How to sell to IT Directors at SaaS companies
IT Directors at SaaS companies prioritize system uptime and data security, measured by their ability to maintain 99.9% availability. They respond to outreach that clearly addresses potential vulnerabilities in their current tech stack, as well as solutions that promise to streamline operations and reduce overhead costs. Understanding their specific infrastructure concerns is crucial to gaining their attention.
Written and maintained by the SoloRiff team, who build outbound software and run outbound with it. The figures below are our own: we measured 559 saas company domains over public DNS on 2026-09-03. Last updated 2026-09-03.
What actually hurts
- system downtime incidents
- data security breaches
- budget constraints for new tools
- integration challenges with existing software
The playbook
- 01
Identify recent security incidents
Research recent data breaches or security incidents within the SaaS sector. Use news aggregators or industry blogs to find relevant cases. Tailor your outreach to highlight how your solution mitigates similar risks.
- 02
Target companies undergoing digital transformation
Use LinkedIn to find SaaS companies that have recently announced digital transformation initiatives. Focus your outreach on IT Directors at these firms, emphasizing how your offering can support their transition and enhance their tech stack.
- 03
Connect through industry-specific forums
Join SaaS-focused online communities and forums, such as those on Reddit or specialized LinkedIn groups. Engage in discussions to establish credibility before reaching out directly, increasing the likelihood of a positive response.
- 04
Leverage case studies from similar organizations
Prepare case studies that showcase successful implementations of your solution in comparable SaaS companies. When you reach out, reference these examples to address potential objections related to fit and effectiveness.
- 05
Follow up after industry events
After major SaaS industry events or webinars, follow up with attendees who are IT Directors. Mention specific sessions they attended and how your solution aligns with the themes discussed, creating a relevant and timely connection.
Can saas companies even receive your mail?
We measured the DNS of 559 saas companies, sampled evenly across company sizes, to see how many authenticate their own email. It matters in both directions: a domain that does not authenticate is a domain whose team is used to mail going missing — and if your own domain is in the gap, yours is the mail going missing.
Publishes a DMARC policy of quarantine or reject — the domain actually asks receivers to act on failures.
The gap is the finding: 16.7% of 1–10-person companies against 80.9% of the largest — 64 points apart. Small companies are where the unauthenticated domains are, and small companies are who most cold outreach is aimed at.
Where does your domain sit?
Same three lookups, run live against your domain. Nothing is stored and nothing is emailed to you.
How this was measured
Company domains were sampled within employee-count bands, then queried over public DNS for SPF (TXT at the apex), DMARC (TXT at _dmarc.) and MX. One domain per company, deduplicated. Anyone can reproduce any single row of this with dig.
DKIM is deliberately absent. A DKIM key lives under a selector that cannot be enumerated from outside the domain, so a company with flawless DKIM under a name we did not guess would be counted as having none. That would measure our guess list, not the industry.
Domains with no MX record are excluded rather than counted as failures — parked and redirect-only domains would otherwise drag every figure down and make the result an artefact of the sample.
Sampled within bands, so this describes the population of companies, not of employees: a 10-person company counts once, as does a 10,000-person one. Each band is at least 60 domains; bands below that are not published. Figures are percentages of the sample, not of the whole industry, and we publish no company names — only counts.
Measured 2026-09-03. Re-measured monthly.
The full census across every industry — sortable, with sample sizes, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
Subject lines that fit
- Enhancing your data security
- Solutions for system downtime
- Streamline your IT operations
Questions
- Why do IT Directors in SaaS ignore cold outreach?
- IT Directors often receive numerous cold emails daily. They may ignore outreach that does not immediately address their specific pain points, such as system uptime or security. To capture their attention, your message must be highly relevant and demonstrate a clear understanding of their challenges.
- What challenges do IT Directors face with SaaS integrations?
- IT Directors frequently struggle with integrating new SaaS solutions into existing systems. This can lead to data silos and operational inefficiencies. They need solutions that not only fit seamlessly into their current tech stack but also enhance overall functionality without disrupting workflows.
- How can I make my outreach stand out to IT Directors?
- To stand out, focus on specific challenges faced by IT Directors, such as compliance and security. Use personalized insights from their company's recent activities, like new product launches or security updates, to tailor your message and demonstrate genuine interest in their needs.
- What is the primary concern for IT Directors when considering new software?
- The primary concern for IT Directors is often the impact on system reliability and security. They want assurances that any new software will not compromise their existing infrastructure or expose them to vulnerabilities, making risk mitigation a key topic in discussions.
Or have it run itself
SoloRiff does every step above on its own — finds the companies, finds the people, writes each of them individually, and handles the replies. Drop your URL and watch it work before you sign up for anything.
Try it on your site