Four tips for a successful SaaS marketing strategy
In the ever-changing marketing landscape, it can be challenging to know which SaaS marketing strategy will still be successful in 2023.
According to statistics, 99% of businesses use at least one SaaS product. That means there is a vast market for SaaS, which companies are bound to take advantage of. You need a SaaS marketing strategy that allows you to stand out from all that competition.
That said, here are four tips for a successful SaaS marketing strategy in 2023.
1) Understand your target audience
Before creating a SaaS marketing plan, you must understand your target market. What are their needs and wants? That allows you to tailor your product/service offering and align your sales techniques to satisfy your audience’s needs better. It’s an absolutely integral part of your B2B SaaS go to market strategy and should be the foundation you build from.
There are ways to find your SaaS product’s target audience. However, start by looking at your current customer base. If you already have satisfied customers, then you can look at who they are and what needs they have that your product meets. That will give you a good starting point to find more prospective customers like them.
Another way to find your ideal customers is to conduct market research. You can start by outlining their demographic factors like age, gender, and job titles. Use social media and Google Analytics to get an idea of who your ideal customer profile is and what they’re interested in.
With this data, develop ideal customer personas. Buyer personas make it easier to see and cater to your target customer correctly.
For example, you can leverage their pain points to craft a compelling value proposition. Your marketing teams can also look at the factors influencing buying decisions and use those customer insights during calls with potential customers.
2) Tap into review sites
If you’re not using SaaS review sites like Capterra or G2 Crowd, you’re missing out on an opportunity to get your product in front of potential customers. These platforms are designed to help businesses find the right software for their needs. They’re used by millions of B2B buyers every month.
Aside from that, a single B2B review might significantly impact future purchases. That’s because most prospects consult customer feedback before making a purchase. Also, a good percentage of customers share their reviews with others:
So, using SaaS review sites can help you generate more leads and boost conversion rates.
However, it’s not enough to just list your product – your listing should be well-optimized and actively promoted.
So, ensure your product listing is complete and accurate. It should include as many details as possible. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for prospective customers to find and understand your product.
Use search terms throughout your listing so that people can find you when they search for specific terms. Then include screenshots, videos, or other visuals to help B2B buyers understand what your product looks like and how it works.
Check out this example of a SEMrush G2 page. The company provides videos and gifs to showcase its features and functions.
Encourage your long-term customers and clients to leave reviews on your listing. Send them email sequences or incentives. Reach out to influencers and industry experts and ask them for social proof. Use email finder tools to get the contact information of these experts.
Promote your listing on email newsletters and your website. Use social media for promotional purposes, too. This can help you increase engagement with your brand as well. So, apart from promoting your brand, you can generate Facebook shares, get Instagram followers, and retweets as well.
3) Leverage paid digital advertising
Paid digital advertising is a powerful SaaS marketing channel. It can help businesses of all sizes reach new customers, boost conversion rates, and grow their sales funnel. By placing ads on popular websites and search engines, you can connect with potential users actively searching for products or services like yours.
Not only that, but paid digital advertising can also be a cost-effective way to promote your marketing messages. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. It’s no wonder digital marketing ad expenditure is expected to rise in 2023 and beyond.
If you’re looking to promote your SaaS B2B model with paid digital advertising, here are some quick tips to help you get started:
- Choose the right platform
- Set a marketing budget
- Create compelling ads with optimized visuals search terms, and CTAs
- Test and measure your results
If you follow these tips, you can create a successful SaaS marketing plan to help you achieve your goals.
4) Offer free SaaS trials
To get people to sign up for your SaaS product, you may want to offer free trials or a freemium model. This allows potential customers to try out your product and see its value without paying anything.
You need to make sure that your free trial is compelling, though. It should offer enough value for people to sign up and upgrade to the paid plans.
Since they don’t ask for any credit card info, Xero is an excellent example. For 30 days, consumers may test out the main functionality without submitting credit card details.
Consider what people want to use your product for, and build your free trial around that. For example, if you offer a project management tool, your free trial could include access to critical project management features.
Also, consider the length of the free trial based on product complexity, price, and customer acquisition approach. According to Databox, the most frequent free trial time was 14-29 days, indicating a two-week trial may be ideal for turning trial users into paying customers.
The key is to make your free trial as enticing as possible without giving away the whole farm. You want people to sign up because they’re excited about what your product can do for them, not because they feel like they’re getting a good deal for free.
Ensure that your website and marketing materials mention the free trial prominently. You can even offer a signup discount for people who upgrade to the paid plans – this will further increase the likelihood that they’ll convert into paying and satisfied customers.
Plan your successful SaaS marketing strategy
Long-term customers are vital to the marketing success of SaaS businesses. They provide a steady stream of revenue and tend to be more engaged with the product. They’re also more likely to refer their friends and colleagues, which can help attract new customers.
But to get those long-term customers, you need a successful SaaS marketing strategy. These are just some of the tips you should follow for that.
You should understand your target audience and how to reach them by now. Next, leverage review sites and paid digital advertising. Finally, don’t forget the importance of free trials in converting leads into customers.
Tailor your SaaS marketing efforts according to your target audience and their needs, and you’ll reap the best results. Good luck.
Harry Flynn leads the digital marketing team at Twicsy, a site providing services to Instagram users. He enjoys travelling and relaxing with friends in his spare time.
