SaaS Business Growth

We grew an email list from 0 to 500K subscribers in just 10 months. If I were starting from scratch today, here's exactly how I'd do it again: 1) Nail the Lead Magnet: The fastest way to grow your email list is by offering something valuable in exchange for an email. Think of it like this: people won't give up their email for nothing. Create something they can't ignore: a discount, exclusive content, or a tool they can’t find elsewhere. For us, offering free travel guides was a game-changer. 2) Optimize for Opt-Ins Everywhere: Your website, blog, and even social media accounts should work like opt-in machines. For example: - Add pop-ups and fly outs on key pages. - Place CTAs above the fold. - Use scroll-triggered modals when visitors are engaged. We tested endlessly, and this attention to detail paid off big. 3) Tap Into Paid Growth Early: Ads get a bad rep, but when done right, they’re a growth accelerant. We launched targeted ads promoting our lead magnet and built a funnel that turned traffic into email signups. Paid campaigns helped us scale fast while testing which offers resonated with our audience. 4) Partner with the Right People: Collaborations can grow your list faster than any single effort. Whether it’s co-branded giveaways, email swaps, or shoutouts, find brands or creators that share your target audience. A well-executed partnership will unlock exponential growth. One really unique thing we did: We bought a bunch of viral social accounts and rebranded them for our business. This was huge in kickstarting massive and sustainable growth. And we fast-tracked the social proof we needed to build trust and scale quickly. 5) Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity: A big list is meaningless without engagement. From Day 1, we focused on high-value emails to ensure subscribers opened, clicked, and stayed. Here’s a pro tip: Consistency wins. Sending emails weekly or bi-weekly keeps your list warm and engaged. 6) Build a Content Machine: Pair email growth with an organic content strategy that feeds your funnel. Blog posts, social media, and SEO aren’t just good for traffic—they create trust. The more valuable content you share, the more people will want to hear from you. 7) Leverage Cheap Marketing Channels in Ways Others Haven’t: This is going to ruffle some feathers but we absolutely dominated cold email for user acquisition. To the tune of 6 figure subscriber acquisition. No one was doing cold email for B2C the way we did it. This proved to be the most scalable yet cheapest acquisition channel we had. — To recap: - Offer something valuable for free to grow your list. - Use every channel—paid and organic—to drive opt-ins. - Build relationships with partners who already have your audience. The result? A system that scales. Your list is the one asset you fully own—start building it ASAP!

Traditional SaaS is breaking...crumbling like a sandcastle. And most SaaS founders feel it, before they can actually explain it. Here’s what’s happening 👇 SaaS used to be a tiny blip in the software industry... “We’ll never move critical data to the cloud.” “Why rent software when we can own it outright?” “We’re a global bank, not a startup.” Then came the dot-com bust. Then the GFC. Then the reality check. SaaS stepped out of the shadows with lower friction, higher flexibility, stronger unit economics and a customer-friendly alternative to on-prem. It ate the legacy software market alive. Big vendors pivoted overnight. VCs couldn’t fund it fast enough. Every startup pitch deck had a “SaaS flywheel” slide. But now? Something’s changing again. Customers are frustrated. Not with features. With the lack of outcomes. ❌ Adoption is low ❌ Internal rollouts have stalled ❌ Vendors disappear post-sale, replaced with chat bots. ❌ But customers are still being charged We’ve spoken to dozens of SaaS buyers recently. The pattern is clear. They don’t want Software-as-a-Service anymore They want Software-with-a-Service or better yet, Software with an Outcome. Here’s what that looks like: Actual onboarding help — not just an FAQ Implementation support tailored to their use case Change management in the first 60–90 days A human in the loop when things get messy 🤝 It’s not about bloat or VC-backed hockey stick growth curves It’s about trust and delivering outcomes. Funny how, in the age of AI and agents, the most powerful differentiator is still a real person who gives a sh*t. — The impact? ✅ Founders close the value gap ✅ Sales teams de-risk deals ✅ Customers stick around — and actually expand usage Some VCs may not love it. But the best ones already get it. Software with a Service isn’t a new trend. It’s a correction. And I believe it’s going to reshape how software companies grow. What’s your take? 👇

3 B2B SaaS marketing strategies that actually work in 2025. After 20+ years advising startups, scale-ups and global brands, I've seen marketing fads come and go. But these three approaches are delivering meaningful results right now: 1. Micro-influencer partnerships (not celebrity endorsements) The opportunity is partnering with niche creators who have 10k - 250k followers in your specific target market. Why it works: You're borrowing trust, not just attention. Most businesses mess this up by making it purely transactional. The "secret" is alignment – the creator must actually value your product. 50% of Hubspot's media is creator-led now. Clay nailed this by giving creators tools, templates and premium support, not just commission. Don't believe the "free marketing" myth. You're either paying with money or time. 2. Proper demand gen (not lead gen) Lead gen is an outdated assembly line approach. Modern demand gen is about producing high-value content that builds real relationships. The data backs this up: • 4x higher conversion rate • 26% higher win rate • 36% shorter sales cycle Cognism executed this brilliantly by: • Ungating their premium content (counterintuitive but works) • Targeting specific accounts with hyper-personalised messaging • Leveraging dark social (Slack, WhatsApp) despite measurement challenges • Integrating marketing and sales teams to target key accounts It's not about building a massive list of unqualified leads that inflates your ego. It's about fewer, more engaged prospects. 3. Founder-led personal brand This isn't about posting selfies. It's about the CEO/founder consistently sharing specialised, high-value content. Gal and his team from Aligned generate most of their pipeline through content on LinkedIn. Personal profiles get 5x more reach than company pages on LinkedIn. Company reach is progressively dropping. People buy from people –  creating connection in ways corporate accounts never will. The businesses that thrive in 2025 won't be the ones with the biggest budgets. But those who build meaningful relationships at scale.

Most SaaS companies either: → Publish industry insights with zero mention of their product → Write product tutorials that sound like help docs But what if you did both—without sounding salesy? Thought leadership + Product relevance = Content that builds trust AND drives adoption Let me show you. Say your SaaS helps marketers plan and manage content calendars. Instead of writing: → Top 5 Content Marketing Trends in 2025 (generic, forgettable) Write this: → Why Editorial Planning Is Broken in 2025—and What Top Teams Are Doing Differently And in that article: Share patterns you’re seeing in how high-performing content teams work (from your user base or internal data) Add a section: “What We’re Seeing Inside [Your Tool]” — spotlight anonymized insights like “Teams that publish 4x/month with 1-week lead time perform 30% better in organic traffic” Offer takeaways readers can act on — with or without your product. Now it’s: ✅ Educational ✅ Trust-building ✅ Product-relevant (without being pushy) This kind of content isn’t just about sharing ideas. It’s about showing how your product thinks, helps, and elevates. If your thought leadership doesn’t reflect the POV your product is built on… …it’s just another article. A great real-world example of this is Ryan’s article on the Ahrefs blog titled “AI Content is a Short-Term Arbitrage.” They take a bold stance on the future of AI in content marketing, backed by: ↳ Their own product data ↳ Screenshots ↳ Real examples of how they do SEO using Ahrefs They’re not selling the tool—they’re teaching you how to think like someone who uses it effectively. That’s Product-Led Thought Leadership in action.

Most SaaS teams think they have a traffic problem. Nah. You have a trust problem. I’ve spent years in SaaS, and long before that, I studied psychology. If there’s one thing I’ve learned? Buyers don’t behave the way you expect them to. You want them to move in a logical funnel. They don’t. - They land on your pricing page from a Slack share. - They see a tweet, then forget about you for weeks. - They skim your homepage, get confused, and bounce. Not because they don’t need your product. But because something but some tiny friction made their brain hesitate. And here’s the real kicker you have no clue which touchpoint will be their first. So instead of obsessing over how to get more people in the door, fix the moment they arrive: 👉 Make any page they land on feel like a natural next step. 👉 Make signing up feel ridiculously easy. Try this instead of running more ads: ✅ Find where people drop off. (Pricing? Signup form? Homepage?) ✅ Change one thing at a time. ✅ Watch what happens. Fix activation, and you won’t need more traffic. Two quick tests to check if your positioning needs rework: 1️⃣ Would a first-time buyer get it in 5 seconds? Show your homepage to someone who has never heard of you. Ask them: What do we do? If they fumble, your message is broken. Rewrite it. 2️⃣ Does your CTA feel like work? ❌ Book a demo → Sounds like a commitment. Too much effort. ✅ Watch a 3-min demo → No pressure. Just learning. More traffic won’t fix a confusing message or a heavy ask. Dont focus on getting more eyeballs but on removing reasons to say no.

In my portfolio’s B2B SaaS companies, the best client acquisition strategies focus on understanding and addressing stakeholder needs. Help your leads advocate for your product by giving them clear tools and data to showcase its value. Tailor your messaging: small business owners care about cost savings, while managers need case studies and stats to convince higher-ups. Share real customer success stories to build credibility and show tangible results. Proactively reach out, understand your prospects’ challenges, and connect your product to their goals. Success comes from building trust, meeting needs, and delivering value in every interaction.

scaling is b2b saas is never easy. we started at $0. no leads. no pipeline. no traction. here's how we built a $100k+ sales pipeline in 90 days using email outbound campaigns. step 1: we built a clear icp (ideal customer profile). we focused on a niche where we knew we could win. step 2: we found targeted leads. we used linkedin & tools like apollo to gather verified emails. quality over quantity - it saved us time. step 3: we wrote cold emails that stood out. short. personalized. problem/solution-focused. subject lines were direct, not clickbait. example: "struggling to [problem]? here's what worked for [similar company]." step 4: we automated follow-ups. most deals happened by the 2nd/3rd email. no follow-up = no sales. in 3 months: - sent 10,000 emails - 154 replied - 78 discovery calls booked - $100k+ in sales pipeline email is still a goldmine if done right. don’t overthink it - start small and iterate. what’s stopping you?

Ready to see more GenAI magic 🧠 in Salesforce, Trailblazers? 🚀 But first, let me ask you: Are your sales team members spending hours crafting the perfect email? 🕒 Do they struggle to personalize their messages while still conveying key information? Are they often stuck with writer’s block? ✍️ Salesforce has the solution you’ve been searching for, and I’ve got the guide that will help you master it in just 30 minutes. 🔥 Introducing Sales Email Prompt Templates Sales Email Prompt Templates, part of Salesforce’s native Generative AI tool called “Prompt Builder,” are pre-designed templates that leverage AI to help you craft effective sales emails. With Sales Email Prompt Templates, you can streamline the process of drafting personalized, context-aware emails, making your sales team more efficient and effective. These templates save time and effort while ensuring your messages are engaging and tailored to your audience. It’s like having a highly skilled copywriter on your team—24/7! 📝✨ There are two types of Sales Email Prompt Templates: 📦 Standard Templates: Predefined and ready to use out-of-the-box, these are perfect for common business scenarios. They’re ideal for getting started quickly without any setup. 🎨 Custom Templates: Need something more specific? Custom Templates allow you to create templates from scratch, tailored to your exact requirements. This ensures every communication aligns with your unique business goals, brand voice, and style. Business Use Cases This step-by-step guide covers both standard & custom templates. 1️⃣ Standard Template – “Introduce Yourself” In the first section of this guide, we’ll use the “Introduce Yourself” standard template to send an email to one of your contacts. This will give you a clear understanding of what Standard Templates are and how to use them effectively. 2️⃣ Custom Template – Promotional Campaign Next, we’ll dive into creating a Custom Template to send an email to existing customers about a solar panel campaign. This section demonstrates how to configure and use a Custom Template from scratch tailored to your specific needs. Ready to Get Started? This guide will show you how easy it is to build and use these features - step-by-step with screenshots. It won’t take more than 20-30 minutes to configure and test it out. Click here to start mastering Sales Email Prompt Templates 👉https://bit.ly/4cnavpf Also introducing my complete series on "Mastering Einstein Copilot & Prompt Builder" - Your Ultimate Resource for Harnessing Salesforce’s Generative AI Capabilities! Check it out at 🔗 https://bit.ly/3Acx7eB #GenerativeAI #Salesforce #SalesforceAdmin #SalesforceConsultant #SalesforceDeveloper #SalesforceArchitect

I’ve stopped caring about follower count. Because followers don’t pay you. Positioning does. Let me show you what I mean... We onboarded B2B SaaS founder 90 days back. He had: → 2,700 followers → Zero online authority → One question: “Can LinkedIn actually get me clients?” We didn’t promise virality. We promised visibility in the right rooms. Here’s how we did it: 1. Case study carousels > clever hooks We broke down a recent client win into a 6-slide carousel. Real results. Clean design. Sharp writing. First post got14,000 views, 6 DMs. And one converted client worth $4,200. 2. Signal > noise We got a photo of him speaking at a small industry meetup. Just proof that he’s doing the work. Caption: “What I told 22 SaaS founders about building trust in a low-trust market.” And he got 180+ saves with one investor reply. Positioning = leveled up 3. Features = Instant Trust We pitched his story to a niche SaaS newsletter. Week late, he was on a panel with 2 names he used to follow. This isn’t just luck. It’s credibility, layered with consistency. Just strategic content → sharp visuals → real proof → compounding trust. The goal isn’t to be famous. The goal is to be trusted by the right 50 people in your industry. Anaylse your content are you building a fanbase or a reputation?

In 2023, 70% of SAP customers were considering RISE. By mid-2024, that number dropped into the low 40s. The shift raises a big question: what made so many rethink the move? I’ve supported RISE customers around the world — from North America to Europe to APAC. And the patterns I’m seeing? They’re consistent, and a bit unsettling. Here’s what’s driving the hesitation: 1. Service Level Disappointment - 99.7% uptime sounds fine until it hits your critical workflows. 2. Hidden Complexity - What looked like a bundled solution often turns into 100+ pages of service exclusions. 3. Slow Execution - Simple tickets take weeks. Why? Lack of automation and fragmented delivery teams. 4. The Premium Paywall - Want the service you thought you were buying? There’s a premium tier for that. What started as a CFO-friendly commercial model has hit resistance from Ops teams who are left holding the bag. RISE isn’t failing. But the experience gap is real. And for many customers, that’s been enough to hit pause...or backpedal entirely. If you’ve evaluated RISE or lived through the shift, what was your biggest surprise? I’d love to hear it in the comments.