Episoder
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If you are under 30 and your career isn’t skyrocketing in marketing, should you move to product or supply chain?
A recent episode of Scott Galloway’s celebrated podcast, Prof G Pod, made the claim that the true innovation and differentiators today for companies are on the product side and not on the marketing side. Galloway is an American public speaker, author, podcast host, entrepreneur, and clinical professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business.
In Episode 69 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, Brian and Stijn unpack the truth and the not-so-true factors behind this claim.
Topics discussed include:
The fast-evolving role of the marketer in view of AI and the fast pace of technological changeWhere the true value of marketing liesThe symbiotic relationship between product and marketing to create truly legendary productsWhat “brand strategy” truly means in software today How to “future-proof” your marketing career to stay relevantB2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
The Future of Marketing Part 1 – Scott GallowayUnlocking the power of AI: Transform your content creation processSaaS SEO best practices: dos and don'tsT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topics
ABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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For any new B2B SaaS company, the product launch is a critical moment in time. Done correctly, you gain traction and jumpstart getting revenue in the door.
For more mature companies, it’s an new opportunity to connect with the market, bring excitement to your new product or product evolution and celebrate your users.
Either way, a successful launch requires planning, coordination, and focus.
In Episode 68 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, Brian and Stijn break the ideal SaaS product launch down for you so you can make the most of your next product launch. The launch window, brief as it is, sets the tone for your product's ability to be accepted and celebrated in the market.
How to build buzz around your SaaS product launchExamples of both successful and unsuccessful product launchesDriving factors that determine organizational launch effectivenessBreaking down the stages of launch, especially where to startHow pricing factors into great launchesPitfalls to avoid in product launches
Topics discussed include:B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
S.T.O.P: 4 Steps to evolve a service and launch a SaaS productProduct marketing: How to position your product for successHow To Price SaaS Products And ServicesT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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With AI now baked into nearly every software solution, how can you get the most out of it to grow your SaaS company? Used wisely, smaller teams can achieve more with less effort.
However, AI isn't a magic solution for SaaS marketing. Used unwisely, it creates generic content, adds inaccuracies, and provides a negative impact on your brand in the mind of your ideal customer.If you're a marketer, SaaS founder, or executive wondering how to use AI effectively in your strategy, this discussion is full of practical insights whether you use ChatGPT, Perplexity or another tool.
In Episode 67 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, Brian and Stijn share both the benefits and the critical limitations you need to keep in mind to make AI a powerful tool without compromising your brand’s authenticity.
Everyday usage ideas to strategize in marketing successfullyEmpowering junior marketers to level up their game skillsTurning average, generic outputs from AI into great copyTraining AI over time to work faster for youLeaning into customer pain points and knowledge to get the best from AIFactchecking and keeping quality high
Topics discussed include:B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Unlocking the power of AI: Transform your content creation processHow to build a content factoryT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Don't let a badly chosen or implemented acquisition TKO your software company's success trajectory.
In Episode 66 of B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks, we tackle how to make sure a potential acquisition is the right move and, most importantly, how to get the most out of it.
Growth by acquisition can be a powerful way to accelerate your go to market approach. Acquisitions allow you to:
-quickly enter a new market
-buy your way deeper into a market you already service
-fill a team or product gap
-generate new revenue
-grow the balance sheetHowever, if done poorly or for the wrong reasons, an acquisition can stagnate revenue, increase costs, fracture your team culture, and stretch your team too thin to succeed.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
B2B SaaS mergers and acquisitions: dos and don’tsT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Strategy, growth targets, messaging, and funnel focus: get ready to solve four of the biggest problems that B2B SaaS marketing teams face on a daily basis.
Identifying and eliminating problems in these areas for your organization needs to be a top priority.
In Episode 65 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, we discuss how to unlock new levels of performance by fixing these common issues:
How big should your GTM strategy be?Balancing strategic vs technical executionWhen to diversify your demand gen channelsSupporting your strategy with the right-sized marketing teamEnsuring AI doesn’t leave you with a “vanilla” strategy and positioningBalancing quick wins with proper foundational workUnderstanding the customer journey from start to finishGet ready to tackle these common issues and get more traction today in gathering new customers through a better funnel.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment! Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Pain, claim, gain: three key components of marketing communicationThe Six P's Of Marketing MessagingGoing from A-players to a team that fits your budgetT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Innovative products are the bread and butter of SaaS companies, and it can be tempting to try new things. But when it comes to launching new products, many B2B businesses can stumble at first.
Episode 64 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast is the third and final episode in our Ansoff Matrix series. We discuss the right side of the famous Matrix: product development and diversification (“the pivot”) for B2B SaaS. We show you how to find the most efficient and authentic path to true new product-led growth for existing and new audiences.
We dive into..
Tried and true T2D3 strategies for marketing a new product to your existing audienceHow to manage new product development with what your users actually wantThe difficulties of pivoting to a new product and new audience – and useful examples of those who get it right.B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS strike an efficient balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is an asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
How to use Ansoff’s Matrix to Guide your SaaS Go-to-Market Strategy4-Step Company Branding Exercise [template included]T2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Selling an existing current product or service into a new group of software customers can be a big challenge. Today we dive into strategies for marketing expansion for your SaaS company using the wisdom found in the upper left quadrant of the famous Ansoff Matrix.
In Episode 63 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, we talk through the indicators you should look for when considering a marketing expansion strategy and what new initiatives you can take to effectively sell into a new group of customers without changing your product or service.
The Ansoff Matrix, named after mathematician Igor Ansoff, is almost 50 years old. However, as a SaaS founder, you will find its wisdom will ring exactly true for your software company today.
Maybe you just got funded and have more capital to spend, but expectations for growth pace are now much higher too. Other signs that your current market isn’t providing what you need could be:
Low retention from your marketA low or slow sales cycleLow average contract valueHigh customer acquisition costsMissing revenue targetsOf the four possible ways to grow a company (according to Ansoff’s Matrix), market expansion is more challenging than selling into a well-known customer type (“market penetration”). You won’t find it as easy to leverage your company's established strengths, brand awareness and market knowledge as key advantages.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
How to use Ansoff’s Matrix to Guide your SaaS Go-to-Market Strategy10 milestones to reach product-market fit (PMF) for B2B SaaSThe Best Product-Market-Fit Checklist for your B2B Marketing Strategy?T2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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The secrets to greater market penetration for your software company can be found in the lower left quadrant of the famous Ansoff Matrix.
In Episode 62 of the B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast, we show you how to use Ansoff's Matrix to make the most out of what you already have. You can expand your share of an existing SaaS market using your existing software products and/or services.
You will need to attract new customers in the space, defend the customers you already have against rising competition, and perhaps even acquire a competitor to get the edge.
The Ansoff Matrix, named after mathematician Igor Ansoff, is actually almost 50 years old. However, as a SaaS founder, you will find its wisdom will ring exactly true for your software company today.
Options discussed include:
Adjusting pricing to boost sales volumeBuilding new marketing engine to attract new customersAcquiring competitors to increase market shareBoosting product quality to discourage churnHow to choose the right priorities firstOf the four possible ways to grow a company (according to Ansoff’s Matrix), market penetration is probably the least challenging of the four. Leveraging your company's established strengths, brand awareness and market knowledge is a key advantage.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
How to use Ansoff’s Matrix to Guide your SaaS Go-to-Market Strategy4-Step Company Branding Exercise [template included]T2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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As a SaaS investor, how do you predict how fast a company will grow?
You need to know if you're looking at a rocket – or a tugboat – in terms of potential speed and growth. What are its chances to expand fast in the market? Can it really take hold and nail a niche?
In Episode 61 of the B2B Marketing Snacks podcast, we talk through all the factors to look for in a company that show it is primed for exponential marketing growth.
This is relevant for:
• Investors doing due diligence on software company targets
• Leadership, employees or job applicants looking at their own companyLearn how to spot the hidden potential a company has from a marketing perspective. With this framework, you will know if you should invest your priceless time, effort and capital into a company. Or, if you should search somewhere else.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Keep Your Friends Close, Your Investors CloserHow to Create a B2B SaaS Pitch Deck that Wins Over InvestorsEat your own dog food: strength-testing your SaaS productFinders fees for raising capital: How much should you pay your funding raisers?T2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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As a SaaS founder, hiring the right marketing leader for your startup is one of your most important yet tricky tasks. The wrong choice means lost time, revenue and resources when you need speed, scale and skill.
How much experience is enough? Will they fit your culture? Are they going to get the growth results your investors demand, quickly enough?
In this episode of B2B Marketing Snacks, our experts cover all the factors to consider before you go about hiring a B2B SaaS CMO, including:
• Best qualities to look for in CMO candidates
• Levels of candidate experience that work best for early-stage SaaS
• Budgeting for the right marketing team
• Hiring in-house vs agency vs fractional
• How to assure correct culture fit
• How to set expectations with a new leader
• The impact of equity in hiring
• How to maximize a new CMO's impact on your growthWith this expert perspective, you'll find the right marketing leaders for the right seats that can really move your company forward fast.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Hiring great marketers in today’s outsourced labor market10 CMO Interview Questions: Hiring A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)BSMS 13: What to look for in your CMO (or marketing leader)How to Hire a Top Growth Hacker: Job Description + Screening TipsTemplate - Marketing ROI Forecast & EstimationT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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As a SaaS founder, the pressure to move too fast can be relentless. It can be tempting to cut corners and try and gamble on your scale through quick wins and growth hacks.
More often than not, these initiatives become distractions that end up wasting time, money, and resources only to deliver subpar results.
In this episode of B2B Marketing Snacks, we detail the right foundation for a B2B software company – for both the quick wins and the long term scaling goals. Growth is much more likely to be smooth, consistent, and ROI positive, when you start off right.
It is essential to do some good up front research, audit what's working, what's not, and why, and make some early, tough decisions about prioritization and focus. Then, you can align the right resources and go to market with confidence!
Listen in as we help you with effective strategies for:
Building a great go to market planConvincing the rest of your leadership team to buy inScaling your company to the next levelB2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
Brian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
B2B SaaS Go-to-Market Strategy Essential Resources | Kalungi, Inc.
Checklist for New Market Entry Go-to-Market Strategy
[eBook] How to create a go-to-market strategy for B2B SaaS companies
Template - Marketing ROI Forecast & Estimation
T2D3 CMO Masterclass
Submit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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You have all the experience, connections and drive needed to crush your next top marketing role. Now, what is the best path to getting hired today as a chief marketing officer?
Like the famous fable of "the cobbler’s shoes" (in which the cobbler’s kids had no shoes because he was too busy working for others), too many potential CMOs spend too little time on their go to market strategy. They hope social media posts and thought leadership alone will attract clients over time.
To get ahead, any potential CMO should treat themselves as seriously as any company would. This means developing a complete plan to identify the right niches and market efficiently to them.
As an experienced or aspiring CMO or fractional CMO (fCMO), this podcast will teach you:
• How and why to pick the right niches to focus on
• How to build a story and packaging around your experience and interests
• How to create ICP and persona maps for your target companies
• How to identify key advantages and unique value propositions you can own
• How best to showcase and package your skills for potential clients
• How to prepare for interviews and how much research to bring with youFrom strategy to execution to interviews, this podcast will give you all the tools you need to land the chief marketing officer job of your dreams.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment! The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
How to Kick Off Your First Fractional CMO Meeting Why are CMOs fired more than any other executive?Nailing your B2B SaaS ICP (and what most people get wrong)Template - Marketing ROI Forecast & EstimationT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Congratulations, you’re the new CMO for a B2B SaaS company! What do you do first?
Learn the ins and outs of “making moves” as a new marketing leader: how fast to move and how to tackle all the big and urgent issues you'll face early on. It’s vital to avoid pitfalls and maximize your impact in the short term while building for the medium and long term too.
Getting hired as marketing leader at a software company – whether fractional or full-time – means you are probably inheriting a strategy already in play… for better or for worse. It can be tempting to make big changes quickly, to capitalize on your momentum when you're new, but it can be dangerous if you don't take precautions and follow the right implementation steps.
As a brand new leader in the company, you will learn how to:
• Identify which strategy is the right strategy
• How to set initial OKRs
• Make changes that will be effective both in speed and execution
• How to identify underperforming areas and focus on strengths
• How to delineate marketing problems from people problems, so the right issues get corrected
• The most important marketing metrics to identify first
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
How to Kick Off Your First Fractional CMO Meeting Why are CMOs fired more than any other executive?How to monitor and measure the success of your SEO strategyTemplate - Marketing ROI Forecast & EstimationT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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The best B2B SaaS marketing teams are built, not bought.
For any software marketing leader, CEO or founder, a crucial part of your job is to teach the new, young, relatively inexperienced people on your team.
Small software companies don’t have the big HR budgets that large companies have to hire A-level players. They have to rely on their ability to bring in less experienced, highly motivated people and teach them well according to proven playbooks.
Offering support and training develops the exact valuable go-to-market skills you require. It also increases loyalty from your team members as you teach and invest in them.
As a senior marketing manager, your performance is not based just on how good you are doing. It's based on how good your team is doing. The more that you can scale yourself through your team, the more success you'll see!
Topics covered in this episode include:
What traits to look for in new, less-experienced hiresSituational leadership to maximize employee developmentApplying varied leadership styles to match the experience of employeesLeveling up marketing abilities with templatesIdentifying best fit roles for young team membersWhat it means to truly delegate and elevate tasksHow fractionals can scale themselves effectively within small B2B SaaS organizationsB2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
3 traits of an effective marketing leader (Situational Leadership)Ultimate check-list to evaluate a B2B fractional CMO for SaaSBSMS 13: What to look for in your CMO (or marketing leader)18 Questions To Boost The Impact Of Your Leadership Team MeetingsTemplate - Marketing ROI Forecast & EstimationT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.
Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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If you’ve tried outsourcing marketing for your B2B SaaS company, you know managing several agencies at one time can be more than a headache. It can mean significant coordination, time, and effort spent even just to get started. Every agency has its own onboarding process, internal project management approach, reporting cycle and more.
As a result, founders can suffer what’s known as “agency fatigue.” Symptoms include extreme frustration and feelings of being overwhelmed from the time and resource drain that comes from working with uncoordinated tactical agencies. It isn’t easy to get the right combination of experienced strategic oversight and crack tactical execution. This is especially true as your company grows quickly from stage to stage.
Recommendations discussed in this podcast include:
Putting foundational marketing blocks in place early, such as ICP, Personas, Messaging & Positioning and Brand VoiceGetting strategy and execution under one organization for efficiency and clarityChoosing the right 30, 60 and 90-day KPIs to assure the right accountabilityDeveloping a strategy that strikes a balance between long term marketing growth and quick wins/ testsB2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiB2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Stijn Hendrikse - How to hold a SaaS marketing agency accountable for results6 Questions To Manage Your Digital Marketing AgencyThe cost of outsourcing your B2B SaaS marketing to an agencyThe importance of a startup marketing agency —and why you may need oneTemplate - Marketing ROI Forecast & EstimationT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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How do you stand up a marketing team fast? Where do you find the best marketing talent? How far and how fast should you expect these experts to go?
Today’s software founders have an array of choices for rapid growth: internal hires, fractional hires, agencies and/or tactical specialists – but you can’t (and shouldn't) have it all.
Typical startups have one of three needs when it comes to getting customers:
Emergency triage: There is bleeding that must be stopped before we can worry about the futureDietary consultation: We’ve been taking on a lot of carbs and need to lose weightStrength coach: We want to go faster and stay healthyStabilizing a critical problem, increasing marketing efficiency and driving faster scale are all great goals. We’re here to help you decide between the CMOs, fCMOs, agencies, consultants, specialists and even AI tools that service these needs.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiAt the end of the day, sales typically begins as the job of the founder or the CEO and scalable, sustainable growth is always the goal. Over time, the volume of pipeline flow and the growth of the business means that a marketing chief is often the next hire, even though that may not always be the best option.
B2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment!
The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS work at getting the best balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key asset in a hard-charging B2B world.
Resources shared in this episode:
Vaughan Immerwahr - How to choose the best outsourced SaaS marketing agencyMike Northfield - Key metrics for B2B SaaS marketing and sales leadersVaughan Immerwahr - What makes B2B SaaS marketing unique?Template - Define your marketing and sales lifecycle stagesT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topicsABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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In B2B SaaS, the expectations for a $10,000/mo marketing team are totally different from a $100,000/mo one.
As a Founder, CEO, COO or CMO, you need a way to know:
• How do I forecast the amount of lead gen and revenue results to expect?
• How large a marketing team do I really need?
B2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). With people cost being a majority of the cost involved, every hire needs to be well worth the investment.
B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of KalungiBrian Graf: CEO of KalungiBefore you spend a single dollar on building a marketing team, you need to know how much is “just right.” Leaders who are tasked – directly or indirectly – with budgeting and reporting oversight for growing SaaS revenue, like CFOs and COOs (as well as their fractional counterparts) can struggle how to get this marketing function right at first.
Where to point the effort? How quick to move? How far to go? There are GTM priorities, bandwidth, competitors, frictions, multiple focuses to consider. Some things yield quick returns and others create deep trends that will need time to unfold.
If all expectations are correct, results get delivered as promised and the revenue arrives on schedule. Any needed course corrections get identified and made early. If not, you could be in for a rough journey.
Top founders and COOs in B2B SaaS inspect what they expect. This episode will help you know what to expect so you will be inspecting the right things and getting what you expect!
Kalungi - Calculate your marketing budgetStijn Hendrikse - A guide to sales strategy & performance management Stijn Hendrikse - How to coach B2B sales teamsStijn Hendrikse - How to present marketing reports to your board (w/ template)Template - Define your marketing and sales lifecycle stagesT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topics
Resources shared in this episode:ABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts:
Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.
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Many sales forecasts are inaccurate. Let's make yours more predictable:
1. Ground your projections in actual data instead of feelings.
Many forecasts are based on opinion rather than actual data. If you’ve been in business for 3 or more months, you likely have access to data you can use. Let’s say you had 20 demos and 2 closed-won deals in the past three months—with this information, you can start to build a picture of your conversion rates. Roughly 10% of your demos convert to closed-won deals. And you can use that number as a starting point to calculate pipeline stage probabilities and weighted pipeline metrics based on actual historical data.
2. Maintain good deal stage hygiene.
Data hygiene always suffers when changes are made to pipeline stage names, conversion rate assumptions, or entry/exit criteria. This typically happens when sales or marketing leadership changes. If a stage is added or removed, it can have many downstream effects on reporting and conversion rate assumptions. The best way to avoid this is by being thoughtful and deliberate when building your deal stages—and sticking to them. Here are some best practices for deal stage setup:
Only keep the necessary stages. 3–7 stages should cover most B2B scenarios. Too many stages can make upkeep harder for your sales team.Don’t allow for "parking lot" stages. Don't create stages that collect stalled deals. A typical example of this is “Discovery call no-show.” Instead of a unique deal stage, that should be converted to a property with a Yes/No value.Make stage entry/exit criteria discrete. Binary (yes/no) criteria should determine deal entry into each stage. For example, “Stage 1: Demo call scheduled” is clear, well-defined, and verifiable. A deal can only enter this stage if a prospect has a scheduled demo call calendar event with your sales rep. This is much more concrete than Stage 1: “Demoing,” which leaves room for ambiguity and subjective interpretation.Deals should only travel in one direction. Deals should never move backward in your funnel—you can’t ‘un-present’ a demo or proposal. Install rules to close out stalled deals (which inflate your pipeline), but never move deals backward.Percentage closure forecasts from stage to stage should be meaningful. For example, if a deal moves from Stage 1 to Stage 2, the change in the forecasted close rate should be significant—15% or more. If the forecast difference between two different stages is small (5%–10%), consider combining them into a single stage.Hold salespeople accountable for accurate data. What often seems like unimportant data entry has important implications for analyzing your marketing efforts, funnel dynamics, and ICP strategies.____
Stijn Hendrikse - A guide to sales strategy & performance management Stijn Hendrikse - How to coach B2B sales teamsMike Northfield - How to define an MQL for B2B SaaSTemplate - Define your marketing and sales lifecycle stagesT2D3 CMO MasterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topics
Links shared in this episode: -
A simple 4-step approach to get your goals back on track:
Define the problem. Write it down—be specific. Make sure everyone agrees on the problem. This step is incomplete until everyone interprets the problem in the same way.Uncover the ~real~ root cause. People often jump too quickly to conclusions and favor obvious explanations for symptoms. Most problems are nuanced with many contributing factors. Try to unpack all of the potential causes.Document all possible solutions. Once you’ve uncovered the root cause, go from theory to execution. List out all of the things you can do to move the needle.Build the plan and execute. Prioritize your to-do list and get after it.____
Links shared in this episode:
T2D3 CMO Masterclass: t2d3.pro/masterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topics: kalungi.com/podcast -
Jason Fried (37Signals) recently published an open challenge to the software subscription model—their stance is that customers should once again be able to buy and own software products. To pay for them once and own the source code.
We discuss both models' pros and cons and speculate why Jason and the 37Signals teams introduced this strategy and manifesto. Here are some of our key takeaways:
In the last few years, many software companies were able to get away with neglecting the second “s” in SaaS (service). But given the state of the tech industry, that’s now sometimes a determinant factor in whether or not someone continues using a product. We talk more about this in episode 44.Whether you sell software in a subscription model or through one-time version purchases or pay-per-update, there will almost always be a need for product innovation and support—to help customers succeed with the product and to maintain compatibility with hardware and browser changes. That can be paid for in service subscription fees (hence, the term, SaaS), or in other ways: for example, you could buy and own a software product, but the tradeoff is that you may need to coordinate and pay for server space, technical expertise to maintain it, and you’re stuck with a single version. The software world has trended toward the first model the last 10 years, but now people are starting to challenge this concept. For many products that aren’t consistently improving (or, in some cases, becoming bloated or harder to use)—customers often wonder, “What am I paying a continuous subscription for?” Supporting a pay-once model is an interesting positioning and differentiation play—and could be one of the underlying components of 37Signals’ strategy. For customers who’ve ever felt burned by the traditional SaaS model, a product that supports a pay-once philosophy could help you stand out from the competition.___
Links shared in this episode:
37Signals manifesto: once.comT2D3 CMO Masterclass: t2d3.pro/masterclassSubmit and vote on our podcast topics: kalungi.com/podcast - Se mer
