The "book a demo" problem has variations of layers to this nonsense.
There's:
- "Talk to Sales"
- "Get a Custom Quote"
- "See Pricing (just kidding, enter your work email)"
- "Start Your Journey" (a journey? I wanted to sync my calendar, not hike the Appalachian Trail)
And my personal favorite: a pricing page that exists but shows only the cheapest tier. Everything else? "Contact us." The bait-and-switch of website design.
Last time I said your SaaS was like a bodega that vibes the price based on foot traffic. Bananas for $1 today, $32 tomorrow, free if you attended a webinar.
I take it back. That's too generous.
Now it's a bodega where you can't even see* the bananas. You have to describe your banana needs to someone named Sterling, wait 48 hours, then get a proposal for a "banana solution" that includes three tiers, an implementation fee, and a mandatory quarterly business review.
It's a banana, Sterling.
Here's some interesting prices you can know!
- A Boeing 737 MAX: ~$100M.
- A yacht: Brokers list prices openly
- A John Deere combine harvester: $500k+ (on the website).
- A Tesla Cybertruck: Configurator tells you exactly what you'll pay.
- A kidney transplant: Hospitals publish price sheets (thanks to regulations).
- A funeral: Legally required to show pricing upfront IVF treatments: Most clinics list full cycle costs
- A wedding venue: Even the fancy ones post starting rates
But your SAAS?
Nope.
Stop gatekeeping pricing. Stop pretending "it depends" when it really doesn't. Stop making me audition to give you money.
If your pricing page says "Book a Demo," I'm booking a competitor instead.
❤️
Jake