Picture this: you’re a Software as a Service (SaaS) company trying to promote what you know to be a workplace essential. Maybe it’s a cousin of the Cloud application that allows for productivity and collaboration—everything that makes the office run smoothly. Or maybe it’s a new industry-specific tool that promises an edge over the competition. Whatever your SaaS product may be, the question remains the same: how can you get your product in front of your target audience?
The secret to generating more leads and driving conversions is a powerful SaaS marketing strategy. But B2B marketing is already challenging in and of itself—adding SaaS to the mix? Is doing so (and executing a successful B2B SaaS marketing campaign) even possible? But of course! Let’s examine how.
How Is SaaS Marketing Different?
If you want to fully develop a winning SaaS marketing strategy, you need to understand just how different it may need to be from your standard B2B campaign.
For one, your user base consists of companies with ongoing subscriptions. This isn’t a one-click-purchase type of deal; once those potential users have become paying customers, you have to keep them there. Delivering a consistently high-quality experience is key, but so is marketing new updates, features, and promotions that make your patrons proud to have you on their side. And while it may seem arduous to keep appealing to those same customers over and over, remember that a business’s profitability can increase by 75% by retaining even 5% of your regulars. Well worth it? Yeah, we’d say so.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the first priority of most SaaS companies should be that final “S”—the “service.” In other words, quality over quantity. Does your software contain superior help desk, blogging, and other support services? What about easy access to an agent or representative? Great. Your SaaS marketing strategy should place those features under the spotlight, too.
What B2B SaaS Companies Should Include in Their Marketing Strategy
We’ve talked at length about what makes B2B SaaS marketing unique, but what exactly should you include in this marketing plan of yours? Here are a few of our top recommendations.
Two Words: Free Trials!
The words “free trial” set off an exciting buzzer in our brains: ding-ding-ding! Free! And you want your clients to associate their experience with your software as a series of ding-ding-ding moments as much as possible. This is no joke—free trials are low-risk, low-cost, and have been shown to produce paying customers.
Now, then: it’s time to distinguish just how you want these free trials to operate. Do you want to offer a standard 30-day trial period? Maybe you’d like to try offering free mini-trials every time you release a new premium feature, as platforms such as Evernote do? Now you’ve got a recipe for happy customers and the ability to keep them coming back over extended periods.
Encourage Client Referrals
Once your current clients are buzzing about your software, you can sit back and relax, because your work is done! Well, no, not really, but encouraging referrals does take quite a load off your shoulders. After all, 92% of global consumers trust recommendations from those they already know—not only family and friends, but also business colleagues. The information is positive, trustworthy, and coming from a source your prospective customers already stand behind.
When it comes to actually encouraging referrals, you have quite a few options. For example, many SaaS platforms offer signup bonuses. DropBox offers 500 MB of space for each friend you refer to their service. In a world where platforms like the Cloud sound like limitless expanses of storage space but really aren’t (unless you pay the price), 500 MB of free space is a good starting point for interested parties.
Invest in Some Classic Marketing Tactics (SEO and PPC, Anyone?)
If you’re an SaaS company looking to market your service, we’re sure you’ve stumbled across terms like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. Well, there’s a good reason these techniques are so popular! Think of them as the bread and butter of your SaaS marketing strategy. Just make sure you tailor your keyword research and ad phrases to your unique audience. If you’re looking for some in-depth ways to curate your words, phrases, and ad campaigns, we encourage you to explore our blog, as we’ve talked at length about SEO and PPC for SaaS before.
Changes and Trends in SaaS Marketing
SaaS marketing for 2020 may seem like shaky territory, especially with COVID-19 dominating the news and our lives. It goes without saying that you’ll want to tailor your marketing strategy to COVID-related words, phrases, etc.
Just to note: COVID-19 marketing doesn’t have to all be doom and gloom! In fact, your audiences are probably looking for some form of escapism. What if you, say, created meaning in what can feel like a downcast world by developing engaging, unique SaaS content? Perhaps an extended free trial for companies adjusting to the work from home life? Or some uplifting written content for SaaS users who are bored, anxious, and continuously hitting “refresh” on those COVID updates? Creating a little happiness during these troubling times goes a long way, even if it’s something as simple as a vibrant, shareable graphic or an increased referral bonus.
Stay One Step Ahead of the Competition with Snap
We know SaaS marketing for your B2B business is tough, but don’t throw in the towel just yet! Partner with Snap today—we’re a Fast 50 award-winning digital agency committed to developing and implementing cutting-edge SaaS marketing tactics. We can’t wait to help you show your clients what a workplace essential your software is. Shoot us a message; you’ll be glad you did!