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B2B Hackers Ltd, 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE
© Copyright 2024 B2B Hackers - All Rights Reserved • Educational Resources for B2B SaaS Digital Marketing • By Team4
B2B SaaS (Software as a Service) marketing refers to the strategies and tactics used by companies to promote and sell their cloud-based software solutions to other businesses on a subscription model.
B2B SaaS (Software as a Service) refers to cloud-based software solutions that are marketed and sold to other businesses on a subscription basis.
B2B SaaS marketing is a specific niche within B2B marketing with its own challenges for marketing teams. Below we outline the things that make B2B SaaS marketing a challenging specialism.
B2B SaaS marketing focuses on companies that are Software as a Service solutions where as B2B technology marketing can also encompass other types of technology companies such as technology consultants and physical technology products such as data centers and custom built software solutions.
The role of marketing in B2B SaaS is to attract, educate, and convert potential customers by showcasing the value proposition of the software, establishing thought leadership in the industry, nurturing leads through the sales funnel, and supporting customer retention and upsell efforts through effective communication and relationship-building strategies.
Here are some examples of B2B SaaS:
B2B SaaS marketing is a specific niche within B2B marketing with its own challenges for marketing teams. Below we outline the things that make B2B SaaS marketing a challenging specialism.
B2B SaaS products are often not easy to put into one bucket, but there are 3 broad categories that they can fall into: B2C2B, Team Specific and Enterprise B2B SaaS. A lot of companies will fall into all of these buckets but it is good to understand the nuances of the different types of marketing strategies required for each.
B2C2B is short for "business-to-consumer-to-business" and defines the business relationship between a company and a private consumer, at the first step.
Team Specific B2B SaaS products are software solutions built for a specific team within a company such as a procurement team or finance team as two examples.
Enterprise B2B SaaS products are the most difficult to sell and typically have the longest buying cycles, but they also have the highest ROI and potential sales value.
There are a few things that marketers need to consider when working with a B2B SaaS company. From lengthy sales cycles, intangible products and a competitive landscape it takes a nuanced approach to achieve success. Below we outline some of the key things that make B2B SaaS marketing unique.
B2B SaaS sales often involve multiple decision-makers and stakeholders within the client organization, leading to lengthy and complex sales cycles. This requires nurturing leads through educational content and building trust over an extended period. This is especially true when dealing with enterprise B2B SaaS products with a high deal value.
Unlike a-lot of consumer marketing, software is an intangible product. You can't physically touch it. Although most modern buyers understand the value of software in a business context, it can still be hard to attribute the value of an intangible product. It also makes it diffcult when it comes to showcasing and using the product. Again unlike a physical product you need to design careful onboarding and user guides to ensure buyers know how to use it and to get the most out of the software.
Software as a Service is a huge market with a potential for a lot of money to be made. This means competition is hot and that is no different for B2B SaaS products. It can be hard to design a software product that hasn't already been thought of and new products are coming to market every-day. To succeed in B2B SaaS marketing you need to be prepared for some heavy competition.
Acquiring new B2B customers is challenging and expensive. However, retaining existing customers and minimizing churn is equally important for recurring revenue in the SaaS model.Providing exceptional customer service, value additions, and user experience is vital.
Reaching the right audience can be a challenge when marketing to businesses. Unlike consumer marketing you have to balance your targeting based on business data as well as demographic data to ensure your marketing budget is being spent on the right audiences.
Tracking the right metrics like website traffic, lead quality, customer acquisition costs, churn rates, NPS scores etc. is necessary to optimize SaaS marketing strategies.
SaaS marketing heavily relies on digital inbound tactics like content marketing, SEO, PPC ads, social media etc. to attract and engage prospects in their online research process. Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach focused on delivering value, building trust, nurturing relationships, optimizing the user experience, and leveraging digital channels effectively.
These tools are designed to address the specialized challenges, workflows, and regulatory compliance needs of a specific vertical or industry like healthcare, finance, construction, legal etc.
Vertical SaaS solutions offer deep domain expertise, industry-specific features, and functionalities that generic horizontal SaaS products may lack. They often integrate seamlessly with other software tools and platforms commonly used within that particular industry.
Vertical solutions provide a more tailored and targeted value proposition compared to horizontal SaaS products that cater to a broader market.
The key advantage of vertical SaaS is the ability to deliver highly specialized and tailored solutions that cater to the exact needs of businesses operating within a particular industry vertical. This deep focus often translates into higher customer satisfaction, reduced churn, and stronger competitive positioning compared to generic horizontal offerings.
Healthcare: athenahealth (electronic health records), Zocdoc (patient scheduling)
Guidewire (insurance software), Enfusion (investment management)
Procore (construction project management)
Legal: Clio (legal practice management), LegalZoom (legal services)
There are many strategies utilised by B2B SaaS companies. The best strategy for your business depends on a few factors including what type of B2B SaaS product you are marketing and the vertical you may or may not be targeting.
Content marketing is the fuel of any successful B2B SaaS Marketing strategy. In this guide we run through implementing a successful content marketing strategy for a B2B SaaS company.
Revenue operations is all about creating and managing an effective lead generation and conversion machine. In our guide we cover everything from start to finish.
Inbound marketing is the most popular strategy for growth for B2B SaaS companies. In our comprehensive guide we lay out the strategies used by leading B2B SaaS companies.
Digital Marketing is a broad topic. We cover as much as we can in this complete guide to digital marketing for B2B SaaS companies.
Pay Per Click (PPC) is a core part of digital & inbound marketing. We outline how to nail it for a B2B SaaS company.
Marketing operations is becoming more and more important. In this guide we talk through everything you need to know about MOps for B2B SaaS
At B2B Hackers we speciliase in providing knowledge and support for B2B SaaS companies. Whether that's through useful guides and templates or our recommended list of B2B SaaS specialist agencies we're here to help.
Get in touchB2B Hackers Ltd, 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE