Monetization Strategy
Revenue Architecture
Layer 1: SaaS Subscriptions ──────── Foundation (Day 1)
Layer 2: Transaction Fees ─────────── Growth (Month 6+)
Layer 3: Premium Add-ons ──────────── Expansion (Month 9+)Layer 1: SaaS Subscriptions (70% Year 1)
| Tier | Price | Target | Expected % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Lead gen + viral loop | 60% of ORGs |
| Growth | $9/mo | SME core segment | 30% of ORGs |
| Scale | $29/mo | Enterprise/chain | 10% of ORGs |
Projection (Year 1):
- 530 paid ORGs (340 Growth + 190 Scale)
- MRR at Month 12: ~$8,500
Layer 2: Transaction Fees (30% Year 3)
| Fee Type | Rate | When |
|---|---|---|
| Payout processing | 0.5% per payout | When ORG uses integrated payout |
| Payment gateway markup | 1% on card transactions | When adding in-app payment |
Why this works:
- ORG processes $5,000/mo in payouts → SaleHay earns $25/mo/ORG
- Stacks on top of SaaS subscription
- ORGs opt in voluntarily (convenience vs manual bank transfer)
Layer 3: Premium Add-ons
| Add-on | Price | Target |
|---|---|---|
| White-label portal | +$10/mo | Enterprise vanity |
| API access (advanced) | +$15/mo | Developer-heavy ORGs |
| Custom domain for CTV portal | +$5/mo | Branding-conscious ORGs |
| Advanced analytics (AI insights) | +$10/mo | Data-driven ORGs |
Revenue Mix Evolution
| Year | SaaS | Transaction | Add-ons | Total MRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 85% | 5% | 10% | $8,500 |
| Year 2 | 60% | 25% | 15% | $28,000 |
| Year 3 | 50% | 30% | 20% | $71,500 |
Anti-Monetization (What We Won't Charge For)
| Won't Charge | Why |
|---|---|
| Per-CTV fee | Would limit growth loop (more CTVs = more value) |
| Data access fee | ORG owns 100% of their data — this is our differentiator |
| Per-referral fee | Would create Accesstrade-like conflict of interest |
| Mandatory "Powered by" removal | Free tier badge is viral engine; paid removal is opt-in |
Monetization Experiments
| Experiment | Hypothesis | Success Criteria | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Lock for first 100 ORGs | Creates urgency + retention | >80% retention after 6 months | Month 1-3 |
| Annual plan (20% discount) | Reduces churn, improves cash flow | >25% choose annual | Month 4 |
| Usage-based pricing test | Some ORGs prefer pay-per-use | Compare LTV vs flat rate | Month 6 |