2025 Insights: How to Sell B2B SaaS—10 Strategies for Success

B2B SaaS is booming— cloud marketplace revenues are predicted to top $100 billion by 2026. This growth is driven by the incredible value B2B marketplaces offer to both buyers and sellers. For B2B buyers who are hungry for these types of digital channels, they enjoy the speed, convenience, and choice that online marketplaces offer. They also provide streamlined procurement, consolidated billing, and access to a diverse range of applications. Technology providers also benefit by reaching wider audiences, accelerating deal cycles, and increasing revenue opportunities.

However, this ease of purchase doesn't necessarily guarantee success for SaaS providers. There are challenges when it comes to scaling, marketing, and managing offerings. In this competitive B2B arena, you also need a proactive approach to educate, engage, and support your buyers.

To help, we've curated a list of 10 proven strategies used by the world's most successful providers to maximize their B2B SaaS sales. Let's get started!

1. Apply lessons from top companies

Leading companies across industries are realizing the power of horizontal scaling to leverage existing resources and to more effectively reach a wider market. This sharp focus is what has enabled Uber to capture 74% of the ride hailing market as of 2024.

• Move beyond vertical scaling: Simply adding more products or services to your portfolio often leads to diminishing returns as competition increases.

• Embrace horizontal scaling: Platform-based businesses grow by expanding their reach and capabilities without solely relying on new product development They create ecosystems where third parties can seamlessly integrate, offer complementary products and services, and contribute to a thriving marketplace.

Why is horizontal scaling important?

• Reduced costs: Platforms leverage existing infrastructure and resources to reach a wider market, lowering costs and increasing efficiency.

• Expanded reach: By connecting with third-party sellers and partners, platforms tap into new customer segments and markets.

• Increased revenue: Platforms generate revenue from every transaction within their ecosystem, creating multiple revenue streams and unlocking new growth opportunities.

"When you look at digital winners, they share one thing in common: they tend to be multi-sided platforms that have no inventory. Instead, they invite 3rd parties to develop inventory, sell inventory, and consume inventory on top of their platform."

— Nicolas Desmarais, CEO AppDirect

2. Launch your own marketplace

With online B2B marketplaces poised to drive billions in sales, leveraging the right distribution channels is a foundational component of any SaaS sales strategy. Technology providers need to think strategically about how they reach potential customers in an increasingly digital world. Creating a dedicated marketplace gives you complete control over branding and customer experience. It also provides access to more direct customer relationships because you own the entire customer journey—from initial discovery and purchase to ongoing support and engagement.and potentially more direct customer relationships. 

This level of control and direct engagement does come with some key considerations for SaaS providers. On the other side of the coin, it requires investment in platform development, marketing, and ongoing management. Many SaaS providers leverage a marketplace development platform to launch and manage their own marketplace. 

What is a marketplace development platfrom? 

A marketplace development platfrom is a solution that enables businesses to create, manage, and scale online marketplaces. It provides the necessary tools and infrastructure to support various business models, including first-party, third-party, and mixed marketplaces.

Read more about the top criteria for choosing a marketplace development platform, including: catalog of digital services, seller network, customer experience front end, B2B customer accounts and contract entitlements, and commissions management capabilities.

3. Partner with resale marketplaces

Resale marketplaces offer instant access to a large, pre-built audience actively seeking technology solutions. You'll benefit from:

• Streamlined listing processes: Get your SaaS solutions in front of customers quickly and easily.

• Existing marketing efforts: Leverage the marketplace's marketing muscle to expand your reach.

• Simplified billing and support: Potentially streamline operations and reduce your workload.

However, keep in mind that partnering with a resale marketplace might mean less control over branding and direct customer interactions.

Which marketplace model is right for you?

Some resale marketplaces, like the AppDirect Marketplace, offer a diverse product portfolio, emphasizing access to competing brands and variety of top technology providers. Others, like the Salesforce AppExchange, primarily offer apps specifically designed to integrate with and extend Salesforce.

4. Syndicate your listings across partner networks

Marketplace syndication expands your reach even further by distributing your products or services through multiple partner marketplaces. Instead of relying on one marketplace, with syndication, or integrated distribution, you're tapping into several to boost visibility and lead generation. 

However, it's essential to ensure consistent brand messaging and manage potentially complex logistics across various platforms.

The best approach, or combination of approaches, depends on your unique goals, resources, and target market. Some providers may benefit from starting with a single marketplace presence and expanding over time. Others may find value in a multi-channel strategy from the outset.

5. Don’t just sell features; sell holistic, customer-centric solutions

When a customer understands the value that they are getting from their applications, a salesperson becomes a trusted advisor, a key factor in reducing customer churn, and driving future up- and cross-sell opportunities.

To sell SaaS effectively, it is crucial to:

• Listen first. You need a thorough understanding of who the customer is, what their business is about, and what their business pain points are. This will help you find the right solution to fit the right business challenge.

• Communicate clear return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO) savings of your B2B SaaS solutions.

• Become an expert at handling objections that are unique to SaaS, including concerns related to security, data ownership, etc.

6. Determine what you'll sell: Focus on a high-value app portfolio  

When building your marketplace portfolio, resist the urge to offer everything. Instead, curate a laser-focused app portfolio that solves your target audience's biggest pain points. This could include offering core technology, reselling popular third-party applications, or doing both. This approach builds trust and drives marketplace success.

Unlocking complementary revenue

A key advantage of reselling high-value SaaS apps is the ability to complement your core competencies. For example, a telecom company might resell Microsoft and Google solutions, while a software provider could expand its offerings with Adobe or Dropbox. This strategy allows you to deliver greater value to customers and increase your revenue potential.

Here's your playbook

• Land: Start with two or three "anchor apps,” cloud services closely related to your core business. Keeping your initial offerings focused makes your value proposition crystal clear for both internal teams and buyers.

• Engage: Once you see initial sales, focus on driving customer onboarding and engagement—this creates "stickiness." Provide valuable resources like webinars, tutorials, and a comprehensive knowledge base to ensure users get the most out of their chosen solutions.

• Expand: When you've established trust and demonstrated value with your anchor apps, strategically expand your catalog. Add complementary solutions that and cater to new buyer segments.

7. Grow your distribution network 

Service providers looking to sell more SaaS need to adopt a strategic approach to distribution that maximizes reach and accelerates growth. Shifting from a primarily direct go-to-market (GTM) strategy towards a robust partner ecosystem is no longer optional, it's essential for success.

Why partner-centric strategies are critical:

• Expanded market reach: Leveraging established relationships with technology advisors, resellers, and other channel partners increases your distribution network and dramatically expands your potential customer base.

• Accelerated sales cycles: Partners bring pre-built trust and credibility within their networks, leading to shorter sales cycles and increased close rates.

• Reduced cost of customer acquisition: Partner networks often result in more cost-effective customer acquisition compared to resource-intensive direct sales models.

The power of the channel and partnerships in action

Leading technology companies understand the power of partnerships. Research shows that top-performing organizations have cultivated extensive partner ecosystems, often exceeding 25,000+ resellers or referral partners. In contrast, companies struggling to keep pace in the digital marketplace typically have significantly smaller partner networks.

How can you drive success in the digital economy? Read more in our blog.

A cloud marketplace is essential, however, the most successful providers utilize offline and online channels to maximize their sales success. By building your partner ecosystem and leveraging a B2B marketplace you can drive qualified leads to your internal sales team and your network of sellers, whether that's technology advisors, MSPs, agents, or other channel partners.

Are you a technology advisor who wants to sell SaaS? Become an AppDirect advisor and grow faster with our multi-category catalog.

8. Unlock more revenue with procurement marketplaces

Building a robust partner ecosystem is a powerful strategy for expanding reach and accelerating growth. To maximize success, savvy SaaS providers are also empowering their technology advisors and channel partners to offer customers self-serve options through procurement marketplaces. This is especially valuable as organizations grapple with managing decentralized SaaS and digital subscriptions. B2B procurement marketplaces provide a centralized hub for businesses to purchase technology solutions, often curated and managed in collaboration with trusted advisors.

Here's how procurement marketplaces drive revenue growth:

• Streamlined sales cycles: Marketplaces simplify the buying process, making it easier for customers to discover, compare, and purchase solutions – which can lead to faster sales cycles.

• Increased visibility and reach: For technology providers, solutions gain exposure to a wider audience of potential buyers actively seeking technology within the marketplace.

• New self-service revenue sources: Many customers who initially purchase through an advisor find value in the marketplace's self-service capabilities for future purchases, creating additional revenue streams.

• Organic up-selling and cross-selling: The combination of advisor guidance and online marketplace convenience opens up valuable opportunities to up-sell and cross-sell complementary solutions.

By integrating B2B procurement marketplaces into your partner-centric strategy, you create a win-win-win scenario: Customers benefit from a streamlined purchasing experience, partners deepen their client relationships, and your business unlocks new revenue potential.

9. Keep free trials simple (and aligned with user expectations!)

Today a frictionless user experience is crucial, and that begins with your free trial. Potential customers are more likely to convert to paying users when the trial sign-up process is simple, straightforward, and aligns with their expectations.

Here's how to optimize your free trial for maximum conversions:

• Streamline registration: Don't overwhelm prospects with lengthy forms. Stick to essential information like email and password. According to a recent study, the average B2B SaaS free trial form in 2025 requires only 2.8 fields, down from 4.5 fields in 2020.

• Minimize clicks: Ensure the path from initial interest to using your product is as short as possible. Ideally, users should be able to access core features within a few clicks.

• Offer value upfront: Clearly communicate the value proposition of your SaaS solution within the trial period. Highlight the key features and benefits users can expect to experience right away.

• Nurture engagement: Don't leave trial users hanging. Implement a strategic communication plan that includes onboarding emails, feature highlights, and helpful tips to encourage engagement and demonstrate value.

By making your free trial simple and valuable you can significantly boost your conversion rates and set the stage for long-term customer relationships. A well-structured opt-in free trial often sees conversion rates around 18% for organic traffic

10. Don't underestimate the customer experience

Delivering exceptional customer experiences is paramount to success for any SaaS provider. When customers feel supported and valued, they are more likely to remain loyal, provide positive referrals, and increase their lifetime value.

Consider this example: A leading telecommunications provider faced a surge in support requests as customers encountered issues with various aspects of their technology setup. No clear path for support, led to customer frustration and process abandonment.

To address this challenge, the company implemented a white-labeled help desk solution, allowing them to bring support in-house while maintaining a seamless customer experience.

The results?

• Increased customer satisfaction: A unified support experience led to a 25% reduction in churn.

• Improved efficiency: With a 93% first-call resolution rate, the company significantly improved support efficiency.

• Enhanced brand equity: Providing consistent and high-quality support strengthened the company's brand reputation.

Key takeaway

Investing in a dedicated, high-quality support solution—whether in-house or through a trusted partner—is crucial for driving customer satisfaction, reducing churn, and ultimately, accelerating SaaS business growth.

Next steps—How to maximize B2B sales success

To create a  SaaS sales strategy, technology providers should consider building their own custom SaaS marketplaces and ecosystems to sell first-party and third-party products. You can also boost channel sales by working with technology advisors to sell products to new markets that were previously difficult to reach. Taking this approach can help you find new paths to monetization all while minimizing customer acquisition costs.

Ready to launch your own software marketplace? Start your free trial now. Or are you an advisor looking to sell SaaS? Start here.