At Ghost Blog Writers, when we’re looking for topics to write about we always look for questions the target reader is asking in relation to the industry. And we do that here on the GBW Blog as well.
I’ve answered this question in a few different ways before, but that’s one thing about blogging. I feel that you’re always learning something new so you can come back to the same topic again and provide a more enlightened and updated view of a similar question.
So the one question I see is from SaaS startup founders and those involved with SaaS startups. They’re looking for ways to get users and signups. They’re looking for sales and subscribers.
Now, every SaaS company is different, but I think the following tips can help you market your SaaS startup in a way that brings in new users, new clients and new sales.
1. Do One Thing Really Well
To kind of start things out this one is more general, but when you focus on one thing it’s easier to market yourself to your target user or client. It might be easier for the development team as well.
Now, this is certainly not easy because when you’re doing one thing you need to leap beyond what is currently being done in that area.
The tendency with software and with a lot of things in life is to try to do everything you can to capture as much of a market share as you can. You try to be everything to everyone.
It’s much better to focus on one thing people need and be the best at it. You might need other elements or features, but those will complement the main thing you’re doing.
And when it comes to your marketing message it’s easier to sell. People will get it right away versus you saying that you do this, this and this.
It could be GBW focusing only on blog posts. It could be a photographer focusing only on swimsuit photography. It could be Twitter taking one element of Facebook and doing it better.
One thing.
2. Network With Influencers
Start doing this now. If you’re already launched you’re behind, but get started anyway. And if you only have an idea right now about what your SaaS can become then start networking with influencers in the industry you’re targeting.
I’m a golfer and a story of this is the 1999 US Open Payne Stewart ended up winning and he did so with this weird looking putter called the SeeMore putter.
Nobody had that putter anywhere in the world. It was a small startup company in a very competitive industry. But somehow the founders connected with Payne Stewart and got him to use it. I’m sure it didn’t happen overnight and they were probably talking to many other players about using it.
That company still exists today and sold tons of those putters over the years. They needed two things: a good product that actually worked and access to influencers. Payne was a person that had great influence over the amateur golfer.
You know your target market. Go to LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs and more and find the people with the biggest communities and followings. Start making them look good. Share their articles. Leave great comments on their posts. Send them emails once in a while.
Build the relationship and down the line they might mention your new product and you’ll grow like crazy.
3. Make Another SaaS Better With Your Solution
When you’re a startup you have zero. You have zero users, clients and a zero following. Maybe your mom is following you on Twitter and using your service, but that’s probably it.
Established solutions, however, have users and followers. How can you tap into their user base?
You make their product better. You don’t replace their product. You complement it and make it better.
I like to use the example of a new music artist. They have no fans. To get fans they play as opening acts for established artists. Established artists need to fill out a show to give fans their money’s worth. New artists fill that void. And in return the new artist gets exposure to the established fanbase.
Build your one-thing SaaS as an add-on or a complement to something that exists. Connect with the existing product and they’ll likely help promote your new service.
4. Podcast Guesting
This one has been working for me lately. I still very much consider GBW a startup company. And this is on my list of big goals for the year.
My strategy right now is to find podcasts that have the audience I’m looking to appeal to. Then I study those podcasts. I look at the popular episodes and guests. Then I try to form a story arc that is similar, but new to the popular episodes.
I connect with the host and try to form a relationship. Maybe share the episodes for a while. Connect on LinkedIn. Things like that.
I always look at how I can help the audience. It’s not about me. It’s about any insight I can share that would help them. That would make the host look good too.
So usually I’m talking about how listeners can use blogging as a tool to build a business. I try to share actionable tips and tools and things like that.
It doesn’t work with every podcast, but you don’t have to hit a home run every time to grow a company.
5. Guest Posting
And you can do the same with guest posting. You have to post really, really great stuff on other blogs. And you have to do some work ahead of time before reaching out to pitch your idea. And it won’t work all the time, but again, you don’t need to bat 100% to make it effective.
Look for the most popular posts and build a new idea around popular topics. Go above and beyond what has been done before by including studies and examples and all the things that make for a great post.
Final Thought
Hopefully these things will help you with your startup SaaS company. It’s not easy when you’re starting out, but these strategies can be successful for any startup and especially for SaaS companies. I think you have a unique opportunity with online marketing to grow your product. It’s just up to you to do the work right now to get things rolling. It might not happen instantly, but you’ll reach that tipping point after you put in the work.