What is the best advice for a person starting in SaaS marketing?

Farhan Tariq
57 replies
Hey all! Just looking for some great advice from the talented peeps out here on Product Hunt. Looking to grow my arsenal of knowledge regarding marketing a Software-as-a-Service. Thanks in advance.

Replies

Neil Roy
SaaS marketing is becoming a jack of all traits, what sits at the centre is positioning+GTM. A great way for someone to start: - Pick a domain, let's say SaaS, but not any of the mainstream (like HRMS solution, or CRM or typical AI), maybe something that's more niche. Pick a vitamin, not a painkiller, a new way of doing something, where there aren't many solutions in the market similar to you. - What that means is, there's no tried & tested playbook, no typical Ads funnel, not much SEO (your high intent keywords are something that folks are not even trying). - Let's take AMP emails, not many solutions in the market, one that comes to mind https://www.pocus.com/ for Product Led Sales. - Then create a landing page for that product, that'll teach you IA (information architecture), in short the best combination of text & images, and give you a sniff of design sense. - Then you need to create demand for that audience, but wait, there's not a lot of folks searching for this, so organic content or paid ads is tough, so what do you do? - User interviews, but who will buy your product, the ones who're facing the problem, but they're not really facing it (your product is a vitamin). - So you scout through 100s of profiles (maybe on Ln or Twitter), DM them, speak to them of your solution, try to get a 100 folks to cross validate your positioning, does your vitamin have what it takes to become the next painkiller? - What comes next is building your community. I've noticed, when you land into such situations, your overall understanding of positioning+GTM skyrockets, and you learn all the hacky ways to engineer growth.
Mehdi Rifai
Get customers and build an audience before you start building your SaaS
Farhan Tariq
@mehdi_rifai True! Spreading the word among the audience and acquiring customers before should the priority. 🙌💯
Prem Gohil
1 Identify your target audience and their needs. 2 Develop a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience. 3 Create a comprehensive marketing plan that includes various tactics. 4 Analyze data to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions. 5 Stay up-to-date with industry trends and be patient and persistent in your efforts.
Umar | SaaS Guy
- Focus on building relationships with customers - Not just trying to make sales - Keep them engaged and serve them well
Blake Menezes
1. Try using your product. 2. Do customer interviews and understand how your customers use your products. 3. Remember that messages take a while to resonate. When you feel like your message is almost exhausting to keep hearing over and over again internally at a company, it's probably *just* starting to resonate externally.
Aleks Miric
In the beginning, you might have to grind a lot and do things that may not scale that well. Commenting on here, IH, Reddit. Posting on Twitter, LinkedIn etc. to get to the first 1, 10 or 100 users before your other consistent channel start working (such as content, SEO, etc). I really recommend Surfkey.io by @johancutych to always find relevant conversations on Reddit. It's still so underrated for finding new users and getting more research.
Farhan Tariq
@johancutych @a_m4 Absolutely! Connecting and building a user pool is always the best way to go. Thankyou for the great insight! 💯
Olatz Urrutia
There are a lot but let's go with the followings: -Use data to inform decisions (analyzing is always needed!) -Understand your target audience and never forget who you are building the product for -Focus on value proposition and communicate it clearly (don't hesitate to change it if needed but always have this in mind) -Stay up-to-date with industry trends, let's not forget this one please 🙏I feel like some people focus too much on what they are building but without taking into account the industry changes...
Varun Yadav
Try to keep the pricing based on X no of uses, instead of monthly yearly subscriptions
Do a good research on who your target audience is and through which channels you can reach them, what is their type of communication ect.
Alexander Chernikov
I always tell that people shouldn't expect CAC < LTV in their paid SaaS ads.
Neil Roy
@alexander_chernikov1 So true! It takes a person to work at least with 2-3 companies to figure this one out!
Heleana Grace
To add to everyone else's wonderful ideas, I suggest taking advantage of video content. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels are a great way to do that without having to worry about becoming a master filmmaker. Join trends, make some jokes, or tell people everything they need to know about your product in a fun way. You just need short clips (literally less than 10 seconds) and an editing app like Capcut and Splice.
Mian Azan
Concentrate on developing relationships with consumers. Keep them interested and provide excellent service.
Jerryton
Launching soon!
Each product has to be marketed differently, learn from your marketing campaigns failure that is the best advice from me
Abid Unnisa
I believe as you build the company’s profiles on LinkedIn or twitter, you have to build your own profile as well so people know you when you reach out to them, instead of considering you some random person asking for upvotes😅
Tariq Aijaz
Focus on understanding your target audience and their pain points, and use that knowledge to create a valuable and compelling product and marketing message.
Jerry
When starting a SaaS startup as a beginner, it's important to avoid the temptation to try to do everything at once. Instead, it's better to focus on creating a small, elegant product that solves a simple problem. Start with a single point and gradually expand from there. Trying to solve every problem may mean that you won't be able to fully solve anything.
Nilan Saha
Marketing is as useful as coding. Invest in SEO early on because it takes time to work. Always experiment and see which one works.
Farhan Tariq
@nilans True! SEO should be taken care of way too early so it helps in the longer run. Thankyou for the advice 💯❤️
Carly Chen
There are 3 advice provide for you and hope they are useful: 1. Ask for the preferences of senior managers: The most crucial approach for a SaaS product targeting the 2B market is to discover the preferences of the senior management of the enterprise, and ensure that they have a strong affinity for the product. 2. Focus on value: People use SaaS products to solve problems or make their lives easier. So, ensure your marketing messaging focuses on the value your product provides. Don't just talk about features, talk about the benefits and outcomes. 3. Embrace the trial model: Many SaaS companies offer a free trial to attract new customers. If this makes sense for your product, make sure your trial experience is exceptional. Provide users with all the information and resources they need to get the most out of the trial and make it easy for them to convert to paid users.
Vishal Patel
Starting in SaaS marketing can be exciting and challenging, so here are some general tips to help you succeed: Know your audience: Start by identifying your target audience and their pain points. Understand their needs, challenges, and preferences. This will help you create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with them. Focus on customer value: Your marketing efforts should be centered on the value your product provides to your customers. Show them how your product solves their problems and makes their lives easier. Build a strong brand: Your brand is what sets you apart from your competitors. Invest in building a strong brand identity that reflects your values, mission, and vision. Leverage multiple channels: SaaS marketing requires a multi-channel approach. Explore different channels like email marketing, social media, content marketing, paid to advertise, and more. Track and measure results: Marketing is all about experimentation and testing. Use data and analytics to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions. Stay up-to-date with industry trends: Keep up-to-date with the latest industry trends and changes. Attend conferences, read blogs, and join online communities to stay informed. Listen to customer feedback: Listen to your customers' feedback, understand their pain points, and use their insights to improve your product and marketing strategy. Remember, success in SaaS marketing takes time, patience, and dedication. Keep learning, experimenting, and iterating to stay ahead of the curve.
LisaKim
Learn how to use simple language. SaaS is one of the newest types of technology products and your target customer might have a level 0 understanding of what it is, or how it works. Make sure you write in easy language and break down your technology so the customer can understand and trust.