What is SaaS Marketing?

What is SaaS Marketing?

Software as a Service (SaaS) marketing focuses explicitly on promoting and acquiring leads for subscription-based SaaS products. 

In addition to that, SaaS is also defined as the way that businesses sell their products in cloud-based applications with regular updates and added functionality.

Now that you’re acquainted with SaaS marketing, let’s move forward to how this plays in the Business-to-Business landscape.

What is B2B SaaS?

Did you know that B2B SaaS has been around since the 1960s?

However, its significance and effectiveness have only increased substantially in recent years. 

Consider the following data:

71% of businesses
93% of CIOs

B2B SaaS refers to companies that provide software (apps, extensions, add-ons) to other businesses as a service. 

The products function with highly automated technology to assist companies in operating more efficiently and effectively.

What is marketing like in B2B SaaS? You’re about to find out.

What exactly is B2B SaaS marketing?

The short answer goes like this: marketing your SaaS products and services to businesses with the goal of a sale. 

Easy, right?

Think again.

What exactly is B2B SaaS marketing?

SaaS marketing for B2B is one of the most challenging marketing tasks because you sell something virtual compared to a physical product. 

The core difference between SaaS marketing and traditional marketing is that your end-user isn't always the "decision-maker."

You have to create a sales strategy that will work for every customer individually and give them the best possible deal they can get. 

Knowing that, you’re probably wondering how this is different from Traditional Marketing. Read on.

B2B SaaS Marketing vs Traditional Marketing

B2B SaaS Marketing vs Traditional Marketing

The differences between B2B SaaS Marketing and Traditional Marketing are not limited to products alone but also in how businesses operate. 

The main thing that differentiates B2B SaaS marketing from traditional marketing is the time you market or sell a SaaS product. 

Traditional marketing and selling require that you create a product or service first before marketing commences. 

In contrast, you can market a SaaS product even before creating it or when the idea of a product comes to your mind. This way, you identify what specs to prioritize based on the perceived needs of potential customers. 

That is one of the most important things to consider for SaaS product marketing and selling. There are many other points of difference to consider, so you can build the right SaaS marketing strategy to use when you hit the road. 

Why B2B SaaS?

Why B2B SaaS?

I believe you understand SaaS and know what it means to you. 

In a quick comparison – B2C shows companies that sell products and services to others, while B2B SaaS describes businesses that offer software as services. 

They work to improve business performance and efficiency through automated technology which greatly focuses on reducing employee expenses. 

This value has led many companies to use this software to improve performance and generate more revenue.

Here are four reasons why you should consider B2B SaaS:

1. Flexible Payment Options

Flexible Payment Options

Customers that use SaaS solutions should not pay in advance but rather subscribe on a monthly basis. 

The company expects that by offering planned operational expenses, it will improve merchants' efficiency in controlling their operations through budgeting. 

Users can cancel their SaaS subscriptions permanently if they want to eliminate this cost.

2. Automatic Updates Functions

utomatic Updates Functions

The availability of updates automatically and centrally by application providers is a fundamental advantage of the SaaS product. 

The new system has nothing to do with the operations of corporate customers—automatic upgrades and management paths assist IT departments decrease employee hours.

3. Cost-Effective

Cost-Effective

SaaS software reduces the necessity for software installation on a merchant system. 

This saves them money on equipment purchases, maintenance, and repair mistakes. Several hours of installation and maintenance have been redirected.

4. Easy Access

Easy Access

SaaS programs are primarily accessed via internet browsers and do not require any operating system. Online services are also anticipated to be popular in practically all urban locations.

You may ask, how do I grow my SaaS business?

Let us go over eight tactics you can use when scaling up your SaaS company so that you won't have any problems expanding.

Best SaaS Tactics for 2024

Redefine Your Sales Strategy

There are compelling reasons why you have to redefine your sales strategy, and we’re giving you a quick guide to it through some numbers:

Best SaaS Tactics for 2022

Build A Customer Persona

Build A Customer Persona

Companies need to ensure they have a deep understanding of their prospects' needs. 

That is why a B2B company must have a customer profile for every individual who patronizes their product or service. 

When you have an excellent record of customer personas, you know how to approach them and eventually give them the best customer experience. 

As it is now, customer experience is the battlefield. And if you have an excellent database of your customer personas, your success rate is optimized.

Define Value Proposition

Define Value Proposition

Scaling your business also means expanding beyond your current niche. You have to define the value of your proposition to convince customers why they should buy products and services from a company that is not from the same industry. 

To do this, you need salespeople who can articulate a value proposition effectively and someone who can find potential markets.

Implement Lead Generation Tactics 

Implement lead generation tactics as early as possible. This way, you scale up your business correctly and reach a wider audience.

Have you thought about growth hacking?

It is a proven method that can quickly help a business attain success. Growth hacking is not just a buzzword. Just ensure you pick the suitable approaches.

Create An Effective Content Marketing Plan

Create An Effective Content Marketing Plan

Content creation is vital in the B2B business because it gives potential clients value when they visit your website and makes them want to come back for more whenever you have new blog posts.

Great content can fuel your marketing campaigns. Of course, it is an excellent way to attract clients. 

You can experiment with many channels to see which one could work best for your business.

Keep Your Customers Insanely Happy

Keep Your Customers Insanely Happy

Ask for feedback from your customers to show that you are genuinely interested in how they're using your product so that you can offer them the very best version of it.

Companies with a customer-focused strategy are more successful than those focused inwards on their product. 

Train your customer support and customer success teams to empower them to correctly solve challenges for the clients you have worked so hard to win over.

Build A Referral Program

Build A Referral Program

Turning customers into ambassadors of your products is the path to go when you want to scale. Gain advocates by customizing outreach efforts, such as a personalized video, email, or even engaging in honest conversations with your clients.

Timing is also essential: it's wise to ask for referrals only after receiving positive feedback from clients. 

Customer advocacy strategies are a significant competitive advantage if you know how to leverage them. Approach customers with a combination of respect, trust, and goodwill to motivate them to put in a good word for you.

Penetrate the Global Markets

Penetrate the Global Markets

Research which markets are worth giving a try. Then figure out the consumer behavior of the countries you want to sell to. Consider the payment methods available and which support method they prefer.

Selling your products and services in the global market is a milestone in the growth journey of your business. You must use a local approach in your global selling strategy. 

I’m sure you’re excited to know more! 

Get ready as we’re only getting started.

Go To Market Strategy for B2B SaaS

Go To Market Strategy for B2B SaaS

There are over 15,000 SaaS companies, and your success is dependent on the marketing strategy you use.

GTM strategies are essential because they enable you to produce and deliver better products at the proper time, lowering the likelihood of your business failing.

Your go-to-market plan is a road map for getting your product to market and an effective GTM strategy is the foundation of a successful product launch.

To help you get started on your ideas, here are 3 reasons why you should prioritize customer experience:

3 Reasons Why Businesses Invest in Customer Experience

Research which markets are worth giving a try. Then figure out the consumer behavior of the countries you want to sell to. Consider the payment methods available and which support method they prefer.

Selling your products and services in the global market is a milestone in the growth journey of your business. 

You must use a local approach in your global selling strategy. 

According to Gartner, the SaaS market will exceed $170 billion by 2022. To stay ahead of aggressive competitors and capitalize on this opportunity, your brand must prioritize its GTM strategy.

Success in a B2B service venture or product release necessitates a high level of confidence and enthusiasm for the technology. Funding is especially crucial in this regard. Customers, in most cases, do not recognize the need for your product right away.

At the same time, purchasing decisions necessitate approval from a diverse group of people, and there is universal resistance to being "sold." 

To overcome this daunting challenge, forget the traditional product-centric framework and do not fall into the trap of leading with product in favor of a more customer-centric GTM approach.

Moving forward, here are 15 B2B SaaS sales strategies you might want to consider:

15 B2B SaaS Sales Strategies That Will Pay Off In 2024

15 B2B SaaS Sales Strategies That Will Pay Off In 2022

1. Focus On Value

According to Mercer Smith-Looper, a SaaS industry veteran of more than ten years, focusing on value is one of the most substantial sales methods a company can do.

Since a software product is intangible and business solutions take time to develop, it is evident that you cannot immediately perceive its benefits.

Your leads like to hear how your SaaS solution can help them solve their problems rather than a lot of information about what it can do.

According to Accenture's B2B sales study, value is the most frequent justification for provider switching.

The process of proving value is centered on research.

You can better grasp how to deliver value tailored to their demands when you are fully acquainted with your lead's business.

You may follow up in a way that profoundly resonates with and adds value to your lead by researching and paying attention to their problems.

Here’s what you can do:

Principles of Value-Based Selling

2. Track Your Performance

How can you optimize your business processes? 

While tracking these metrics is mainly for marketing teams, knowing the sales plan is the most effective way to tell you how to improve. 

You can start by identifying techniques and methods that produce better performance and more results. 

Check out this chart, To obtain a sense of the metrics or KPIs your team should monitor:

Track Your Performance

3. Go In-depth With “Next Steps”

Even if you have the most persuasive sales call ever and convince the customer that your SaaS product is the right choice, if you make the common mistake of not spending enough time on the next steps, you're doing yourself a disservice.

The very best salespeople take charge of the discussion. Even though they speak less frequently than they listen, what they say is well-focused.

Additionally, they use the appropriate language to win the prospect's trust. It's up to you to take the initiative and inform your prospects of what to anticipate in the future.

Nobody enjoys being clueless in conversations. 

4. Utilize Training

It can be difficult for a SaaS company to show how good it is. 

Statistics show that more than a quarter of SaaS providers exists in the US alone. For B2B buyers, your offer is just as cheap. 

According to Capterra, you should only expect to close 27% of your qualifying leads.

Software Conversion Rates

Software differs from selling games to a child or health insurance to a couple. They're personal and easily accessible to people. 

You are dealing with a customer who is far less excited to work with you when dealing with a B2B. It follows that you'll have to be a little more persuasive.

5. Use a CRM Platform

Customer relationship manager (CRM) software enables you to store and manage marketing information in one place. 

Your crucial marketing and sales data is kept in one location on a customer relationship management (CRM) platform.

From there, it will be simple for you to monitor your leads and communicate with them in a tailored manner.

Your SaaS sales staff will gain the following advantages from a CRM platform:

  • Organization of data
  • Reduced sales cycle length
  • Accurate predictions
  • Automated reminders
  • Audience division
  • Group cooperation
  • Create recurring reminders to contact leads

6. Prepare for Objections

In an ideal setting, you would know the exact thoughts running in your prospect’s mind and the words coming out of their mouth.

Understanding what your audience wants is essential; through this, you can tell them how your product can help them, but this doesn’t guarantee ease of sale.

How does one get prepared to face sales objections?

In your course, you’ll become aware of reoccurring talking points as well as the subjects to emphasize. With that knowledge in hand, you should begin practicing your scripts so you’ll be prepared for your prospects’ objections.

7. Team Selling

Team Selling

Does the idea of pitching your product still intimidate you?

There’s a quick solution to this, and it just asks you to tap into your team and ask them to join you in the process. 

The likelihood of closing a deal increases by 258% when several stakeholders are present in the call, according to Gong’s research on B2B sales.

8. Invest in Content Marketing

Invest in Content Marketing

Content marketing for B2B SaaS products gives businesses the option to demystify the products and make them more accessible to customers. 

Do you need proof of this power? B2C buyers consume about 14 to 16 pages per month.

Use that power in your B2B SaaS Marketing and watch the same success manifest.

9. Offer Free Trials

Offer Free Trials

Free test programs offer B2B SaaS users a chance to test your products and services.

The survey found that 65.5% of SaaS firms use a trial offer in their sales strategy. 

Through this, your clients may get a feel of how you do things and what you can offer to solve their issues. When they decide that they want something we can offer, we can provide it.

10. Nurture Your Trial Users

Nurture Your Trial Users

It would help if you treasured your trial users. Since your users are unquestionably the most interested potential customers, cultivating them is crucial.

Check out this simple 3-step procedure:

Step 1: Send out a welcome email that briefly outlines the advantages of your SaaS product and addresses any frequently asked questions.

Step 2: Offer a live demo session as a follow-up and take advantage of the chance to fully demonstrate to prospects how your solution can help them grow their businesses.

Step 3: schedule a call or email as a follow-up so you may schedule a conversation with potential clients and address any unanswered queries.

Give a prospect some time before giving up on them. You should still follow up with the person even if they don't respond to your emails or phone calls.

11. Include Human Interaction & Let Prospects Easily Contact You

Give potential customers more ways to reach you.

Prospects can discover more about your company by contacting you through phone, live chat, email, or contact form. And this will ultimately result in them becoming paying clients.

In fact, video conference and online chat interactions with sales representatives have climbed from 38 to 53 and 40 to 49 percent, respectively, according to McKinsey.

Don't be scared to include a live chat widget or another type of video contact between your business and potential customers on your website.

12. Make Sure Your Product Fits Your Market

Did you know that 45% of startups fail because there is no market for their products or services?

Make Sure Your Product Fits Your Market

So ensure that your customers need you. Make sure you find solutions to existing issues, or else your audience will see that your answer to their pain point is not practical and therefore reject you. 

Make sure your product accurately matches the needs of your target audience and customize it as necessary.

13. Be Customer-Focused

Be Customer-Focused

It would be best if you strongly emphasize offering top-notch customer service throughout your B2B SaaS sales process. You must be aware of what your clients need and want and demonstrate that you care.

Additionally, you can ask them for comments on how they feel about utilizing your product or service and what recommendations they might have. 

Doing so will make your clients feel significant, valued, and cherished.

Additionally, customer reviews have been shown to increase sales by 70%

As a result, everyone benefits.

14. Utilize Co-Marketing

Utilize Co-Marketing

Consider collaborating with other companies to develop your brand and draw on each other's customer base.

If, for instance, there is a business with a very similar audience, you may ask them to collaborate with you; you can use co-marketing.

But how would you collaborate with a business that caters to the same audience?

It can involve drafting a short blog post and promoting it to both target audiences, or you would be sharing the contact details of the downloads if you made a lead magnet jointly.

In this approach, both businesses will collaborate to generate double as many leads as they regularly do.

15. Offer Yearly & Monthly Contracts

Giving your clients the option of yearly and monthly contracts increases their purchasing flexibility.

Why?

Owing to the Law of Range.

According to this law, audiences react better when they have the freedom to select from a wide range of goods and services.

It follows that people enjoy having options. They enjoy having a variety of options.

B2B SaaS Marketing: Best Practices to Know

B2B SaaS Marketing: Best Practices to Know

Many marketing advice is directed to B2C companies but does not account for B2B buyers’ unique journeys. 

Here’s a list of some good practices to remember to build a successful B2B business model for your business:

Make Sure Your Product Pages Are Thorough

Make Sure Your Product Pages Are Thorough

B2B customers are really interested in knowing what your product can accomplish for them. 

They need to know how your software functions and how to do this best. The website should address this problem very clearly. 

You must give the lead information as well as a detailed overview of the product itself. Show screenshots of the interface, mockups, and similar illustrations to make marketing effective.

Customize Messages for Your Target Audience

Customize Messages for Your Target Audience

In SaaS B2B marketing, you don’t just target people. 

Instead, you want to connect with senior executives within the companies you sell to. PPC advertisements and content marketing are excellent ways of doing it. Keep your content focused on your articles about the problems your options are able to solve in that company.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Prolonging The Free Trial Model

Prolonging The Free Trial Model

Most trial packages fall between 15 and 30 days, but some companies go overboard with trial packages extending from 60 to 90 days.

Now, come to think of it, if the user couldn't conclude within a week or two, would extending the date help?

2. Getting Into Paid Acquisition

Despite what you might perceive, the paid acquisition doesn't help as much as it might cost you. Getting broke at the beginning of your startup is not a pleasant situation.

Working on your traffic and prospecting first is the best approach. You may start with these:

  • Extensive blogging
  • Guest blogging
  • Connect with social media influencers
  • Write case studies
  • Lead nurturing
  • Build a referral chain

3. Falling Into The "Discount" Trap

Falling Into The "Discount" Trap

Customers might balk at the idea of purchasing when they see excessive discounts. Chances are, the customer will think that your product or service is not worth it. 

Or that you are selling at your best price.

4. Overlooking The Credibility Of The Product

Remember that you must be able to back up your sales and marketing efforts with an excellent and reliable product that will solve the problems of your target audience.

5. Ignoring Customer Retention

Legendary copywriter Gary C. Halbert once wrote, "The best list of all is your customer list!"

According to Marketing Metrics, there is a 60% chance that an existing customer will purchase again. In comparison, a new visitor to your site has a 20% chance of becoming a paying customer.

You have already acquired customers who are way more profitable than newly acquired leads.

Now, let’s go over some challenges that you might face when diving into SaaS marketing.

Challenges for SaaS Marketing

  • Building credibility/trust (75%)
  • Creating brand awareness (86%)
  • Educating audience(s) (79%)

Why so?

  1. End-users Feel They Aren't Getting Their Money's Worth

Since it is not tangible, it can be challenging to convince users that a SaaS product is worth its cost.

Instead of simply stating what you have to offer, present case studies and testimonials to show how SaaS software can help businesses.

  1. Faster Cancelations

Being agile in marketing and product development is SaaS's advantage. But it can also work the other way. Clients can just as easily and quickly push the unsubscribe or cancel button.

Having a long-term contract is advisable.

  1. Advanced Online Platforms And Servers

Connectivity can be an issue and a major cost for companies. Due to its advanced features, a SaaS product calls for a stable and reliable internet connection. Or it could affect the operation of an entire organization.

So make sure you can deploy a wide array of powerful features seamlessly and speedily.

  1. More Competition

True, it depends on the industry. But some fields are already so cluttered with existing SaaS products. It is essential to reach suitable digital spaces.

More Competition

True, it depends on the industry. But some fields are already so cluttered with existing SaaS products. It is essential to reach suitable digital spaces.

Communication is the key.

Key SaaS Metrics

In SaaS, as with any other business model, it is crucial to measure metrics when growing your business. Metrics are indexes of the health of your business endeavours.

You have to keep a keen eye on these:

  1. Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

For SaaS businesses or any business for that matter, recurring monthly revenue is essential. It ensures your day-to-day operations are running without having to worry about making money. It's just one number to track all your sales, price plans, billing cycles, and subscriptions.

For calculation, use this equation:

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
  1. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

The annual recurring revenue, also known as the annualized run rate, is the revenue generated per year.

For the calculation, use this very simple formula:

Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)
  1. Churn Rate

Churn rate points to the clients that left or unsubscribed within a certain period. The rate of churn can reveal to you exactly how satisfied clients are. 

Use the following formula to calculate the churn rate:

Churn Rate
  1. Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA)

This metric reveals how much income is derived from a client per month, quarterly, or annually.

Use the following formula to calculate ARPA:

Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA)
  1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) 

It is crucial to determine how much time and money you need to acquire a new user. It is one of the best ways to know if your SaaS company is profitable. 

Use the following formula to calculate:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
  1. Customer Retention Rate (CRR)

On the other end of churn is customer retention.

This metric reveals the percentage of customers who continue to pay for using your software.

Use the following formula to calculate:

  1. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

This metric shows you the average revenue from users during their subscriptions to the software.

Use the following formula to calculate: 

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
  1. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

The net promoter score measures customer satisfaction using customer surveys. NPS is an excellent way to gauge customers' feelings after a change to your service or an update. 

NPS works on a scale from 0-10. 0 means the customer will never recommend your service. Ten means they will recommend it, so it's an indicator of customer success.

  1. Active Users

One of the essential KPIs is your service or product's number of active users. It is necessary to track this closely to show whether you have a healthy customer base.

However, the usage dimensions of SaaS products and services differ and vary. You have to figure out in your case what defines an active user and calculate according to your preference.

  1. Conversion Rate

The conversion rate will let you know how well you convert leads into sales. So, the higher the conversion rate, the greater your revenue.

Use the following formula to calculate:

Conversion Rate

Final Note

SaaS is the name of the game.

Are you a winner or a loser?

Everything boils down to understanding, measuring, and monitoring the proper SaaS metrics and KPIs.

With all that data, historical data from the success of other SaaS companies, and your team, you can genuinely achieve sustainable SaaS business growth. 

Scaling your SaaS business requires teamwork and collaboration.

Make the right business decisions, and allocate resources the right way! 

Most importantly? Always keep an eye on your metrics and don't wait too long to make adjustments.

We’ve made this part easy for you, make sure to download a copy of The Ultimate Guide to SaaS Metrics.

Now the question is: have you optimized these for maximum ROI? 

How can your platform stand out in a busy market to address your audience and have them listen?

So much for the questions. It's time to find out the answers. Let AI bees help you, Book a demo with us and let’s figure out what’s best for your business. 

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