5 ways to begin marketing your SaaS startup
7th November 2016
When you’re marketing a SaaS startup business, it can be hard to know where to… well, start. Everything is new to you, there’s a never-ending checklist of other things to work on, and promoting a brand that is in its early stages can seem like a daunting prospect.
But marketing is key in ensuring the long-term success of your fledgling enterprise. Without raising awareness of who you are and the services you’re offering, sales will suffer. Luckily, Xander Marketing is on hand to talk you through the first five steps you can take to begin a realistic and achievable marketing strategy that will really yield results.
1. Work on your website
Perhaps unfairly, as a web based technology company you will be expected to have a website that’s even shinier than the norm. This is your shop front for demonstrating your IT prowess, so focus on producing a clean and attractive design that succinctly holds all of the information your customers need access to. Your site needs to be user friendly and clarify what your company does and for who, with clear calls to action. Try testing a one page landing page to make sure you’re on the right track before launching into an extensive site build.
2. Set the tone
Being a startup is a great opportunity to brand your business from scratch. With so few people being familiar with your work, you can work on getting the identity right from the very beginning. You’ll need to decide on style and tone, and what you want your core values to be. Is your SaaS business professional and corporate, or fun and playful? Everything from your logo to your colour schemes will communicate a message to your audience, and once chosen, will need to be cohesive across all aspects of your marketing. Plan these elements carefully, as you may have to live with them for several years or opt for a costly and time-consuming rebrand at a later date.
3. Harness the power of search
When launching a startup, you need to make it as easy as possible for potential clients to find you. That means optimising your website to maximise its ranking on Google and other search engines, the process known as search engine optimisation. You can also purchase pay per click (PPC) advertising such as Google Google Ads to target specific actions, keywords and audiences, and to monitor online results and activities.
4. Get mailing
Directly contacting existing contacts or potential leads can raise perception of your brand, and allow you to stay on their radar with regular communications. Build a database of contacts you’re establishing, capture contact information via your website and marketing efforts and look into purchasing data lists to produce successful email campaigns. Sending out interesting news about your business or enticing offers can help drive clicks through to your website and increase sales enquiries.
5. The write stuff
When in doubt, get writing. From catchy taglines to informative articles, the right words can instruct and persuade. Take time to practice saying things in the best possible way, and ensure your spelling and grammar is to the correct standard. From pitching to journalists for press coverage, to writing blog posts that will draw in a crowd, learning copywriting skills is a great investment for your growing brand.
We’re here to get you started at Xander Marketing
Knowing where to begin when marketing a SaaS startup can feel overwhelming, which is why you need the support of a professional marketing agency to drive awareness and bring in leads. Xander Marketing works with many SaaS businesses to improve their websites, create thought leadership content, and execute marketing campaigns that engage new and ongoing business prospects. If you’d like to put your marketing safely in someone else’s hands, get in touch and request your free consultation.
