One of the things that differentiate B2B SaaS marketing from traditional marketing is the right time to market or sell a SaaS product. Traditional marketing and selling require that a manufacturer create a product/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.
If this is your first time marketing such a product, one of the best steps you can consider to ensure success is a collaboration with a B2B SaaS marketing agency.
What is SaaS Marketing?
SaaS or Software as a Service marketing is the marketing of software products where client access to such products is through a network. As a SaaS software service provider, you host clients who subscribe to your service, and they pay fees to get access to and use your software.
A crucial task in SaaS marketing is finding the right audience to target. You start building your audience right from when the idea of the product is conceived.
What types of people are you targeting in your B2B software marketing? Are they salespeople? Then find an effective way to get in front of those people. It can be through Google Adwords or Facebook ads.
Are you selling a SaaS product to web app engineers? Then find the best way to connect to these people as you get ready to launch your beta version.
The important thing is to build a list of leads and get connected to these people as much as possible from when the idea is conceived up to the provision of your SaaS service. Always have your target audience in mind throughout the whole process of building the product and marketing it.
Looking for an audience for a SaaS product? There are various B2B marketing software channels to tap. Checking on your LinkedIn acquaintance and partners? Do you have a group on that platform who will be interested? Will they support you? What about Facebook Ad targeting? Have you figured out an effective ad strategy to use on that platform?
On the Reddit platform, can you tap on a specific online community? Try checking on a sub-Reddit group based on the particular product you have in mind and discuss your idea with them.
How Does B2B SaaS Marketing Differ from Other Types of Marketing?
So, what sets SaaS marketing apart? First of all, this type of marketing involves selling a product that does not exist physically. What you give your clients is software and the service involved with such a product.
In addition, purchasing such software is not a one-time type of purchase. Your clients will go through the process of integrating your software into their existing system, testing its functionality, subscribing to your service, and deciding later on if they will continue using your product.
Here are outstanding components in which SaaS marketing is not the same as other types of marketing.
SaaS buyers are experts:
SaaS marketing uses B2B marketing. Thus, you deal with people from different companies. These people possess the technical know-how and are also aware of other competing brands and software. These people are competent as they know the best product there is available in the market.
Ensure that you have something unique to offer. For your product to stand out, ensure that you use a razor-sharp differentiation marketing strategy. In other words, make a good impression on the experts in the field to succeed.
The free trial isn't the only attraction:
Free trials are a unique marketing proposition in the SaaS industry, and clients are happy about that. They can test a product in their own system for a particular period without shelling out a cent for such.
Ensure that you emphasize that a free trial is not all they are getting with your services. You emphasize points, such as:
- No extra hardware cost; no initial setup cost
- Terminate subscription at any time you want
- Scalable usage
- Automated updates
- Cross-device compatibility
- Service is accessible from any location
- Data is safely stored and retrievable
It's all about educating potential clients and customers:
SaaS marketing requires that you teach and make a good impression on your clients. So, make sure you are ready to answer questions and promptly provide answers and additional info as possible.
You are selling a service, not a brand or a product:
SaaS marketing is marketing a service. Your customers pay for the service recurrently, use your product daily, and need regular updates on new features as your product evolves. Customer support is critical to the success of your SaaS product.
The sales cycle for SaaS is quick:
Six months is typical for B2B SaaS sales. If you have an affordable price point, easy onboarding, and a version for a free trial, you can close deals in as short as three months.
In SaaS marketing, customers are loyal and long term:
SaaS services are not a one-time purchase. If your clients are happy with your service, they will subscribe to your service for many years. SaaS marketers know that retaining customers and turning them into advocates of their products is as vital as acquiring customers in the first place.
Cross-promotions are effective in SaaS marketing:
By collaborating with other companies that offer services in the same field, you can have many opportunities to grow your business. You can also tap on existing customers when you have created a new product related to the product they currently use.
Conclusion:
In SaaS marketing, you need to focus on two things – providing value and finding the right audience. Customers think that a product is good if it brings them value. The more value you can give, the more they will like your product, and the more they will support your business.
Also, make sure that your product is scalable and that you and your software grow with your customers. As their needs and volume change, they will remain loyal to you and not swap you out with another service that meets their requirements.