Imagine combining the best of both worlds: SaaS + Marketplace. SaaS and Marketplaces are two of the most current business models used by startups, they both have advantages and inconveniences. SaaS enabled Marketplace (SEM) is an hybrid between the two which can be a strong differentiator and presents a lot of benefits.

1. E m p o w e r y o u r S a a S w i t h a M a r k e t p l a c e
@anjismail

2. SaaS
can be a mess

3. Difficult to build
Inconveniences of SaaS
Outbound sales Hard to extend
@anjismail

4. Freemium
Advantages of SaaS
Sticky Scalable
@anjismail

5. Marketplaces
can be a bazar
@anjismail

6. Chicken/Egg
Inconveniences of
Marketplaces
Desintermediation Payment
@anjismail

7. Network Effect
Advantages of
Marketplaces
Diversification Extendable
@anjismail

8. The Best of Both
Worlds
@anjismail

9. SAAS + MARKETPLACE
=
SAAS MARKETPLACE SEM
Easy to build No Yes
Demand Outbound Network Effect
Diversification Hard Easy
Volume + +++
Conversion Freemium Pay to Play
Payment Recuring One Time
Margin High Low
@anjismail

10. HR: ZENEFITS
@anjismail

11. SALES: VOIQ
@anjismail

12. LEGAL:
UPCOUNSEL
@anjismail

13. ACCOUNTING: BENCH
@anjismail

14. MARKETING: DOZ
@anjismail

15. SCIENCE: QUARTZY
@anjismail

16. DOZ
Zenefits
Quartzy
Bench
Upcounsel
VOIQ
@anjismail
Paid Software
Free Transactions
Paid Software
Paid Transactions
Free Software
Paid Transactions
Free Software
Free Transactions

17. Charge your demand and/or supply
Free Software + Paid Transactions
• Attract new users
• Build the Marketplace
Paid Software + Paid Transactions
• Grow Margin
• Recurring business
Paid Software + Free Transactions
• Annual billing + “all you can eat”
• Charge commissions to supply
@anjismail
Free Software + Free Transactions
• Gather data to sell to supply side
• Charge commissions to supply

18. Identify a service your users are paying for to consultants / agencies1
Build a network with these service providers
Figure out the right business model (commissions? rev-share? else?)
Build a feature in your SaaS that help connect to the service providers
Use the supply side to bring in more demand to your SaaS
5 steps to become a SEM
2
3
4
5
@anjismail

19. SEM can help you win your
space
@anjismail

20. Anji Ismaïl
@anjismail
www.doz.com
“Come for the Software, Stay for the Network.”
Chris Dixon