Author: Nam Info Inc

The Technology Crystal Ball webinar series is back with its 5th episode – “Garnering traction for early-stage B2B SaaS”. This will cover several key topics related to how to attract and retain customers in a crowded and competitive marketplace. The key areas to discuss include –

Areas of interest include –

1. Accelerating product-market fit
2. Building blocks for a $ 100M company
3. Establishing the model
4. Understanding and acquiring customers
5. Setting up for scale!

The hosts, Vinay Mahajan and Abhimanyu Diwaker are being joined by an internationally reputed B2B sales expert Shiladitya (Sunny) Ghosh, founder of Brewra Ventures to share his expert thoughts on how early stage B2B SaaS companies can garner traction.

Here are some of the things you can expect to learn from such a webinar:

Defining your target customer: One of the first steps to attracting traction is understanding who your ideal customer is. The webinar may cover strategies for researching and identifying your target customer, such as through customer interviews, market research, and data analysis.

Creating a compelling value proposition: Once you know who your target customer is, you need to create a value proposition that speaks to their needs and pain points. The webinar may cover best practices for crafting a clear and compelling value proposition that resonates with your target customer.

Choosing the right channels: There are many different channels through which you can reach potential customers, from content marketing and SEO to social media and email campaigns. The webinar may cover strategies for choosing the channels that are most likely to reach and engage your target customer.

Building an MVP: To test your value proposition and traction channels, you may need to build a minimum viable product (MVP) that allows you to gather feedback and iterate on your offering. The webinar may cover best practices for building and testing an MVP.

Creating a growth strategy: Once you’ve validated your value proposition and traction channels, you need to develop a growth strategy that allows you to scale your business. The webinar may cover strategies for acquiring and retaining customers at different stages of the customer lifecycle, as well as tactics for increasing customer lifetime value.

Overall, a webinar on garnering traction for early-stage B2B SaaS is going to provide practical advice and actionable insights for founders and entrepreneurs who are looking to build and grow a successful B2B SaaS business.

WEBINAR DETAILS

Topic – GARNERING TRACTION FOR EARLY-STAGE B2B SAAS

Date: 31st March 2023, Time: 12 Noon EST

REGISTER NOW – https://bit.ly/3T0w72G

Recruitment can be a challenge and most of the time recruiters and hiring managers end up regretting after the hiring is over. They might discover the candidate is good only with communications and not hands-on with practical job work. How to then evaluate the professional for right fitting them into the job and avoid regretting a hiring decision.

There will be 2 parts to it, pre hiring evaluation and post hiring follow-up of performance management.

Let’s see if these steps help you:

Pre-hiring evaluation, interviewing and on-boarding –

• Define clear job requirements, responsibilities, and expectations. If possible create a candidate profile as well.
• Source diverse candidate pools using various methods (job boards, social media, employee referrals, etc.).
• Thoroughly screen and interview candidates. Conduct thorough and consistent interviews, using behavioral and technical questions.
• Verify references, credentials, and past work experiences.
• Assess skills through tests or projects. Use pre-employment assessments such as aptitude or skills tests.
• Assess both hard and soft skills. – This hold true in both Pre and post hiring of the professional
• Offer a fair salary and benefits package.
• Evaluate the candidate’s fit with company culture and values.

On-job evaluation

• Provide a positive onboarding experience and continuous support for the employee.
• Have a trial period to observe the candidate’s work.
• Decide based on objective criteria and not just personal bias or gut feeling.
• Continuously evaluate and provide feedback and coaching to the hire to ensure mutual satisfaction.
• Set clear performance expectations and regularly provide feedback. Establish clear performance goals and objectives. Use objective measures, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), when possible.
• Document performance throughout the year.
• Use a variety of performance metrics and evaluation methods. Ensure a thorough, fair and impartial performance review.
• Encourage open and honest communication and two-way feedback by actively listen to the professional’s perspective.
• Assess both hard and soft skills.
• Consider both individual and team contributions.
• Allow the professional to self-evaluate.
• Make sure evaluations are conducted objectively and free of bias.
• Regularly gather feedback from colleagues and customers.
• Provide specific, actionable feedback and offer opportunities for growth and development.
• Consider both the individual’s strengths and areas for improvement.

We discussed this topic in another blog titled, “How to find the right candidate?“

There are many factors to consider when looking for the right candidate for a job. Here are a few tips to help you find the right person:

Define the job role and responsibilities clearly: It’s important to have a clear understanding of the job role and responsibilities before you start looking for candidates. This will help you filter out candidates who may not be suitable for the job.

Determine the necessary skills and qualifications: Make a list of the skills and qualifications that are required for the job. This will help you narrow down your search to candidates who have the necessary skills and experience.

Use a variety of recruiting methods: Consider using a variety of recruiting methods, such as job posting websites, employee referrals, social media, and networking events, to reach a diverse pool of candidates.

Review resumes and cover letters carefully: Carefully review resumes and cover letters to identify candidates who have the necessary skills and experience. Pay attention to the language and tone of the cover letter, as it can give you insight into the candidate’s personality and communication style.

Conduct phone or video interviews: Use phone or video interviews to get a better sense of the candidate’s personality and fit for the company culture. During the interview process, ask questions that relate to the specific skills and experiences that the job requires.

Consider using assessment tools: Consider using assessment tools, such as personality tests or skills tests, to further evaluate candidates and ensure that they are a good fit for the job.

Schedule in-person interviews: Once you have narrowed down your list of candidates, schedule in-person interviews to get a better sense of their fit for the role and the company.

Consider using reference checks to verify the candidate’s past job performance and skills.

Take your time to find the right candidate. It’s better to wait and find someone who is a good fit for the job than to rush and hire someone who may not be a good fit.

A decade ago, nobody could have concretely imagined concepts like AI or hybrid workplaces but today, companies are met with the important question: how can we create meaningful spaces of communication and collaboration in the changing faces of working environments?

Technology has come a long way in providing solutions for companies to support its various functions. While it is not the only solution, it acts as the catalyst companies need to transition into the emerging new world order.

The metaverse is one such aspect of the technological revolution we are seeing today. It has the potential to join forces with every aspect of our workplaces, including the HR department. The term ‘metaverse’ was coined by Neal Stephenson in his novel ‘Snow Crash’ in 1992, where a virtual-reality setup replaced the internet. To understand its importance in modern usage, individuals are replaced by digital depictions in a virtual world, allowing people to come together regardless of their location or time zone.

With the rise of AI and Big Data, companies are beginning to adopt the metaverse into their operations, to improve their functioning. When you consider the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and its travel limitations, the metaverse becomes a strong tool to bridge the physical boundaries between people. It opens up a space for companies to develop game-changing ideas and smoother operations.

What can the metaverse do?

But the ability to do so is just one aspect of what the metaverse can do. One of the other aspects of it is the capacity to look into resource allocation and employment. A good HR would plan strategically for the future of its workforce, in terms of management and planning. Once an HR comprehends the power of the metaverse, it would not only improve the functioning of the workspace but also cut down on the losses companies have faced during the pandemic with remote work.

At the same time, the metaverse would prove useful in employee inductions, information sharing, aptitude tests, employee training, performance reviews, team building, company events, and more. It provides a space for an immersive work environment, where the tasks of a physical workspace can easily be replicated in virtual reality.

How can the metaverse be used?

What if the metaverse enters the HR space? How will it impact your workplace? Let’s understand the implications of a metaverse in your company’s HR space through this article.

Increased productivity

The metaverse allows people to telecommunicate, where one can conduct their daily activities within the space. Be it meetings, live conferences, or client engagement, this technology has an impact on communications that otherwise take ages to establish. Moreover, organizations can manage their workforce more efficiently, as the metaverse allows for seamless communication channels.

Enhanced recruitments

The metaverse can also be applied to your company’s recruitment processes. Organizations will no longer be restricted by geographical boundaries. HRs can look for talent across the globe, or at least within their countries. By usage of this technology, candidates applying can learn about the company’s working culture and see for themselves, its efficiency of it while applying.

Learning and Development

The metaverse has the promise to transform the learning and development outcomes for employees. Organizations can use the virtual space to create opportunities for employees to take part in remote training sessions. The use of the metaverse for onboarding and training will give learners a chance to obtain hands-on work experiences like problem-solving and customer experiences. It gives employees a set of transferrable skills that are essential for their career progression.

Performance Management and Rewards

Should HR design an AI-driven process to collaborate between stakeholders, the metaverse can set up a continuous feedback mechanism for employees, which can lead to improved employee performance. Furthermore, the same AI-driven mechanism can be programmed to incorporate digital rewards, that will be rewarded on the basis of past performances, needs, et al.

New Skills

As AI takes over mundane tasks, insights to drive the technology will become crucial for organizations. The metaverse will need unique human skills to enhance its progression. It opens avenues for various new roles like designers for digital depictions, and digital travel agents to make easy communications across different metaverses, security officers, developers, and more. It opens companies up to new talent and profits in the longer run.

In an era of rapid technological progress, the metaverse is a significant breakthrough and can be extremely useful for various organizations. If HR prepares itself to optimize the metaverse now itself, it stands a greater chance to reap its benefits in the future, when virtual reality becomes the new workplace norm.

Also read: Artificial Intelligence, Human Brilliance – Co-work for Better Outcomes

An interesting read on Metaverse supporting Mental Health