Scenario · SaaS

SaaS trials into paid and retained subscriptions

A SaaS team had optimized for sign-ups while activation and paid conversion remained disconnected. We defined useful product behavior, set a sales handoff for appropriate accounts and reviewed acquired cohorts through subscription retention.

Client
SaaS organization in this scenario
Sub-industry
SaaS
Engagement
Embedded
Pillars
Assembled · Growth
Window
90 days
+60%
New paid subscriptions

50 → 80

+2.5 pp
Trial-to-paid conversion

10% → 12.5%

+10 pp
90-day paid subscription retention

80% → 90%

90 days
Measurement window

Comparable reporting periods

The situation

A SaaS team had optimized for sign-ups while activation and paid conversion remained disconnected.

The work focused on new paid subscriptions, trial-to-paid conversion, 90-day paid subscription retention. Monthly recurring revenue used a fixed subscription price and excluded expansion, usage fees and refunds. Retention was cohort-specific, not net revenue retention.

Which activity helped new paid subscriptions, and what happened at the next decision?

The commercial question

What we did

Three moves, in order.

  • Sharpen

    Define the commercial outcome

    The priority was new paid subscriptions. The team used trial-to-paid conversion and 90-day paid subscription retention to assess the next stages, with a clear distinction between activity and accepted outcomes.

  • Author / Architect

    Build the path to the next decision

    We defined useful product behavior, set a sales handoff for appropriate accounts and reviewed acquired cohorts through subscription retention.

  • Generate / Gain

    Review progress against consistent measures

    The team compared new paid subscriptions, trial-to-paid conversion, 90-day paid subscription retention across the agreed reporting periods. Monthly recurring revenue used a fixed subscription price and excluded expansion, usage fees and refunds. Retention was cohort-specific, not net revenue retention.

What changed

New paid subscriptions moved from 50 to 80. Trial-to-paid conversion moved from 10% to 12.5%. 90-day paid subscription retention moved from 80% to 90%.

Monthly recurring revenue used a fixed subscription price and excluded expansion, usage fees and refunds. Retention was cohort-specific, not net revenue retention.

We calculated relative changes from the baseline and comparison values and reported conversion or retention changes in percentage points. We rounded displayed changes to one decimal place where needed. The figures did not establish that marketing caused the outcome.

Measurement window: Two comparable 90-day trial cohorts, with a further 90-day subscription check.

SaaS industry photograph
Where this sat in the system
01–02

Strategic

03–04

Assembled

Core
05–06

Growth

Core

Services in this example
Positioning & Messaging Creative & Content Development Digital Experiences Go-to-market Strategy Data, Tech & Operations Product & Portfolio Strategy Product-Led Growth Account-Based Marketing

Related reading

Explore the SaaS growth system.

Next step

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