SaaS or Software as a Service companies are on the rise. With an increasing number of internet users seeking sophisticated solutions to common challenges, software is increasingly looked at as an answer. Yet, as may be obvious, a SaaS marketing strategy will differ from your traditional B2B marketing plan and there’s one aspect I’m keen on discussing today – webinars.
Webinars serve specific purposes for marketers. They’re primarily used to drive traffic to their websites, build brand image and awareness, and as a platform for lead engagement.
According to an evaluation undertaken by ClickMeeting, 85% of companies use webinars to educate existing and potential clients, 77% do so to generate leads, and 60% do so to build their brand and gain a notable position in the market.
In my post today, I take a look at how webinars must be used as a part of a SaaS marketing strategy. If you want to be successful, at least.
Use webinars to establish your authority
Webinars may sound like a boring tool of the past, but the reality is that for SaaS companies, these platforms are a great way to position yourself as an authority in your field.
While blog posts, email campaigns, and newsletters strive, more or less, to do the same, a webinar is possibly a faster and more effective way to get the job done.
This medium is likely to be more effective simply because you give your audience one thing they can’t gain by reading content – the chance to meet and interact with a leader from the field. Whether this is yourself or someone else from your team, understanding this fact is crucial to promoting your webinars the right way.
Webinars also give prospective and existing customers the chance to put a face to the name and get to know what your business is about. With one successful webinar, you may be able to spur your audience to action with greater ease over other forms of communication.
Share information no one else is giving them
One way you can really set yourself apart from the rest is by giving your audience what they’re not receiving from your competitors.
As a SaaS company, your industry is probably saturated with competition. Cut them off with one simple move: Provide your audience with information the others aren’t willing to share.
Not only are you tossing out crumbs that keep customers and leads coming back for more, but you’re also demonstrating that you’re different and prove that you want to add value to your clients. You’ll also cement a reputation of hosting webinars that are unmissable. Who doesn’t want that?
You will find that whether you share this information as a part of your presentation or whether it comes up organically in a Q&A session, your audience will appreciate the insights you share. It’s also best to come up with creative ways of doing this, whether you do a how-to demonstration or click-bait-style tell-all that’ll have your inbox flooded with registrations and leads – the ultimate goal of any SaaS marketing strategy.
Make sure your topics/themes are perpetually relevant
Depending on the topics you discuss, your webinars can stay relevant long after they’re over. With the ability to replay webinars on certain platforms, you may be able to continue pulling in leads if your content is something that will always retain value.
While discussing current trends is a great crowd-puller, you need to think long-term about the kind of webinars you’re hosting. If your presentations cover subjects that are never outdated, your webinars will continue to drive traffic long after you’ve forgotten about them.
Follow up with event attendees
Sharing mind-blowing information and hosting lively and engaging webinars isn’t enough to deliver the results you’re after, however. Here, the follow-up process is just as crucial – you need to constantly reinforce the value of your company in your audience’s mind.
Send follow-up emails a day or two after the webinar or set up a drip campaign and try and guide your audience down the sales funnel by drawing the content/comments you shared in your presentation. Sharing recordings of your past webinars is also a great way of maintaining a relationship with your customers in addition to making information easily available to them.
Use webinars the right way to nail your SaaS marketing strategy
All things considered, webinars are one of the most cost-effective elements of any SaaS marketing strategy.
By conducting your presentation in a thoughtful and engaging manner – and sticking to some of the best practices I’ve discussed – you will find that the rest of your marketing objectives may be easier to achieve too.
Head to the Hype blog or find out more about our marketing and sales services if you’re interested in discovering the ultimate SaaS marketing strategy.