Before launching any B2B SaaS product, you need a clear understanding of your market opportunity, competitive landscape, and sales process. This comprehensive guide provides templates that successful SaaS companies use to validate market demand, position against competitors, and systematically convert prospects into customers.
These aren't theoretical frameworks. They're practical, adaptable tools you can implement immediately to start measuring what’s working for your business and identify areas of improvement.
Each template includes step-by-step instructions, calculation formulas, and scoring methodologies based on real-world best practices.
Market Research & Analysis Templates
The TAM/SAM/SOM calculation worksheet helps you size your market opportunity using three different methodologies. Use all three methods to cross-validate your estimates. If they're wildly different, you need better data.
The competitive analysis worksheet systematically evaluates each competitor across key dimensions, while the customer persona template ensures you understand who you're selling to and why they're likely to buy.
Complete these worksheets before making major strategic decisions about product development, pricing, or go-to-market (GTM) strategy. Update them quarterly as you gather more market intelligence and customer feedback.
You can also utilize ZoomInfo’s TAM Calculator tool if the template below looks daunting.
TAM/SAM/SOM Calculation Worksheet
Company: _________________ Date: _________ Analyst: _________________
TOTAL ADDRESSABLE MARKET (TAM) CALCULATION
Method 1: Top-Down Approach
Industry market size: $_____________ (Source: ) Relevant market segment %: % TAM = $ × % = $_______
Method 2: Bottom-Up Approach Total target companies: _________________ (Source: ) Average annual spend per company: $ TAM = _________________ × $_________________ = $_________________
Method 3: Value Theory Approach Annual value delivered per customer: $_________________ Total target companies: _________________ TAM = $_________________ × _________________ = $_________________
Final TAM (select most reliable method): $_________________
SERVICEABLE ADDRESSABLE MARKET (SAM) CALCULATION
TAM: $_________________ Geographic reach factor: % (e.g., 60% if serving North America only) Market access factor: % (e.g., 40% if only reaching SMB segment) SAM = $_______ × % × % = $_______
SERVICEABLE OBTAINABLE MARKET (SOM) CALCULATION
SAM: $_________________ Realistic market share target: % (typically 1-5% in mature markets) Time factor: _____ years to achieve target share SOM = $____________ × % = $____________ Annual SOM target = $_________________ ÷ _____ years = $_________________
Competitive Analysis Worksheet
Use this worksheet to systematically evaluate each competitor in your market. Complete one worksheet per competitor, focusing on your top direct and indirect competitors. This analysis will reveal market gaps, inform your positioning strategy, and help you identify competitive advantages to emphasize in sales conversations.
Rate each category on a 1-10 scale, where 10 represents market leadership in that area. Be objective; overestimating your position or underestimating competitors will lead to poor strategic decisions. Gather data from competitor websites, customer reviews, industry reports, and sales team feedback.
Update these worksheets quarterly or whenever competitors make significant product announcements, pricing changes, or strategic moves. Use the completed worksheets to create competitive battle cards for your sales team and inform product roadmap decisions.
Competitor: _________________ Analysis Date: _________
Target Market Company size: _______ Industry: _______ Geography: _______
Score (1-10): _____
Product Strength Core features: _________________ Unique capabilities: _________________
Score (1-10): _____
Pricing Model: _______ Starting price: $_______ Enterprise price: $_______
Score (1-10): _____
Market Position Customers: _______ Revenue: $_______ Funding: $_______
Score (1-10): _____
GTM Strategy Sales model: _______ Marketing focus: _______ Partnerships: _______ Score (1-10): _____
Competitive Threat Level: _____ (1 = Low, 10 = High)
Rationale:
Our Advantages vs. This Competitor:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
Their Advantages vs. Us:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
Customer Persona Template
This template helps you create detailed ideal customer profiles (ICPs) based on real data, not assumptions.
Complete one template for each distinct buyer persona. Typically, you'll have 2-4 personas representing different roles in the buying process (economic buyer, technical evaluator, end user), but may have more if your product has multiple use-cases or your business has a diverse product portfolio.
Base persona development on actual customer interviews, survey data, and sales team insights. Avoid creating personas based solely on internal assumptions or demographic data. The goal is to understand not just who your customers are, but why they buy, how they evaluate solutions, and what motivates their decisions.
Use these completed personas to guide product development priorities, create targeted marketing content, and train your sales team on customer needs. Review and update personas every six months as you gather more customer data and market feedback.
Persona Name: _________________ Primary/Secondary: _________
DEMOGRAPHICS Job Title: _________________ Department: _________________
Reports to: _________________ Team size: _________________
Years of experience: _________________ Company size: _________________
employees $_________________ revenue Industry: _________________
Geography: _________________
GOALS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary job function: _________________________________________________________________ Key performance metrics: _________________________________________________________________ Success definition: _________________________________________________________________ Career goals: _________________________________________________________________
PAIN POINTS (Rank 1-10 by severity)
____________________________________________________ (Score: _____ )
____________________________________________________ (Score: _____ )
____________________________________________________ (Score: _____ )
BUYING BEHAVIOR
Role in purchase decision: Decision Maker / Influencer / End User / Gatekeeper
Budget authority: Yes / No / Influences budget
Typical buying process: _________________________________________________________________
Average decision timeline: _________ months
Evaluation criteria: _________________________________________________________________
INFORMATION CONSUMPTION
Preferred content types: Blog posts / Whitepapers / Webinars / Videos / Podcasts
Information sources: _________________________________________________________________
Social media usage: _________________________________________________________________
Event attendance: _________________________________________________________________
MESSAGING HOOKS
Primary value proposition: _________________________________________________________________
Key benefits that resonate: _________________________________________________________________
Proof points needed: _________________________________________________________________
Target Customer Pain Point Assessment Checklist
This checklist helps you systematically identify, prioritize, and validate the problems your target customers face. Use it to move beyond surface-level complaints to understand the underlying business issues that drive purchase decisions.
Gather pain points through customer interviews, support ticket analysis, sales call recordings, and competitive win/loss reviews. For each pain point, score it objectively based on customer feedback, not your assumptions about what should matter. The priority score calculation ensures you focus on problems that are severe, frequent, and urgent — the combination most likely to drive buying behavior.
Use the completed matrix to craft compelling value propositions, prioritize product features, and train sales teams on which problems to probe for during discovery calls. Pain points scoring 7+ should become the foundation of your messaging strategy.
Instructions: For each pain point, score 1-10 and calculate priority score.
Pain Point: _________________________________________________________________ Severity (1-10): _____
Frequency (1-10): _____
Economic Impact ($): $_____
Urgency (1-10): _____
Priority Score: _____ (Severity + Frequency + Urgency) ÷ 3
Top 3 Priority Pain Points:
_______________________________________________________ (Score: _____)
_______________________________________________________ (Score: _____)
_______________________________________________________ (Score: _____)
Solution Fit Assessment:
For each top pain point, rate how well your solution addresses it on a scale of 1-10:
Pain Point 1 Solution Fit: _____ / 10
Pain Point 2 Solution Fit: _____ / 10
Pain Point 3 Solution Fit: _____ / 10
Product Positioning Templates
Value Proposition Canvas Worksheet
This worksheet helps you map your product's value directly to customer needs, ensuring your solution addresses real jobs, pains, and desired gains. Complete this exercise for each customer persona to create targeted value propositions that resonate with specific buyer types.
Base your customer insights on interview data, not internal assumptions. The "jobs" section captures what customers are actually trying to accomplish, while "pains" and "gains" reveal the emotional and practical drivers behind their behavior. Your value proposition should clearly connect how your product helps customers complete their jobs while relieving pains and creating gains.
Use the completed canvas to develop messaging that speaks directly to customer motivations. Test your value proposition statements with real customers to ensure they resonate before using them in marketing materials.
Target Customer Segment: _________________________________________________________________
CUSTOMER JOBS
Functional jobs (what they're trying to accomplish):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Emotional jobs (how they want to feel):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Social jobs (how they want to be perceived):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
CUSTOMER PAINS
Obstacles preventing job completion:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Risks they fear:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Undesired outcomes:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
CUSTOMER GAINS
Required gains (must-haves):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Expected gains (should-haves):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
Desired gains (nice-to-haves):
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
VALUE PROPOSITION STATEMENT
For _________________________________ (target customer) who _________________________________ (customer need/job) our _________________________________ (product name) is a _________________________________ (product category) that _________________________________ (key benefit). Unlike _________________________________ (primary competitor), we _________________________________ (primary differentiation).
Messaging Hierarchy Worksheet
CORE VALUE PROPOSITION (One sentence)
_______________________________________________________________________
SUPPORTING PILLARS (3-4 key messages)
Pillar 1: _________________________________________________________________
Pillar 2: _________________________________________________________________
Pillar 3: _________________________________________________________________
Pillar 4: _________________________________________________________________
PROOF POINTS
Pillar 1 Proof Point 1: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
Pillar 1 Proof Point 2: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
Pillar 2 Proof Point 1: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
Pillar 2 Proof Point 2: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
Pillar 3 Proof Point 1: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
Pillar 3 Proof Point 2: _________________________________________________________________
Evidence Type: Feature / Data / Testimonial / Case Study
Strength (1-10): _____
CALLS TO ACTION
Primary CTA: ________________________________________________________
Secondary CTA: ________________________________________________________
Fallback CTA: ________________________________________________________
Feature-Benefit Translation Worksheet
Instructions: For each feature, complete the benefit translation formula.
Feature: _________________________________________________________________ Functional Benefit (What it does): _________________________________________________________________ Business Benefit (Outcome): _________________________________________________________________ Emotional Benefit (How it feels): _________________________________________________________________ Target Persona: _________________________________________________________________ Priority (1-10): _____
Benefit Statement Formula: "[Feature] means [functional benefit], so you can [business outcome], which helps you [emotional benefit]."
Example Benefit Statements:
Feature 1: _________________________________________________________________
Feature 2: _________________________________________________________________
Feature 3: _________________________________________________________________
Sales Process Templates
A systematic sales process ensures consistent qualification, accurate forecasting, and higher win rates. These templates provide standardized frameworks for evaluating prospects, tracking pipeline progression, and handling common objections.
The Lead Qualification Scorecard combines BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) and MEDDIC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, and Champion) methodologies to create a scoring system for prospects.
It’s important to note that while assigning scores can be useful for prioritization purposes, these are qualitative questions. As such, determining numerical values for these responses is subjective, and should have broad agreement and buy-in from senior stakeholders and team leadership prior to being implemented.
Use this scorecard on every initial discovery call to determine whether a lead deserves continued sales involvement. Consistent scoring across your team improves forecast accuracy and helps sales managers identify coaching opportunities.
Complete the ROI Calculator Template during the consideration stage to build a compelling business case with quantified benefits. This tool transforms abstract value propositions into concrete financial justification that economic buyers need for approval. The Objection Handling Scripts provide tested response frameworks for the most common pushback you'll encounter.
Update qualification criteria quarterly based on win/loss analysis, and refine ROI calculations as you gather more customer outcome data. Train new sales team members on these frameworks to accelerate their ramp time and ensure consistent execution across the team.
Lead Qualification Scorecard
Prospect: _________________ Company: _________________ Date: _________
BANT QUALIFICATION
Budget Question: "What budget have you allocated for this?"
Response: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Authority Question: "Who makes the final decision on this purchase?"
Response: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Need Question: "How urgent is solving this problem?"
Response: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Timeline Question: "When do you need this implemented?"
Response: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
BANT Score: _____ / 40 (Total of all scores)
MEDDIC QUALIFICATION
Metrics Quantified business impact identified: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Economic Buyer Decision maker identified: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Decision Criteria Evaluation criteria understood: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Decision Process Buying process mapped: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Identify Pain Business pain quantified: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
Champion Internal advocate identified: _________________________________________________________________ Score (0-10): _____
MEDDIC Score: _____ / 60 (Total of all scores)
OVERALL QUALIFICATION Combined Score: _____ / 100
Hot Lead (80-100): Immediate sales follow-up
Warm Lead (60-79): Sales development nurture
Cool Lead (40-59): Marketing nurture
Disqualify (<40): Remove from active pipeline
Sales Funnel Conversion Tracker
Month/Quarter: _________________ Sales Rep: _________________
Lead
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____%
Avg. Days in Stage: _____
Target Conv. Rate: _____%
Variance: _____%
MQL
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____%
Avg. Days in Stage: _____
Target Conv. Rate: _____%
Variance: _____%
SQL
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____%
Avg. Days in Stage: _____
Target Conv. Rate: _____%
Variance: _____%
Opportunity
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____% Avg. Days in Stage: _____ Target Conv. Rate: _____% Variance: _____%
Proposal
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____% Avg. Days in Stage: _____ Target Conv. Rate: _____% Variance: _____%
Closed Won
Entered: _____
Exited: _____
Conversion Rate: _____% Avg. Days in Stage: _____ Target Conv. Rate: _____% Variance: _____%
Pipeline Velocity Calculation:
Number of Opportunities: _____ × Average Deal Size: $_____ × Win Rate: % ÷ Sales Cycle Length: _____ days = Pipeline Velocity: $ per day
Bottleneck Analysis:
Lowest conversion stage: _________________
Longest duration stage: _________________
Improvement priority: _________________
ROI Calculator Template
This calculator transforms your value proposition into quantified financial benefits that justify the purchase decision. Use it during the consideration stage to help prospects build an internal business case and overcome budget objections.
Work through this calculation collaboratively with your prospect during discovery calls, and don't pre-fill numbers based on assumptions. Ask specific questions to uncover prospects’ current costs and validate potential benefits.
Present the completed ROI calculation in your proposal and reference it during negotiations if price becomes an objection. Update the template regularly based on actual customer outcomes to ensure your benefit calculations remain accurate and credible. A well-documented ROI often becomes the deciding factor in competitive evaluations.
Prospect: _________________ Industry: _________________ Date: _________
CURRENT STATE COSTS (Annual)
Labor Costs Calculation: _____ hours/week × _____ people × $_____ /hour × 52 weeks Amount: $_____
Error Costs Calculation: _____ errors/month × $_____ cost/error × 12 months
Amount: $_____
Opportunity Costs Calculation: _____ delayed decisions × $_____ revenue impact Amount: $_____
System Costs Calculation: Current software: $_____ + IT support: $_____
Amount: $_____
Other Costs Description: _________________________________ Amount: $_____
Total Current State Cost: $_____ annually
FUTURE STATE BENEFITS (Annual)
Time Savings Calculation: _____ hours saved/week × _____ people × $_____ /hour × 52 weeks
Amount: $_____
Error Reduction Calculation: _____ errors prevented/month × $_____ cost/error × 12 months
Amount: $_____
Revenue Acceleration Calculation: _____ faster decisions × $_____ revenue impact Amount: $_____
Cost Avoidance Description: _________________________________ Amount: $_____
Other Benefits Description: _________________________________ Amount: $_____
Total Future State Benefit: $_____ annually
ROI CALCULATION Solution Cost (Annual): $_____ Net Benefit = $_____ (Future Benefits) - $_____ (Current Costs) - $_____ (Solution Cost) = $_____ ROI = $_____ (Net Benefit) ÷ $_____ (Solution Cost) × 100 = % Payback Period = $ (Solution Cost) ÷ ($_____ (Monthly Benefit) - $_____ (Monthly Cost)) = _____ months
Objection Handling Script Templates
These scripts provide tested response frameworks for the three most common objections in B2B SaaS sales. Rather than memorizing the scripts verbatim, use these frameworks to structure your responses while adapting the language to your natural speaking style.
The Price Objection Script addresses budget concerns by isolating price from other decision factors, then reframing the conversation around cost of inaction. Use the ROI calculator as supporting evidence to justify the investment with quantified returns.
The Feature Objection Script handles requests for capabilities you don't offer by probing the underlying need, then demonstrating alternative approaches that achieve the same outcome. This script helps you compete on value rather than feature checklists.
The Timing Objection Script overcomes "not a priority" pushback by exploring what would create urgency, quantifying the cost of delay, and offering flexible implementation options. Use this when prospects acknowledge the problem but claim they'll address it later.
Practice these frameworks regularly through role-playing exercises. Customize the evidence and examples for your specific product and market. Track which objections occur most frequently to identify patterns that might indicate messaging or qualification issues earlier in your sales process.
Objection: "Your price is too high."
Response Framework:
Acknowledge: "I understand budget is always a consideration."
Isolate: "If we could work out the investment, is this the right solution for you?"
Probe: "Help me understand what you were expecting to invest."
Reframe: "What's the cost of not solving this problem this year?"
Evidence: [Reference ROI calculator] "Based on your numbers, this pays for itself in _____ months."
Trial Close: "If I could show you how to phase the implementation to spread the cost, would that help?"
Objection: "We need feature [X] that you don't have."
Response Framework:
Acknowledge: "That sounds like an important capability."
Probe: "Help me understand how you'd use that feature."
Reframe: "Here's how we solve that same problem: _________________"
Evidence: [Demo alternative approach]
Confirm: "Does this approach meet your needs?"
Future: "That feature is on our roadmap for Q___. Would that timing work?"
Objection: "This isn't a priority right now."
Response Framework:
Acknowledge: "I understand you have competing priorities."
Probe: "What would need to change for this to become urgent?"
Implication: "What's the cost of waiting another quarter?"
Evidence: "Other customers in your situation saw $_____ impact by acting quickly."
Alternative: "What if we could start with a pilot program?"
Timeline: "When would be a better time to revisit this?"
GTM Strategy Implementation Guide for SaaS Companies
Start with the Market Research & Analysis templates to validate your market opportunity and understand your competitive landscape. Use these insights to complete the Product Positioning templates, ensuring your messaging resonates with real customer needs.
Once your positioning is solid, implement the Sales Process templates to create consistent qualification and conversion processes. Train your entire revenue team on these frameworks and update them regularly based on win/loss analysis and customer feedback.
Remember: these templates are starting points, not rigid rules. Customize them for your specific market, product, and customer base. The key is consistent execution and continuous refinement based on real-world results.