Top 10 tips for creating Software as a Service business opportunities

Customers, resellers and solutions providers have been apprehensive about jumping into the Software as a Service (SaaS) market, but these tips on creating SaaS business opportunities explain the new line of thinking that has redefined the roles of solutions providers and decision makers. These tips demonstrate how you can take advantage of the many revenue possibilities that SaaS provides, but you have to have a strong understanding of what your customers' needs are and how SaaS can meet them. 

1. SaaS market gives rise to new software sales decision makerAs the market for SaaS continues to progress, end users have turned into decision makers. Now that you have have been forced to rethink your strategy when creating SaaS business opportunities, use this tip to find out what changes you need to implement in order to make your SaaS services appealing to end users. This approach includes trying to lowertotal cost of ownership (TCO) and learning how to deal with vendors that have based their go-to-market strategies on circumventing the IT department.
2. Selling Software as a Service: How and why providers need to change their thinkingHow do you plan on becoming accustomed to the SaaS business environment? This tip explains why you need to change your perception of selling SaaS when sales cycles are shorter and the volume of SaaS contracts is higher. The focus of solutions providers is shifting more toward helping customers use the applications effectively while ensuring their needs are met rather than just making sure they work.
3. Stay competitive with SaaS BI servicesYour role as a solutions provider has changed a bit since the implementation of SaaS in the market, but you'll learn that having on-demand business intelligence (BI) services can be appealing to companies. Trusted third-parties have maintained tremendous value, even in the transition to the SaaS market. See what type of objectives your customers will require you to meet when creating SaaS business opportunities through BI services.
4. Addressing IT decision makers' SaaS concernsAre you dealing with IT departments that are resistant to SaaS and wonder about its reliability and security? You aren't alone, and you need to be prepared to answer questions customers have about the day-to-day concerns about SaaS. Expert Jeffrey M. Kaplan details how to address these apprehensions by using a proactive approach. After mapping out performance objectives with your vendor, Kaplan explains the importance of assessing TCO and return on investment when creating SaaS business opportunities.
5. SaaS vs. desktop virtualization solutionsWhen customers are trying to choose between SaaS and desktop virtualization, they will often look to you for advice. This article highlights the three most important considerations when making the decision: complexity and cost, endpoint requirements and maintenance, and reliability. Once you are informed about the benefits of each, you'll be more prepared to help customers decide whether SaaS or desktop virtualization meets their needs.
6. Making money selling SaaSSelling Software as a Service can be extremely profitable if you are able to explain to customers how and in what capacity SaaS is applicable to their business requirements. Find out what you need to focus on when selling SaaS and why the subscription model gives SaaS revenue good growth potential.
7. Best practices for selling Software as a ServiceSaaS has a variety of low-cost options. Take a look at the best practices and components of SaaS that can be used as key selling points. Knowing about SaaS features and sales methods in this expert response can help you modify your proposal depending on a customer's needs.
8. SaaS migration spurs VARs to rethink services and support modelsIf you are looking for different ways to offer services and support, the SaaS program developed by Bluewolf, a longtime Salesforce.com partner, could serve as a deployment model. Beyond Salesforce.com, SaaS support programs can relieve concerns about pricing and address the constant need for newly deployed applications to be implemented, customized and supported.
9. VARs rethinking services they offer customersThe impact of the SaaS market has left both vendors and resellers rethinking the services they offer customers. In this article, experts answered questions about the role the channel plays when solutions providers look for SaaS business opportunities.
10. Checklist: SaaS revenue opportunitiesYou have probably heard lingering concerns that SaaS will squeeze out VARs, but this checklist shows a number of specific SaaS revenue opportunities. The list makes it clear that creating SaaS business opportunities doesn't diminish the role of third parties, but it does change their responsibilities.