How To Get Started With B2B SaaS Marketing

Marketing a B2B SaaS product isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s an entirely different ball game to the likes of e-commerce and most other forms of marketing due to its complex customer journey, high level of input needed from multiple parties within the business you are targeting, and the constantly evolving nature of the product itself. 

In this blog, we’ve laid out 8 actionable tips and insights specifically for B2B SaaS marketers. But first, let’s get a better understanding of the definition of B2B SaaS marketing.

B2B SaaS Marketing Definition
 

First off, SaaS stands for “Software as a Service” and is essentially a software distribution model which gives users the ability to connect and use cloud-based apps over the Internet. Then, of course, B2B means “business-to-business” which is when a company sells a product or service aimed at another business. So B2B SaaS marketing is simply the method behind marketing companies who provide software to another company as a service. 

The general idea behind many B2B SaaS companies is to provide a solution to a business that enables it to run more efficiently and effectively, automating tasks where possible, thus saving time and resources, whilst preventing human error. Some well known B2B SaaS companies that you might be familiar with are Google, Slack, Adobe, Mailchimp and Shopify. 

8 B2B SaaS Marketing Insights & Tips for Success

Now, let’s get stuck straight into our 8 tips to B2B SaaS marketing success, and discover how you can get on the radar of your prospective customers.
 

1)  Target Decision-Makers

When it comes to selling your SaaS product to a business you might find that, often, the person who you’d expect to be the end-user is not necessarily the decision-maker. Depending on the solution you offer, your product might be aimed at junior marketing executives, HR assistants, office managers or payroll administrators, for example. However, it’s likely to be those who are higher up the command chain who have the purchasing power and make the decisions when it comes to signing off any new software that the company implements. 

This makes marketing slightly trickier than your regular B2C campaigns and requires a slightly different approach. Yes, to begin with, you first have to make sure that the end-user loves your product but you also need to make sure you have considered how to reach the decision-makers in your approach too. This means having all the relevant materials required by the end-user to easily advocate for the adoption of your software to the people that hold the power. Ensure your pricing and packages are impeccably clear, along with the benefits your product can bring to the business as a whole and some great case studies to back this up. With all this, you’ll be well on your way to impressing the top dogs and getting that all-important sign-off.

2)  Competitor Comparison 

Before coming to a decision, it’s likely that your prospective customers will have done some digging into your competitors to see who was the best fit for them. This means that your team needs to know what they offer too, so you can quickly and easily identify why your solution is the better option should that come up during a sales demo or call. Do your research and make sure that you are providing your website visitors with as much information (if not more) than your competitors. Keep tabs on what they are writing about on their blog, how they use their social media accounts to drive engagement, what keywords they are competing for, and so on. With this insight, you can always try to remain one step ahead by understanding what marketing tactics work for your competitors, and then do it better. 

What better way to win your customers’ hearts than by letting them try out your product for themselves? In fact, it’s estimated that 75% of SaaS companies offer free trials, so many buyers actually expect this. Without a trial, it can be difficult for prospects to figure out if your software is worth the money or able to solve the issue at hand. 

Figure out how long it takes for your customers to reach that “Aha!” moment. This is a moment of sudden clarity that your user experiences, when something immediately clicks and they realise the true value of your product. You want your trial to last long enough for them to reach this point. The norm is usually a 7-day, 14-day or 30-day trial. But regardless of how long the trial may be, the most important part is to stay in constant contact with your users throughout this period. Provide them with plenty of support, gather feedback in real-time and help keep them as engaged and interested in your product as possible. 

Of course not every SaaS company will be suitable to enable trials for customers, as it can do your business more harm than good. So first, you need to assess whether or not this is a viable option for your company before you start offering it. 

Article source: https://article-realm.com/article/Finance/12582-How-To-Get-Started-With-B2B-SaaS-Marketing.html