From Crypto.com to Airwallex, Paddle, and Surfer, these battle-tested strategies have fueled development in aggressive markets with restricted assets. On this article, we share their greatest insights so you’ll be able to apply them to your personal SaaS enterprise. Let’s dive in!
Earlier than turning on the paid promoting faucet, be sure to’ve received your product advertising and marketing home so as. Meaning having crystal readability on two elementary questions:
Exactly who wants your product.Why they need to select you over different choices.
This sort of preparation isn’t simply useful — it’s important. With out it, you threat burning by way of your funds displaying your answer to individuals who don’t want it, or worse, complicated the suitable individuals with the improper message.
Jon Stona from Airwallex speaks candidly about this. Their early mistake? Leaping into development ways earlier than solidifying their product advertising and marketing basis. He now strongly advocates for getting these fundamentals proper first:
Aligning in your true target market.Crafting messaging that resonates with their particular wants.Distinguishing between what your product does (options) and why individuals ought to care (worth).
Your free trial isn’t only a function — it’s typically the second of reality for potential prospects. This primary hands-on expertise could make or break their choice to decide to your product.
This implies eradicating pointless hurdles which may trigger individuals to desert the method, offering clear steering that helps them succeed rapidly, and making certain they expertise your product’s core worth earlier than the trial ends.
Laura Roeder, founding father of Meet Edgar and Paperbell, has experimented with completely different approaches throughout her corporations. At MeetEdgar, she initially launched with out a free trial, later introducing a 7-day trial interval with no bank card requirement to scale back friction. Along with her newer enterprise, Paperbell, she took an modern method—providing “the primary consumer is free” as a substitute of a conventional time-based trial.
Product-led content material integrates your answer naturally into academic supplies that assist customers clear up actual issues. This technique acquires new prospects by demonstrating how your product works in context and retains present ones by displaying them find out how to extract most worth, as effectively.
Since we’re closely invested on this technique ourselves, let me offer you an instance from our weblog.
Right here’s an article that reveals find out how to get 15 actionable knowledge factors on competitor site visitors utilizing simply three instruments. This isn’t a subject reserved for Website positioning (our important use case) and the submit mentions instruments, even one competitor. Nonetheless, it’s an incredible probability to indicate the worth of our product and the way it’s completely different from others.
This text is certainly one of our top-performing weblog posts, producing an estimated over 11.8k natural visits every month.
In contrast to conventional advertising and marketing that interrupts with gross sales messages, product-led content material locations your answer throughout the pure move of the consumer’s studying journey. The product turns into a part of the answer moderately than the topic of a pitch.
Storylane reworked its method by changing customary weblog posts with interactive demos that allow potential prospects expertise options firsthand.
This shift contributed to a exceptional 10x development in natural site visitors inside simply six months.
Let’s hear it from Madhav Bhandari, the CMO behind this success story:
Wish to develop your site visitors like Storylane however undecided the place to start out? Take a look at our full Website positioning video course for newbies:
Your potential prospects have particular locations the place they often search for info and options. These may be specific social media platforms, trade boards, skilled occasions, or publications. By figuring out them, you’ll be able to focus your advertising and marketing efforts the place your viewers already spends time, moderately than making an attempt to be in all places at as soon as.
Ship a fast buyer survey asking “The place do you log on to find out about [your industry]?”Have a look at your web site analytics to see which platforms are already sending you trafficCheck the place your rivals are most energetic and getting engagementJoin trade conversations in related subreddits, Discord servers, or LinkedIn teams
For instance, if you happen to promote accounting software program for small companies, you may uncover your viewers spends time in QuickBooks group boards looking for assist, follows particular finance influencers on Twitter, and attends native chamber of commerce occasions.
Madhav Bhandari from Storylane approaches this with a portfolio mindset, treating every advertising and marketing channel as an funding with completely different risk-return profiles. His technique is pragmatic: begin with channels the place you have already got expertise or experience, then systematically check new channels primarily based on knowledge moderately than developments.
Creating good content material is just step one — it’s essential to actively share it the place your potential prospects will see it.
Each bit of content material could be tailored for various platforms to achieve extra individuals. For instance, an in depth weblog submit a couple of new function can turn into a video tutorial for YouTube, a collection of suggestions for LinkedIn, and an e mail publication.
This multiplies the worth of your content material creation efforts by reaching completely different viewers segments preferring completely different codecs.
Moreover, some individuals may must see your content material a number of instances throughout completely different platforms earlier than deciding to attempt your product.
Andrew Davis, CMO of Paddle, highlights an experimental method to distribution through the use of content material as distribution for different content material. Throughout webinars, for example, he promotes further assets that drive members towards extra in-depth supplies. This creates a content material ecosystem the place every bit naturally leads customers to find extra of your worth.
Creating a web-based group transforms remoted prospects right into a linked community that strengthens your whole advertising and marketing ecosystem.
When customers have a devoted area to work together they start serving to one another, sharing inventive methods they’re utilizing your product, and forming connections that make leaving your platform a lot tougher than merely canceling a subscription.
Guillaume Moubeche acknowledged this energy early with Lemlist. By constructing energetic communities on Fb and Slack, he created areas the place customers naturally shared methods, in contrast outcomes, and helped troubleshoot points.
John O’Nolan took a barely completely different method with Ghost. Their Discover Listing showcases prime publishers utilizing the platform, driving thousands and thousands of visits. This community-centered function gives free publicity to each Ghost and its customers — making a win-win that makes the platform extra invaluable for everybody concerned.
Letting prospects peek behind the scenes transforms them from passive customers into invested supporters who really feel linked to your journey.
Once you share your growth course of, development metrics, and even challenges, you’re you’re humanizing your enterprise. This transparency reveals there are actual individuals making actual selections behind your product, not simply an nameless firm amassing subscription charges.
The extra you share about your precise course of, the extra prospects really feel like stakeholders in your success. They turn into extra seemingly to offer suggestions, extra affected person throughout inevitable hiccups, and extra loyal as they watch your product evolve in response to their wants.
Jon Yongfook has made this method central to Bannerbear’s development technique. By “constructing in public,” he often shares particular metrics, growth milestones, and sincere reflections about each successes and setbacks.
This ongoing narrative creates a basis of belief that’s unattainable to attain by way of polished advertising and marketing alone.
When your workers share firm information, product updates, or trade insights on their private social media accounts, the influence is dramatically completely different out of your official channels.
These messages include built-in credibility as a result of they’re from actual individuals with real connections — not from a branded account making an attempt to advertise itself.
Madhav Bhandari has applied this technique throughout departments at his firm, encouraging staff members from gross sales, advertising and marketing, and buyer success to often share their experiences and insights on LinkedIn.
Storylane takes this even additional with an inner LinkedIn leaderboard that turns advocacy right into a pleasant competitors. This gamification not solely will increase participation but in addition strengthens firm tradition by celebrating staff members who actively contribute to the corporate’s development.
Past simply increasing your attain, when workers actively promote your organization, they develop a deeper private funding in its success. This creates a virtuous cycle the place exterior advocacy strengthens inner dedication, making your staff extra engaged and your advertising and marketing simpler concurrently.
See find out how to launch an worker advocacy pilot program in 10 days on this video.
Overlook generic affiliate applications the place anybody with a pulse can enroll. As a substitute, hunt down the individuals who already love what you do — specialists and influencers who genuinely get your product and communicate to the viewers you wish to attain.
Give these trusted voices the instruments they should share your story successfully. Their audiences already belief them, which suggests they’re way more seemingly to present your product a critical look moderately than a passing look.
Take Laura Roeder’s method with Paperbell. As a substitute of throwing open the affiliate doorways to everybody, she created a centered buyer referral program. This ensured suggestions got here solely from individuals who really used and valued the product.
And at MeetEdgar, her earlier enterprise, she initially averted affiliate applications utterly — she didn’t wish to entice promoters who had been simply in it for a fast fee moderately than including actual worth.
Strategic model partnerships allow you to faucet into established audiences that align together with your goal market. Once you staff up with complementary manufacturers or revered voices in your trade, you’re primarily getting a heat introduction to people who find themselves already primed to care about your answer.
The fantastic thing about this method is its effectivity — as a substitute of the gradual climb to construct consciousness, you’re borrowing belief that another person has already established. Their viewers sees you as an extension of a model they already worth.
Bryan Harris founding father of Progress Instruments emphasizes the significance of partnerships in driving high-ticket gross sales. In his teaching program he teaches all founders the “borrow different individuals’s audiences” (BOPA) technique, partnering with influencers and SaaS corporations with aligned audiences to supply invaluable lead magnets akin to free instruments, checklists, or webinars.
Study extra about Bryan Harris’ BOPA technique on this video.
Free instruments that clear up particular issues entice potential prospects by offering speedy worth. In contrast to weblog posts or movies, instruments give customers an interactive approach to clear up their issues.
For instance:
A design software program supplier may create a free coloration palette generator that helps designers discover excellent coloration mixtures, naturally main them towards the total design platform.A monetary SaaS companies may create free burn price calculator that assist founders visualize runway eventualities.For instance, an e mail advertising and marketing platform may supply a free topic line tester that predicts open charges utilizing AI.
These instruments typically rank effectively in search outcomes as a result of they supply distinctive worth, and customers are likely to share helpful instruments with colleagues. And every one that makes use of your free instrument turns into a possible buyer in your paid product.
Jon Yongfook’s method with Bannerbear demonstrates this technique’s effectiveness. Their free instruments like the actual property banner generator and certificates generator entice a well-targeted viewers searching for particular options.
To listen to extra about his technique, try our in-depth interview:
Tip
Use key phrase analysis to search out confirmed concepts totally free instruments like Bannerbear’s mills. Right here’s the method utilizing Ahrefs’ Key phrases Explorer:
Enter just a few broad key phrases associated to your enterprise (e.g. backlinks, key phrases, web optimization, site visitors).Head on to the matching phrases report.Enter phrases that individuals may use to search out instruments, akin to “generator, calculator, instrument, checker”.Have a look at the site visitors potential column (TP) to get an estimate of the natural site visitors you would get.
Buyer advocacy is about creating structured alternatives in your completely happy customers to share their success tales with potential prospects. It’s a type of methods that routinely scale with your enterprise.
What makes advocacy notably highly effective for SaaS corporations is the built-in credibility. When a prospect hears from somebody in the identical function or trade about particular outcomes achieved together with your product, it cuts by way of skepticism in methods your advertising and marketing claims by no means may.
You’ll be able to start by figuring out prospects who constantly specific satisfaction together with your product. Attain out to ask in the event that they’d be keen to share their expertise in ways in which profit each of you.
This might be so simple as that includes their success metrics in your web site, inviting them to hitch webinars the place they’ll showcase their experience, or creating visitor content material alternatives that place them as trade leaders whereas naturally highlighting how your product helps them succeed.
Andrew Davies applied this method at Paddle by creating a number of channels for patrons to share their experiences: devoted touchdown pages showcasing particular outcomes and metrics, joint webinars the place prospects display their experience utilizing the platform, and visitor posts positioning customers as trade authorities.
A well-designed certification program transforms product data right into a invaluable credential that professionals can proudly show.
When customers full your certification, three highly effective issues occur naturally:
They turn into considerably extra profitable together with your product.They’re extra more likely to advocate it to colleagues and clientsYour firm steadily builds recognition because the trade authority.
This creates a self-reinforcing cycle the place authority drives adoption, which additional strengthens your authority.
Take Tomasz Niezgoda’s method at Surfer. His staff developed an Website positioning writing Grasp Class that does extra than simply educate individuals find out how to use their instrument — it gives complete training on creating Website positioning-optimized content material.
Customers who full the course and cross an intensive evaluation earn certificates they’ll showcase professionally.
Not way back, we utilized this technique at Ahrefs and we’re already seeing individuals flashing their Ahrefs certificates on social media:
Showing as a visitor skilled on podcasts and webinars places you in entrance of established audiences who’re all in favour of your space of experience (identical to our podcast’s company).
In contrast to creating your personal content material from scratch, visitor appearances leverage present audiences that hosts have already constructed. Once you share sensible data and insights on these platforms, you construct credibility with listeners who’re actively looking for details about matters associated to your product.
Laura Roeder turned this technique into a big development driver by showing on over 300 trade podcasts. This outreach considerably boosted model consciousness for her corporations and linked her with potential prospects who had been already all in favour of options like hers.
The important thing to success is specializing in delivering real worth moderately than selling your product instantly. Once you share actionable insights that assist clear up actual issues, listeners naturally turn into curious concerning the options you’ve constructed.
Account-based advertising and marketing targets particular high-value corporations as a substitute of pursuing many leads without delay. You establish superb corporations primarily based on clear standards, deeply analysis their particular challenges, then create personalized outreach addressing their actual scenario.
This method works as a result of customized messaging that addresses an organization’s precise issues will get much better engagement than generic advertising and marketing. When a prospect sees you’ve taken time to know their particular challenges, they’re extra more likely to reply.
Whilst you’ll attain fewer corporations general, ABM usually generates higher-quality alternatives with higher conversion charges and bigger deal sizes, making it notably efficient for B2B options with increased worth factors.
Andrew Davies at Paddle has discovered ABM notably efficient when working with enterprise purchasers. His staff creates tailor-made experiences for every goal account, creating customized content material that addresses their particular trade challenges, sharing customized insights by way of video, and designing centered outreach that reaches the suitable decision-makers the place they already spend time, like LinkedIn.
It’s also possible to apply this customized method within the earliest phases of your enterprise. Guillaume Moubeche constructed Lemlist from the bottom up utilizing these ideas, personally crafting extremely personalized chilly outreach to potential prospects.
Every message demonstrated clear understanding of the recipient’s enterprise and exactly how his answer addressed their particular challenges. This considerate technique helped him rapidly purchase his first 100 prospects and validate product-market match with out a huge advertising and marketing funds.
Sponsorships put your model in entrance of established audiences who belief particular occasions, creators, or influencers. In contrast to common promoting, focused sponsorships attain people who find themselves already all in favour of matters associated to your product.
The bottom line is selecting sponsorship alternatives that provide extra than simply brand placement — you need methods to display your product’s worth to the viewers.
For instance, if you happen to sponsor an trade convention, together with a talking slot or workshop session permits you to present your experience, not simply your brand. This builds credibility whereas reaching potential prospects who’re actively investing in options for his or her enterprise.
Steven Kalifowitz leveraged this method at Crypto.com by way of strategic partnerships with main sports activities organizations just like the NBA, UFC, Formulation 1, and FIFA. These high-profile sponsorships, together with the renaming of the previous Staples Middle to Crypto.com Area, allowed them to go from lower than 50% consciousness amongst crypto buyers to 80% consciousness among the many common inhabitants.
In our interview, Kalifowitz emphasizes that profitable sponsorships aren’t nearly visibility however about discovering the suitable viewers alignment. He follows a scientific course of to establish the place his target market spends time and which platforms or occasions have their consideration and belief.
Wish to get observed in a crowded market? Typically it’s essential to break the sample and do one thing that makes individuals cease scrolling.
When achieved proper, these campaigns create pure momentum: prospects unfold the phrase on social media, and journalists get an attention-grabbing story to cowl. Simply bear in mind to suppose by way of all doable reactions — you need individuals speaking about you for the suitable causes.
Have a look at what Delbert Ty, CMO at Coffe Meets Bagle, did at his earlier firm Circles.Life. In Singapore, the place vandalism is virtually unprecedented, his staff “vandalized” their very own commercials. This daring transfer turned heads instantly and bolstered precisely who they had been — the rebellious various to conventional telecom corporations.
The stunt wasn’t simply attention-grabbing — it completely aligned with their id because the disruptive challenger taking over the established gamers within the trade.
Delbert explains the thought behind the marketing campaign and his strategy of arising with viral concepts on this interview:
Ultimate ideas
The primary takeaway that I personally received from these interviews is that success comes from actually understanding who your prospects are and discovering genuine methods to assist them.
The SaaS advertising and marketing playbook isn’t sophisticated, nevertheless it does require focus. Get your core messaging proper, make certain individuals have an incredible first expertise together with your product, after which thoughtfully increase your attain by way of channels that make sense in your viewers.
Remember the fact that none of those approaches are in a single day magic. They take constant effort and also you’ll must adapt them to your distinctive scenario. What works for one SaaS firm may want tweaking to work for yours.
That is only a style of the insights we’ve gathered all through our yr of podcast conversations. There’s a lot extra depth to every of those methods that we couldn’t probably match right here. If you wish to hear the total tales and listen to from much more specialists, try the Ahrefs Podcast.
Obtained questions or feedback? Let me know on LinkedIn.