Choose the Right Ad Format
How to Get the First 100 Customers for Your SaaS Product
by Hira
- Saas marketing
- July 23, 2024
You have created a SaaS product and now you are looking for ways to sell it, and you find yourself reading this blog. Well, there’s bad news for you – you might be too late! At least to implement the basics. In which case, I would suggest you skip right to the bottom of this blog and go over the lead generation strategies.
But, if you are planning to build a SaaS product, this blog will help you get your first 100 customers with relative ease. In fact, it will give you strategies to align your product better with your audience’s problems so you don’t have a hard time acquiring users.
Getting the Basics Right to Reach 100 Users
Most people think about building a product first and then marketing it. However, this approach is often backwards. Finding your first 100 customers starts long before you write a single line of code.
Look for Leverage Points
Before you even choose an idea, consider the advantages you already have. Do you have an existing audience or network in a particular space? These connections can help you promote your product, do webinars, and co-promote your launch. If you don’t have an audience, don’t worry—there are plenty of traffic channels we’ll discuss that don’t require one.
Network – your most effective leverage in SaaS space
Regardless of your starting point, building a network that respects you as an entrepreneur is crucial. Engage with online entrepreneur communities such as IndieHackers, MicroConf Connect, and Dynamite Circle. These platforms will help you connect with like-minded founders and start building relationships that can support your product launch.
Create a Landing Page
A landing page is essential for validating interest in your product. Set this up before writing any code. Use it to capture emails by offering updates on the launch or other incentives. This helps you build an email list, providing initial validation and a base for customer development.
How to use the Landing Page
Give your audience value in advance through your content. This helps you elevate your status and be recognized as an authority in your niche – which is going to be beneficial down the line when you finally decide to release your SaaS product to the market – as you’ll have familiarity and trust going in your favor.
Customer Development
Once you have an email list, use it for customer development. Engage with your subscribers to validate your product idea, gather feedback on mock-ups, and understand their willingness to pay. This process involves a lot of conversations and is invaluable for refining your product before launch.
Pre-Launch Preparation
When you’re ready to launch, start with your email list. Tease the product with mock-ups, screenshots, and a sneak peek video. Offer exclusive benefits like free onboarding or migration to incentivize early sign-ups. This approach ensures that you have initial customers ready on launch day, providing motivation and initial revenue to keep going.
Launching on a Renowned Platform
Paul Graham famously said, “Do things that don’t scale.” Focus on short-term tactics to get your first 100 customers, even if they aren’t scalable. This includes launching on platforms like Product Hunt, Hacker News, Reddit, Quora, and Stack Exchange. These tactics help you build momentum and reach that critical initial customer base.
Beyond the First 100- Building a Lead Generation Engine
Once your business has gained initial traction and you’ve successfully acquired your first 100 customers, the challenge shifts to sustaining and growing that momentum. This phase requires building a robust marketing flywheel—a system that continuously drives new customers and maintains engagement with existing ones. This blog post will delve into the essential strategies to construct an effective lead generation engine, diversify your traffic sources, and provide value to a larger audience.
The Bottom-line – reach as broad an audience as possible
Build Your Marketing Flywheel
A marketing flywheel is a self-sustaining marketing strategy that generates a steady stream of leads and customers. Unlike a traditional funnel that ends when a customer makes a purchase, a flywheel keeps spinning, driven by customer satisfaction and engagement. Here are key strategies to consider:
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Content Optimization: Regularly update your website with high-quality content optimized for search engines. Use tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush to identify high-traffic keywords relevant to your niche.
Backlink Strategy: Build backlinks from reputable sites in your industry to improve your site’s authority and ranking on search engines.
Content Marketing
Blogging: Publish informative and engaging blog posts that address the pain points of your target audience. Consistency is key—set a regular posting schedule.
E-books and Whitepapers: Create comprehensive guides that provide deep insights into industry trends, solutions, and best practices. These can serve as lead magnets for your email list.
Cold Outreach
Email Campaigns: Develop targeted email campaigns personalized to the needs and interests of your prospects. Use A/B testing to optimize subject lines, messaging, and calls-to-action.
LinkedIn Outreach: Connect with potential leads on LinkedIn, share valuable content, and engage in meaningful conversations.
Partnerships and Integrations
Strategic Alliances: Partner with complementary businesses to co-create content, host webinars, or run joint marketing campaigns.
API Integrations: Integrate your product with other popular tools that your target audience uses, creating a seamless experience and increasing product stickiness.
Pay-Per-Click Ads (PPC)
Google Ads: Use Google Ads to target specific keywords that your potential customers are searching for. Regularly monitor and adjust your ad spend based on performance.
Social Media Ads: Run ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach a broader audience. Use targeting options to focus on demographics, interests, and behaviors relevant to your product.
Diversify Traffic Sources in 3 Steps
Identify and Maximize the Potential of One Channel:
– Start by identifying the most effective channel for your business. This could be organic search, social media, or email marketing.
– Focus your efforts on mastering this channel. For instance, if SEO is your primary driver, invest in high-quality content and technical SEO improvements.
Expand to Additional Channels:
– Once you’ve maximized the potential of your primary channel, gradually expand to other channels. This diversification helps protect against the volatility of relying on a single source of traffic.
– Experiment with different platforms and measure their performance. For example, if social media is your next target, test various platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see which yields the best results.
Track Performance and focus on 3 most high performing channels
– Use analytics tools to track the performance of all your marketing channels. Identify the top three channels that bring in the most leads and highest conversion rates.
– Concentrate your resources and efforts on these high-performing channels to maximize your return on investment. Regularly review performance metrics to ensure these channels continue to deliver strong results.
– Track performance metrics across all channels to ensure you’re getting a good return on investment and adjust your strategy as needed.
Provide Value to a Larger Audience
High-Value Content Offers:
– Create and distribute high-value content that addresses the needs and challenges of your audience. This could include webinars, video tutorials, infographics, and case studies.
– Offer this content in exchange for contact information to build your email list.
Engage in Interactions:
– Encourage two-way communication with your audience. Respond to comments on your blog, social media posts, and emails.
– Host live Q&A sessions on platforms like Facebook Live or Instagram Live to engage directly with your audience and address their questions in real-time.
Build Authority and Trust:
– Establish yourself as an authority in your industry by consistently providing valuable insights and demonstrating expertise.
– Publish testimonials, case studies, and reviews from satisfied customers to build trust with potential leads.
Generating Leads with Email Marketing
Assuming you have an email list, email marketing can be quite effective in generating leads and expanding your SaaS user base.
Inbox valuable content
Email marketing for awareness – educate your subscribers with valuable and helpful content. Enlighten them about the problem and offer valuable solutions. Don’t sell anything yet.
Redirect them to your landing page
Once you have provided enough value in advance and given them time to implement the tips shared by you and see the results, then you pitch them with your solution and redirect them to your landing page.
Generating Leads with Linkedin Outreach
LinkedIn is quite effective in lead generation if you know effective lead generation strategies on LinkedIn. One of the most effective strategies is LinkedIn Outbound. It’s a simple four-step procedure.
- Connect
- DM
- Engage
- Close
Conclusion
Successfully selling your SaaS product hinges on a strategic approach that begins well before any code is written. By leveraging your existing networks, creating a landing page for early interest, and engaging in thorough customer development, you set a strong foundation for your product’s success. Once launched, utilize platforms like Product Hunt for initial traction and focus on building a robust lead generation engine to sustain growth.
Implementing a marketing flywheel, diversifying traffic sources, and consistently providing high-value content will ensure a steady stream of customers. Engaging with your audience, establishing authority, and utilizing channels like email marketing and LinkedIn outreach will further solidify your market presence. By following these strategies, you can effectively reach your first 100 customers and lay the groundwork for continued success in the SaaS space.