or someone with marketing experience. Also think about how you intend to conduct customer service and whether or not you need a dedicated specialist.

Identify Target Audience

Always make sure you know who your target customers are long in advance of launch. The product will presumably have been designed for them, but so must the marketing and promotion of the product. Plan your SaaS strategy for attracting customers, how to reach them and convince them of your product’s value. Focus on lead generation and use all the feedback to constantly improve your approach.

Create a Pre-Launch Page

Knowing who your target customer is will help inform the design of your pre-launch page. You will need a landing page which promotes the product and which can be used to generate leads through marketing campaigns. Let visitors sign-up but make sure the process is simple and not overly complicated with multiple fields.

Future-Proof Your Tech Stack

Ensuring your tech stack is flexible and future-proof is another vital part of any SaaS startup checklist. An SaaS business will require a variety of software solutions and development tools to power the product both at the front end and the back end, as well as all necessary frameworks and libraries. Future-proofing your SaaS tech stack will enable you to make any adjustments that are needed as and when it is required.

Test Your Product

Always thoroughly test your product before launching it. It is a time-consuming process, but there are ways to turn that to your advantage. If your product is technically ready but has yet to be fully tested, you can offer it as a beta version to some potential customers. Offer it for free while it is in beta, and they will be happy to offer honest feedback which you can then use to further improve the product.

There are several websites where you can get more information about finding beta testers, such as:

KillerStartups
BetaList
UserTesting
BetaBound

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