The SaaS Decision Cycle - Podcast

#55 - Why Intuitive Tools Still Lose

A calm, polite call—but the buyer is already on the clock. This deal sits firmly in Information Gathering, with Uncertainty as the dominant criterion. Four months after a failed migration, the buyer isn’t negotiating or evaluating features. They’re quietly building optionality before an internal deadline, asking one question beneath the surface: can this be made safe to change? The episode tracks how confidence forms—and leaks—when belief hasn’t yet been replaced by proof. Because in the SaaS Decision Cycle, deals like this don’t stall on price or competition. They stall when uncertainty around migration risk is never truly validated. Let's connect on Linkedin [linkedin.com/in/feichtnermichael]. // Michael

#54 - When Withholding Information Stalls Information Gathering

Hello SaaS Sellers, Let me explain to you the Origin Story of the The SaaS Decision Cycle, first. The SaaS Decision Cycle was born out of a simple, frustrating truth: * SaaS Deals don’t die because buyers say no—they die because buyers lose confidence somewhere along the way. As I coached SaaS Sales Reps and watched dozens of deals unfold, I noticed a repeating pattern: Prospects start with curiosity, build belief, and then—just when things should accelerate—everything slows down. Why? Because buyers aren’t just choosing a product—they’re navigating three invisible forces at the same time:: Investment. Capability. Uncertainty. The thing is, those forces don’t show up all at once. They rise and fall depending on where the buyer is in their journey. So I mapped it out for you. * First, they’re focused on whether they can principally afford your solution (=Information Gathering) * Then, they wonder if it actually will work for them (=Proof). * Finally, they fixate on whether it’s worth the cost and internal risk (=Negotiation). That led to me building my own mental model: There are three critical turning points in every SaaS deal— 1. Alignment Moment – where the buyer emotionally believes your product fits 2. Validation Point– where that belief either gets validated or collapses 3. Mutual Yes - where deals either close or unravel—proper groundwork from earlier phases determines the outcome. And as a Sales Rep, your role isn’t static. You shift gears with the cycle: → Gain the Benefit of the Doubt during Information Gathering → Maintain Momentum through Proof → Seal the Deal at Negotiation The SaaS Decision Cycle isn’t just a model—it’s really a lens. It shows you where your buyer is mentally, emotionally, and tactically—so you can meet them there and move the deal forward. In Episode #54 A brand leader walks into a new role. Two months in, she’s staring at a mess she didn’t create. * 228 users. * 11 paid accounts. * 74 brand kits. * Zero visibility. She’s not asking for a discount. She’s not negotiating terms. She’s not even sure she needs to buy anything yet. She asks one simple question: “Can I see who’s using the tool?” Let's dive into the Episode how can solve such situations in a Disco call. Let's connect via ⁠Linkedin⁠ [Your profile linkedin.com/in/feichtnermichael] & enjoy the episode!. // Michael Feichtner

#53 - When the Buyer Needs Help Reducing Stakeholder Risk

Hello SaaS Sellers, Let me explain to you the Origin Story of the The SaaS Decision Cycle, first. The SaaS Decision Cycle was born out of a simple, frustrating truth: * SaaS Deals don’t die because buyers say no—they die because buyers lose confidence somewhere along the way. As I coached SaaS Sales Reps and watched dozens of deals unfold, I noticed a repeating pattern: Prospects start with curiosity, build belief, and then—just when things should accelerate—everything slows down. Why? Because buyers aren’t just choosing a product—they’re navigating three invisible forces at the same time:: Investment. Capability. Uncertainty. The thing is, those forces don’t show up all at once. They rise and fall depending on where the buyer is in their journey. So I mapped it out for you. * First, they’re focused on whether they can principally afford your solution (=Information Gathering) * Then, they wonder if it actually will work for them (=Proof). * Finally, they fixate on whether it’s worth the cost and internal risk (=Negotiation). That led to me building my own mental model: There are three critical turning points in every SaaS deal— 1. Alignment Moment – where the buyer emotionally believes your product fits 2. Validation Point– where that belief either gets validated or collapses 3. Mutual Yes - where deals either close or unravel—proper groundwork from earlier phases determines the outcome. And as a Sales Rep, your role isn’t static. You shift gears with the cycle: → Gain the Benefit of the Doubt during Information Gathering → Maintain Momentum through Proof → Seal the Deal at Negotiation The SaaS Decision Cycle isn’t just a model—it’s really a lens. It shows you where your buyer is mentally, emotionally, and tactically—so you can meet them there and move the deal forward. Before we dive in, here’s what we’ll do in this Episode #53. I’m going to take a real sales conversation, pulled from a Gong.io [http://gong.io/] transcript, and I’m going to walk you through it using the SaaS Decision Cycle. Everything is fully anonymized.No names, no companies, no product identifiers. And I want you to hear me say that clearly, because the point isn’t who sold what. The point is to help you build a repeatable way to diagnose any deal you’re in right now. Let's connect via Linkedin [Your profile linkedin.com/in/feichtnermichael] & enjoy the episode!. // Michael Feichtner

#52 - Hello SaaS Sales Rep—Crossing Statement, Part 2, Scenario #3: The Results Reviewer

The trial is wrapping up. Your Champion is engaged. But now, they’re hesitating. “I’m just not sure the results are strong enough to bring this to leadership.” In this episode of SaaS Simplified, we take on The Results Reviewer—a Champion who needs help framing what the trial actually proved. You’ll learn how to use a mid-trial Crossing Statement to: * Highlight a tested feature that leadership will care about * Reframe “meh” results as clear early indicators of value * Offer your Champion a ready-made internal proof point If your buyers are stalling at the final internal handoff, this episode gives you the language to shift their mindset—and get the conversation moving again. ➕ More of my work can be found here: You can find more of my content on: * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SaaSSimplified.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://saassimplified.io/] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ICW6YANBEac2fZWPC2RET?si=10a2c325af6b48cd] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b8d8c9e9-7540-4a75-9cb7-e3f202ad3177/saas-simplified-podcast-the-3prongedapproach-to-saas-sales] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saas-simplified-podcast-the-3-pronged-approach-to-saas-sales/id1600230412] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Castbox⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://castbox.fm/channel/id6249305?utm_campaign=w_share_ch&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share&country=us] If you like the content, don't forget to subscribe or leave a review and make sure to connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/feichtnermichael/]. // Michael Feichtner

#51 - Hello SaaS Sales Rep—Crossing Statement, Part 2, Scenario #2: The Split Team

Your Champion’s in. Some users are too. But others? They’re pushing back—or not engaging at all. Not willing to join the call... In this episode of SaaS Simplified, we dive into how to handle The Split Team—a mid-trial scenario where internal buy-in is divided and momentum is at risk. You’ll learn how to use a Crossing Statement to: * Unite stakeholders around one shared use case * Highlight a feature already available in the trial * Help your Champion lead—not just manage—internal resistance If your deals slow down because internal teams “aren’t aligned yet,” this episode gives you the language to change that—without adding pressure. ➕ More of my work can be found here: You can find more of my content on: * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SaaSSimplified.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://saassimplified.io/] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ICW6YANBEac2fZWPC2RET?si=10a2c325af6b48cd] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b8d8c9e9-7540-4a75-9cb7-e3f202ad3177/saas-simplified-podcast-the-3prongedapproach-to-saas-sales] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saas-simplified-podcast-the-3-pronged-approach-to-saas-sales/id1600230412] * ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast on Castbox⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://castbox.fm/channel/id6249305?utm_campaign=w_share_ch&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share&country=us] If you like the content, don't forget to subscribe or leave a review and make sure to connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/feichtnermichael/]. // Michael Feichtner