How To Turn One-Time Clients Into Recurring Revenue

How To Turn One-Time Clients Into Recurring Revenue


When was the last time you felt valued as a customer so much that you even threw in a positive review? Chances are it happened when using a subscription service. 

Knowing that the positive customer experience you underwent provoked you to stay loyal to that service, we’re certain you’ve considered switching to the recurring business model to generate revenue.

From revenue forecasting to brand loyalty or financial stability, the benefits of this business model compared to one-time purchases are well known. So maybe what’s holding you back from transitioning is the thought that it might not fit your business. 

Well, just look at the many successful SaaS companies. 

As a SaaS owner, remember that in order to effectively switch to the recurring fee business model is very much a question of applying the right SaaS monetization strategy

And by partnering with a Merchant of Record , the transition will, without a doubt, run smoothly. But more on that later. 

Let’s consider what you would need to do to take your SaaS product from a one-time option and discuss  the key to long-term user base relationships: 

The 5 Steps To Winning Recurring Revenue 
How Can A Merchant of Record Help?

The 5 Steps To Winning Recurring Revenue

Employ A Strong Pricing Strategy

Value, competitiveness, and clarity. These are the three components that make up a strong SaaS pricing strategy. Whether it’s value or usage based pricing, you need to create a monetization model that allows your target audience to see value in your offer and stick with you over a very long time.

Popular-Pricing-Strategies-for-SaaS-1

If you choose tiered pricing, make sure to be specific about your pricing tiers and thoroughly explain the premium features in your subscription plans. You don’t want customers to get lost in your pricing tiers. 

Also, remember that the right pricing strategy should break the ice through highly competitive price points. It’s no surprise that penetration pricing is among the most popular pricing strategies among fresh SaaS companies. 

Implement The Right Technological Infrastructure

Choosing the right pricing model doesn’t happen overnight. On the contrary, finding the right pricing model is the result of a complex process that involves a significant amount of testing, data collection, and interpretation.  

Effectively completing this process takes more time than you imagine, sinceyou will also need to have the right monetization infrastructure in place to properly conduct your testing. 

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In short, it’s necessary to embrace a robust technological platform that can successfully manage subscriptions, support customized pricing plans and monetization methods, free trials, add-ons, or in-app purchases offer SaaS analytics tools to track key subscription metrics and improve business operations. 

And switching to the recurring revenue model has a significant impact on your billing process. You will need a payment solution ready to provide you with multiple payment options and billing model flexibility. 

Provide An Excellent Customer Experience

Customer satisfaction is the heart of subscriptions. Offering exceptional support that promptly addresses your client’s needs leads to improved customer satisfaction and retention. Top-notch service has the ability to reduce customer churn, making it a top priority for all subscription businesses. Everyone wants a low customer churn rate, right? 

Another way to increase your retention rates is by performing regular updates and product improvements based on feedback. Clients are more likely to stick around if they notice how committed you are to enhancing your product. 

Keep The Old and Win the New

It’s important to understand that the subscription customer lifecycle is far more complex than you might think. And winning a new client will put you in the never-ending phase of customer renewal and retention. 

So, when making the switch to the recurring revenue model, you need to come up with a completely new game plan for winning and keeping subscribers

In terms of customer acquisition, sending engaging emails to one-time clients, highlighting new features, helping them discover the product, and even offering special deals to incentivize them to subscribe are all good business practices to put into place. 

Also, even though winning new customers is a top priority, you shouldn’t disregard your pre-transition, existing customers. Make sure to offer retention discounts to reward them for their loyalty to keep them happy and coming back around. 

Onboard Customers The Right Way 

Developing the right monetization strategy for your SaaS business takes more than identifying the correct price tag for different market audiences. It’s also about helping your potential users uncover the value of your products and services. 

challenges-during-onboarding

Only by providing a streamlined onboarding process that helps the user achieve that A-HA moment as quickly as possible can this goal be achieved. So, make sure you offer clear onboarding resources, keep in close contact with the customer during the trial phase, assist them in quickly discovering the perceived value of your SaaS application, and collect usage analytics to improve their experience. 

How Can A Merchant of Record Help?

What is a Merchant of Record if not a complex, innovative payment infrastructure that simplifies operational processes and sustains revenue growth? 

This solution has the payment capabilities your SaaS business requires to effectively employ different monetization strategies and complete the transition from one-time sales to the subscription model on a global scale. 

 

Fast and secure payment processing: The MOR solution helps in generating revenue by quickly and safely processing payments in multiple currencies and payment methods. Plus, providing complete compliance and tax management, selling internationally becomes a breeze.  

Complex subscription management service: Maximize revenue by employing different monthly subscriptions for your target market, establishing additional revenue streams, implementing automatic payments, and testing various pricing models. 

Integrated reporting and analytics: With the help of a fitting Merchant of Record solution, SaaS businesses can secure different revenue streams, maximize profitability, quickly spot market trends, and increase customer satisfaction by collecting actual usage data and acting upon the insights received.

Dedicated customer support: Since customer satisfaction is one of your most important business goals, know that a Merchant of record solution has the expertise to tackle different payment-related queries in a professional and prompt manner.


Joining forces with an MOR makes all the difference in the world as long as it is the right Merchant of Record for your SaaS.  

Meet PayPro Global.

The Merchant of Record that helps you grow

PayPro Global takes away the headache of selling your products worldwide. From local payment methods to simplified subscription handling and tax management, we give you the eCommerce tools you need to scale your business smoothly into the global market.

 

How Is PayPro Global Different?

Part of the payment industry for over 15 years, PayPro Global offers SaaS and software companies a unique and extensive Merchant of Record solution packed with impressive capabilities sure to scale your business globally. 

As a PCI-DSS Level One Certified partner, we ensure the highest payment security standards are upheld, allowing your SaaS business to process payments with confidence.

Supporting over 140 currencies and offering a perfect mix of more than 70 preferred payment methods and multi-language 24/7 customer support, we take the hassle out of selling internationally. 

Plus, managing international sales taxes while implementing a complete fraud prevention and detection strategy, PayPro Global’s MOR turns payments into your competitive advantage.

But that's not all. Our solution encompasses complete subscription management, offering a wide array of subscription pricing models, including the freemium model, automatic, manual, or hybrid subscriptions, as well as options for upgrades, downgrades, pay-per-use, and on-demand charges. We’ve got it all.

Thanks to our versatile billing engine, our MOR can significantly boost your subscription revenue, help implement effective SaaS monetization strategies, and optimize your business operations.

Find out more about our all-inclusive payment infrastructure and how you can gain access to a platform that can strategically scale your business in global markets.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning to a subscription business model, while greatly advantageous, is not for the faint-hearted.

Of course, employing smart software monetization tactics gives you greater chances for success.

However, at the end of the day, what matters most is being able to rely on a partner that can help you master different processes essential to your transition without causing further headaches. 

You need a solution for your SaaS solution. And when it comes to global business growth for your software solutions, there’s no better partner than the Merchant of Record.  

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key steps to turn one-time clients into recurring revenue for a SaaS business?

Switching from one-time purchases to the recurring revenue business model is a complex process that includes several steps, among which we can mention developing a strong pricing strategy aimed at both customer retention and acquisition, implementing a robust tench infrastructure to help you sustain a recurring revenue stream, exceptional support for your customer base, and effective onboarding to win over potential customers.

How to create a strong pricing strategy for recurring revenue?

Developing a strong recurring revenue pricing strategy needs to focus on two aspects: keeping loyal customers close and turning one-time buyers into returning customers. To achieve both goals, you need to focus on value, competitiveness, and clarity. Consider offering tiered pricing with clear premium features and competitive price points.

Why is the right tech infrastructure important for recurring revenue?

To encourage repeat purchases and ensure a steady recurring income, you need a strong payment infrastructure that can sustain your efforts. Subscription based businesses need to ensure flawless service to boost repeat sales, offer customized pricing and billing, and gain access to relevant, important metrics to make informed decisions. All of these require a stable infrastructure that eliminates the risk of technical disasters.

How does customer satisfaction impact recurring revenue?

The heart of the subscription based model is customer satisfaction. The quality of your customer relationships can significantly impact your annual recurring revenue, even your monthly one. Offering recurring customers unique and pleasant experiences while using your product or services is crucial for the success of your business.

How can a Merchant of Record help with the transition to a subscription model?

The Merchant of Record model stands out due to its complexity and innovative technologies. Through a wide range of features that include simplified and secured payment processing, subscription management and billing flexibility, integrated analytics and reporting dedicated customer support, plus the right mix of preferred local payment methods and currency, the MOR ensures a smooth transition to the recurring revenue model and fast global growth.

 
Bloggers

Meir Amzallag

Co-founder and CEO of PayPro Global

Ioana Grigorescu

Content Marketing Manager at PayPro Global

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