13 Tried & Tested Methods to Convert Your Trial Users Into Paid Customers
If you have a product that’s generating a lot of traction, including a large number of users who are trying it for free.
Then you need to focus your energy on increasing the percentage of your trial users that actually convert over to paid customers.
To scale SaaS products, businesses offer not just free trials but paid as well. However, the ultimate goal is to make these users buy your regular subscriptions.
And to do that — you need to use methods and strategies that increase your conversion rates and give you long-term customers.
Here are 13 proven ways to do that.
1. Keep Track of Metrics
While it sounds obvious — you need to be aggressive in watching & tracking your data, metrics and KPIs to really up your conversion rates.
Start with the important ones, such as revenue and customer retention. From there, you can add other important metrics that help you understand how your product is performing.
For example, you can use Google Anaytics to track different metrics.
For example, to increase sales, you need to track your sales funnel conversion rates at each stage along the way.
Or If you’re focused on reducing churn, then track the number of users who cancel their accounts each month.
If you have a software product, it’s important to make your trial experience easy-going & seamless.
A seamless experience can help you convert more customers into paid users (thereby increasing your revenue).
A good way to do this is by making the onboarding process as simple as possible.
You can also use gamification to create a fun and engaging experience for users.
The idea here is not only to make the user have a great time. But also give them an incentive to come back repeatedly so they can achieve their goals in the game.
3. Provide Extra Value During the Trial Period
Trial users are looking for evidence that your product will solve their problems and help them achieve their goals.
If they don’t see this during the trial period, they won’t convert into paying customers.
This means you need to provide additional value during the trial period that goes beyond what’s included in your product’s features list
For this, you can offer training videos, webinars, and informational material like blogs, podcasts and so on. This will also help them convince your brand authority.
4. Use Social Proof
Social proof is a key element in any conversion rate optimization campaign.
Because it helps build trust with your visitors by showing them that other people have already trusted you with their money (or time).
You can use testimonials and reviews from previous customers or industry experts on your website and landing pages to gain a competitive advantage over other businesses in your industry.
One of the best ways to get people to pay faster is by creating a sense of urgency in them.
This can be done by offering discount coupons or limited-time offers that let them save money when they purchase your product.
As long as they feel like they’re getting something out of it, they’ll be more willing to pay upfront than wait until later down the road when there’s no discount available anymore!
I know this sounds cliche but it works.
7. Encourage Your Trial Users to Purchase
The most effective way to convert your free users into paying customers is by encouraging them to make the purchase when they are ready.
The best way to do this is by setting up a product page that encourages trial users to upgrade and shows them what they will get by upgrading.
You can also use in-app messages or emails to remind them to upgrade.
8. Make It Easy for People to Find Out More About Your Product/Service
At our website, we made it very easy to find out the details of the programs we offer.
You need to make sure that you have a clear call-to-action on your website or app so that people know exactly what they will get if they purchase your product or service.
Even if you offer a free trial, make sure that you include pricing information on your website or app.
This will make sure that potential customers know how much it would cost if they decide to continue using the software after their trial period has expired.
9. Create a Landing Page Specifically for Paid Users
One of the easiest ways to convert your trial users is by creating a landing page that explains what they get by upgrading.
If you have an existing free plan, let them know about all of its features in detail and how it compares to the paid version.
You can also use this page as a way of explaining any differences between your product and competitors, as well as showing off some case studies or testimonials from real users who have already upgraded.
When you have a free trial, it’s tempting to ask for payment details at the end of it. It makes sense, right? You want to continue getting paid!
But when you ask people for their credit card details up front, they tend to put off paying until they’ve used the service enough times to know whether it’s worth it.
This means that when you do ask for payment details at the end of the free trial, there’s a higher risk that they’ll cancel on you (or forget).
Instead, offer users an option to sign up for a paid plan after their trial has ended. This way, they can choose when it suits them best.
And you won’t lose out on potential revenue just because someone forgot about it.
The smart marketing team will use different CTAs for different audiences.
For example, if someone is visiting your site for the first time, they might not be ready to buy yet but they might want more information about your product or service.
In this case, a CTA button that says “Learn More” can help them take the next step towards conversion without pressuring them too much.
On the other hand, if someone has already visited your site multiple times and knows exactly what they want, a CTA button like “Buy Now” can be used instead to drive them closer to conversion by giving them an actionable call-to-action.
12. Use Email Automation
A good way to keep in touch with customers who have signed up for a free trial is through email automation.
This can help you nurture leads and convert them into paying customers by sending them relevant emails throughout their time on the trial.
For example, if someone signs up for a 30-day trial, send them an email reminder on day 15 asking them how things are going so far and see if there is anything else we can do to help them achieve their goals.
If someone doesn’t respond then follow up with another email after a couple more days. This should give them enough time to give you feedback without being too pushy about it.
13. Use Email Marketing Campaigns to Engage With Customers
Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach out to potential customers and get them excited about your product or service.
In fact, email creates $42 for every $1 invested, a 4,200% ROI, making it one of the most effective solutions accessible.
Therefore, with email marketing, you can create customized emails that include special offers or discounts based on past purchases by your customers or their behavior on your website.
For example, if they browse certain products frequently or if they click on certain links.
This allows you to target specific groups of people with tailored messages so they see only what they want to see while increasing sales conversions immensely.
This methodology can help any SaaS business convert free users into paying customers.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution — the framework exposed in this article will give you points to consider as you try and gauge how to improve your sales funnel and generate more revenue.
