Remember? Not too long ago what a pain it was to hail a cab? Find a ride to the airport? Or get a ride home from a late event. I can virtually see the eyes rolling. We can relate, right? Along comes UBER and that problem (and one other) is in the rear view mirror. Uber created a hugely successful SaaS platform. There are problems with Uber, documented, but for most, the convenience of booking a ride on the Uber platform is simply amazing.

How do you know that your SaaS product your team is developing has tremendous business value? One technique I have employed with great success is selling the problem. This has worked in the boardroom at Tesco Bank in Scotland as well as over a zoom call with a small business owner in New Jersey. When I am working with SaaS leaders, I often ask them to “sell me the problem.” I just sold you the hailing the cab problem in the paragraph above.

Selling the problem requires: 1) a deep understanding of the subtleties of the addressable market (TAM), 2) walking in the shoes of the person(s) who have needs, “day in the life.” 3) speaking the language of the market. With that knowledge and understanding, you can connect empathetically to those in that market.

The beginning of any (customer/partner/investor) presentation, then, should start with selling the problem. If you can sell the problem, and you know you are there when you get the visual cues from your audience (nods, eye rolls, knowing smirks, etc.), then you have won the first, big battle in your presentation. Why, because your potential market: customers, merchants, partners, stakeholders, etc. want to know that you (your organization) understands the problem, and therefore is in a position to solve the problem.

Make it simple and don’t muddy the water with side issues, complexities, or minor inconveniences. Stick to the problem. Sell it and win the war. That builds great trust as you have now aligned your company and software with the solution to the problem.

Your next slide(s) makes the connection between the viscerally felt problem, and your solution. But at this point, you have won the hearts and minds of your audience as they begin to feel that you have the solution to the problem presented.