Starting a SaaS Business? Here's Your Winning Go-to-Market Plan 🚀📈

in this video i talk about building a in this video i talk about building a winning go to market plan for your sas winning go to market plan for your sas winning go to market plan for your sas product i'm a serial entrepreneur with product i'm a serial entrepreneur with product i'm a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits author of three books multiple exits author of three books multiple exits author of three books about building startups and an investor about building startups and an investor about building startups and an investor in more than a hundred companies i've in more than a hundred companies i've in more than a hundred companies i've always thought the term go to market always thought the term go to market always thought the term go to market feels just a bit pretentious because i feels just a bit pretentious because i feels just a bit pretentious because i thought it just means launching your thought it just means launching your thought it just means launching your product into the market but what i've product into the market but what i've product into the market but what i've learned and what i'm going to talk about learned and what i'm going to talk about learned and what i'm going to talk about in this video is that there are a lot of in this video is that there are a lot of in this video is that there are a lot of components to a go to market strategy components to a go to market strategy components to a go to market strategy it's not just about launching which is it's not just about launching which is it's not just about launching which is usually just your marketing it's five usually just your marketing it's five usually just your marketing it's five things and five things in this order things and five things in this order things and five things in this order target customer positioning pricing target customer positioning pricing target customer positioning pricing marketing and then your sales strategy marketing and then your sales strategy marketing and then your sales strategy and frankly a go to market plan can and frankly a go to market plan can and frankly a go to market plan can include more than this if you're a include more than this if you're a include more than this if you're a fortune 500 company bringing a product fortune 500 company bringing a product fortune 500 company bringing a product to market a go-to-market plan can be to market a go-to-market plan can be to market a go-to-market plan can be massive but for an entrepreneur like massive but for an entrepreneur like massive but for an entrepreneur like yourself these five key components are yourself these five key components are yourself these five key components are the ones that you need to think about the ones that you need to think about the ones that you need to think about and define before you launch your and define before you launch your and define before you launch your product and let's be honest many of product and let's be honest many of product and let's be honest many of these will be guesses or hypotheses these will be guesses or hypotheses these will be guesses or hypotheses because you just don't know the space because you just don't know the space because you just don't know the space well enough until you've launched and well enough until you've launched and well enough until you've launched and talked to customers talked to customers talked to customers and you're gonna have an initial and you're gonna have an initial and you're gonna have an initial hypothesis of what each of these things hypothesis of what each of these things hypothesis of what each of these things should be and then you're gonna have to should be and then you're gonna have to should be and then you're gonna have to move and pivot and adjust as you have move and pivot and adjust as you have move and pivot and adjust as you have contact with customers so let's talk contact with customers so let's talk contact with customers so let's talk about the first piece and this is your about the first piece and this is your about the first piece and this is your target customer the way i would start to target customer the way i would start to target customer the way i would start to dive into this is to research the dive into this is to research the dive into this is to research the competitive landscape i would look to competitive landscape i would look to competitive landscape i would look to see if there are customer segments that see if there are customer segments that see if there are customer segments that are not being served or not being served are not being served or not being served are not being served or not being served well so for example the founder of well so for example the founder of well so for example the founder of builder prime noticed that home builder prime noticed that home builder prime noticed that home improvement contractors were not being improvement contractors were not being improvement contractors were not being well served by traditional crm software well served by traditional crm software well served by traditional crm software and so jonathan the founder of builder and so jonathan the founder of builder and so jonathan the founder of builder prime who is a company that i've prime who is a company that i've prime who is a company that i've invested in through my accelerator tiny

invested in through my accelerator tiny invested in through my accelerator tiny seed he built one and the reason is seed he built one and the reason is seed he built one and the reason is because there was a customer segment because there was a customer segment because there was a customer segment that was not being served or not being that was not being served or not being that was not being served or not being served very well sometimes all customer served very well sometimes all customer served very well sometimes all customer segments are being served relatively segments are being served relatively segments are being served relatively well and you have to figure out a well and you have to figure out a well and you have to figure out a different angle and that's where different angle and that's where different angle and that's where positioning comes in is there a corner positioning comes in is there a corner positioning comes in is there a corner of the market where you could position of the market where you could position of the market where you could position your product carve out a niche for your product carve out a niche for your product carve out a niche for example project management software has example project management software has example project management software has existed for years and project management existed for years and project management existed for years and project management sas is a relatively crowded space but sas is a relatively crowded space but sas is a relatively crowded space but the founders of gather which is at the founders of gather which is at the founders of gather which is at gatherit.co gatherit.co gatherit.co they realized that traditional project they realized that traditional project they realized that traditional project management software was not serving management software was not serving management software was not serving interior designers very well and so they interior designers very well and so they interior designers very well and so they carved out that niche and they carved out that niche and they carved out that niche and they positioned themselves as being the go-to positioned themselves as being the go-to positioned themselves as being the go-to sas for interior designers and sas for interior designers and sas for interior designers and architects and when you're just starting architects and when you're just starting architects and when you're just starting out you don't know these things for sure out you don't know these things for sure out you don't know these things for sure you're just trying to figure out is you're just trying to figure out is you're just trying to figure out is there a customer segment that we think there a customer segment that we think there a customer segment that we think that we have a hypothesis is not being that we have a hypothesis is not being that we have a hypothesis is not being served well and is there a corner of the served well and is there a corner of the served well and is there a corner of the market where we could position ourselves market where we could position ourselves market where we could position ourselves and then you go from there but those two and then you go from there but those two and then you go from there but those two things that inform how you can price how things that inform how you can price how things that inform how you can price how you can market and how you can sell this you can market and how you can sell this you can market and how you can sell this product so let's look at part three of product so let's look at part three of product so let's look at part three of our go to market strategy which is our go to market strategy which is our go to market strategy which is pricing does your space have large pricing does your space have large pricing does your space have large incumbents which have used their brands incumbents which have used their brands incumbents which have used their brands to raise prices and go up market leaving to raise prices and go up market leaving to raise prices and go up market leaving a large space at the bottom of the a large space at the bottom of the a large space at the bottom of the market for you to enter for example market for you to enter for example market for you to enter for example intercom is a beloved piece of software intercom is a beloved piece of software intercom is a beloved piece of software but they have definitely raised their but they have definitely raised their but they have definitely raised their prices frequently and i see opportunity prices frequently and i see opportunity prices frequently and i see opportunity for someone to come in and compete with for someone to come in and compete with for someone to come in and compete with intercom as a less expensive but still intercom as a less expensive but still intercom as a less expensive but still mostly fully featured version of mostly fully featured version of mostly fully featured version of intercom my last sas company that i sold intercom my last sas company that i sold intercom my last sas company that i sold did this in marketing automation there

did this in marketing automation there did this in marketing automation there were a bunch of premium providers they were a bunch of premium providers they were a bunch of premium providers they were 400 to 4 000 a month and up and were 400 to 4 000 a month and up and were 400 to 4 000 a month and up and there was no one who was selling there was no one who was selling there was no one who was selling marketing automation for less than that marketing automation for less than that marketing automation for less than that and so we came in and we positioned and so we came in and we positioned and so we came in and we positioned ourselves as a lighter weight version of ourselves as a lighter weight version of ourselves as a lighter weight version of marketing automation but we were able to marketing automation but we were able to marketing automation but we were able to under price the competitors in a way under price the competitors in a way under price the competitors in a way that allowed us to build a brand and by that allowed us to build a brand and by that allowed us to build a brand and by the time we were doing a few million the time we were doing a few million the time we were doing a few million dollars in revenue we had a pretty solid dollars in revenue we had a pretty solid dollars in revenue we had a pretty solid brand established and then we had brand established and then we had brand established and then we had pricing power and we could start raising pricing power and we could start raising pricing power and we could start raising our prices now i would never give the our prices now i would never give the our prices now i would never give the advice to go in and compete on price try advice to go in and compete on price try advice to go in and compete on price try to be the low you know the low cost to be the low you know the low cost to be the low you know the low cost provider because that is going to tend provider because that is going to tend provider because that is going to tend to bring customers that you don't want to bring customers that you don't want to bring customers that you don't want they're going to churn they're going to they're going to churn they're going to they're going to churn they're going to be price sensitive they're going to be be price sensitive they're going to be be price sensitive they're going to be asking for discounts but in a space asking for discounts but in a space asking for discounts but in a space where there are really expensive players where there are really expensive players where there are really expensive players that are let's say bulky hard to use that are let's say bulky hard to use that are let's say bulky hard to use maybe not well liked there is maybe not well liked there is maybe not well liked there is opportunity for you to position yourself opportunity for you to position yourself opportunity for you to position yourself in a way that can be advantageous to you in a way that can be advantageous to you in a way that can be advantageous to you as you go to market the fourth element as you go to market the fourth element as you go to market the fourth element of your go to market strategy which is of your go to market strategy which is of your go to market strategy which is informed by the prior three are the informed by the prior three are the informed by the prior three are the marketing tactics you can use so are marketing tactics you can use so are marketing tactics you can use so are there any marketing tactics where you there any marketing tactics where you there any marketing tactics where you have expertise or where your competitors have expertise or where your competitors have expertise or where your competitors are weak so one example of this is are weak so one example of this is are weak so one example of this is signwell which is electronic signature signwell which is electronic signature signwell which is electronic signature and seinwell competes with all the and seinwell competes with all the and seinwell competes with all the massive docusigns and hello signs of the massive docusigns and hello signs of the massive docusigns and hello signs of the world world world but the founder of that rubin is amazing but the founder of that rubin is amazing but the founder of that rubin is amazing at seo and so he has used seo as a way at seo and so he has used seo as a way at seo and so he has used seo as a way to gain traction in that space if you to gain traction in that space if you to gain traction in that space if you don't have any expertise then you're don't have any expertise then you're don't have any expertise then you're going to want to start looking at your going to want to start looking at your going to want to start looking at your competitors and spy on what they're competitors and spy on what they're competitors and spy on what they're doing with their ad strategy with their doing with their ad strategy with their doing with their ad strategy with their content strategy and figure out is there

content strategy and figure out is there content strategy and figure out is there somewhere where i feel like i can beat somewhere where i feel like i can beat somewhere where i feel like i can beat them and in fact your pricing informs them and in fact your pricing informs them and in fact your pricing informs how you can market because you can't how you can market because you can't how you can market because you can't spend a ton of money on marketing if you spend a ton of money on marketing if you spend a ton of money on marketing if you don't have you know higher prices people don't have you know higher prices people don't have you know higher prices people willing to pay higher prices for your willing to pay higher prices for your willing to pay higher prices for your software and the fifth piece of your go software and the fifth piece of your go software and the fifth piece of your go to market strategy is your sales to market strategy is your sales to market strategy is your sales strategy so are existing players only strategy so are existing players only strategy so are existing players only using enterprise sales tactics to sell using enterprise sales tactics to sell using enterprise sales tactics to sell and can you make your product mostly and can you make your product mostly and can you make your product mostly self-serve or vice versa if everyone's self-serve or vice versa if everyone's self-serve or vice versa if everyone's doing self-serve and they're on the doing self-serve and they're on the doing self-serve and they're on the lower end of the market can you go in lower end of the market can you go in lower end of the market can you go in and do a more high-touch sales process and do a more high-touch sales process and do a more high-touch sales process where you have a higher price point but where you have a higher price point but where you have a higher price point but companies who really want that white companies who really want that white companies who really want that white glove service will come to you we glove service will come to you we glove service will come to you we watched bounce exchange do this they watched bounce exchange do this they watched bounce exchange do this they gained traction several years ago now gained traction several years ago now gained traction several years ago now five six years ago they were charging a five six years ago they were charging a five six years ago they were charging a hundred times more than their hundred times more than their hundred times more than their competitors these are competitors like competitors these are competitors like competitors these are competitors like optinmonster and sumo.com they were optinmonster and sumo.com they were optinmonster and sumo.com they were charging way more than them by providing charging way more than them by providing charging way more than them by providing a managed split testing service over a managed split testing service over a managed split testing service over their email opt-in widget and that their email opt-in widget and that their email opt-in widget and that allowed them to have some type of allowed them to have some type of allowed them to have some type of differentiation right it allowed them to differentiation right it allowed them to differentiation right it allowed them to have that higher price point allowed have that higher price point allowed have that higher price point allowed them to position themselves as the them to position themselves as the them to position themselves as the premium offering and then it allowed premium offering and then it allowed premium offering and then it allowed their sales strategy to be a high-touch their sales strategy to be a high-touch their sales strategy to be a high-touch enterprise process i don't want to imply enterprise process i don't want to imply enterprise process i don't want to imply that you always have to zig when others that you always have to zig when others that you always have to zig when others are zagging but if you enter a market are zagging but if you enter a market are zagging but if you enter a market with the same pricing positioning sales with the same pricing positioning sales with the same pricing positioning sales and marketing strategies as major and marketing strategies as major and marketing strategies as major incumbents with stronger brands and incumbents with stronger brands and incumbents with stronger brands and bigger budgets you are creating a major bigger budgets you are creating a major bigger budgets you are creating a major uphill battle for yourself because they uphill battle for yourself because they uphill battle for yourself because they have more money and they have more have more money and they have more have more money and they have more experience so it's better to find some experience so it's better to find some experience so it's better to find some kind of vulnerability or some area kind of vulnerability or some area kind of vulnerability or some area that's being missed in the space it's that's being missed in the space it's that's being missed in the space it's that missing scale on the dragon's belly that missing scale on the dragon's belly that missing scale on the dragon's belly if you will if you will if you will hobbit reference anyone so let's say you

hobbit reference anyone so let's say you hobbit reference anyone so let's say you think you know your best target customer think you know your best target customer think you know your best target customer you have an idea about your positioning you have an idea about your positioning you have an idea about your positioning your pricing how you're going to market your pricing how you're going to market your pricing how you're going to market and sell it so let's look a little and sell it so let's look a little and sell it so let's look a little deeper at marketing because that's such deeper at marketing because that's such deeper at marketing because that's such a big piece of going to market so many a big piece of going to market so many a big piece of going to market so many things hinge on your ability to let things hinge on your ability to let things hinge on your ability to let people know that your product exists people know that your product exists people know that your product exists even if you get everything else 100 even if you get everything else 100 even if you get everything else 100 correct if you drop the ball on correct if you drop the ball on correct if you drop the ball on marketing and you do not generate demand marketing and you do not generate demand marketing and you do not generate demand you will fail so as you go to market and you will fail so as you go to market and you will fail so as you go to market and you're evaluating marketing approaches i you're evaluating marketing approaches i you're evaluating marketing approaches i would be looking for advantages that you would be looking for advantages that you would be looking for advantages that you have do you have an existing audience if have do you have an existing audience if have do you have an existing audience if you have one great if you don't unless you have one great if you don't unless you have one great if you don't unless it's the strength of yours to build it's the strength of yours to build it's the strength of yours to build audiences i wouldn't do it in sas do you audiences i wouldn't do it in sas do you audiences i wouldn't do it in sas do you have a great network whether you have have a great network whether you have have a great network whether you have one or not build one there are one or not build one there are one or not build one there are communities like microcomp and indie communities like microcomp and indie communities like microcomp and indie hackers and dynamite circle where you hackers and dynamite circle where you hackers and dynamite circle where you can go to find other like-minded can go to find other like-minded can go to find other like-minded entrepreneurs and to build your network entrepreneurs and to build your network entrepreneurs and to build your network as you emerge into this space as you go as you emerge into this space as you go as you emerge into this space as you go to market as you launch such that the to market as you launch such that the to market as you launch such that the next time you do launch a product you next time you do launch a product you next time you do launch a product you have a better network because your have a better network because your have a better network because your network not only gives you advice but network not only gives you advice but network not only gives you advice but you can do joint venture partnerships you can do joint venture partnerships you can do joint venture partnerships you can have founder friends who are you can have founder friends who are you can have founder friends who are helping you promote your product and are helping you promote your product and are helping you promote your product and are helping you spread the word and a third helping you spread the word and a third helping you spread the word and a third potential advantage is having a despised potential advantage is having a despised potential advantage is having a despised competitor that is a leader in the space competitor that is a leader in the space competitor that is a leader in the space this may not seem like an advantage but this may not seem like an advantage but this may not seem like an advantage but it's amazing to have someone who has it's amazing to have someone who has it's amazing to have someone who has gone ahead of you they've already taken gone ahead of you they've already taken gone ahead of you they've already taken the arrows in the back they've made the the arrows in the back they've made the the arrows in the back they've made the mistakes both in their product and in mistakes both in their product and in mistakes both in their product and in their marketing and they've got some their marketing and they've got some their marketing and they've got some things refined and if you look at them things refined and if you look at them things refined and if you look at them and you realize well the real downfall and you realize well the real downfall and you realize well the real downfall for them is their customer service sucks for them is their customer service sucks for them is their customer service sucks or no one likes their sales process or or no one likes their sales process or or no one likes their sales process or they're overpriced or their product is they're overpriced or their product is they're overpriced or their product is old it's 15 years old it hasn't been old it's 15 years old it hasn't been old it's 15 years old it hasn't been revamped well you know that if you build revamped well you know that if you build revamped well you know that if you build an amazing product with amazing ux maybe

an amazing product with amazing ux maybe an amazing product with amazing ux maybe you underprice them a bit and you do a you underprice them a bit and you do a you underprice them a bit and you do a sales process that people enjoy and you sales process that people enjoy and you sales process that people enjoy and you use most of the same marketing use most of the same marketing use most of the same marketing approaches you're probably going to gain approaches you're probably going to gain approaches you're probably going to gain some traction so having a large some traction so having a large some traction so having a large competitor that people dislike that is competitor that people dislike that is competitor that people dislike that is doing some things right and something's doing some things right and something's doing some things right and something's wrong in my opinion is better than not wrong in my opinion is better than not wrong in my opinion is better than not having a competitor at all because then having a competitor at all because then having a competitor at all because then it's pure experimentation on your end it's pure experimentation on your end it's pure experimentation on your end and in terms of startup marketing i've and in terms of startup marketing i've and in terms of startup marketing i've talked about it in several other videos talked about it in several other videos talked about it in several other videos on this channel about launching but on this channel about launching but on this channel about launching but something i say so often is start something i say so often is start something i say so often is start marketing before you start coding get a marketing before you start coding get a marketing before you start coding get a landing page up start talking about your landing page up start talking about your landing page up start talking about your product you want to build that email product you want to build that email product you want to build that email launch list because you want the first launch list because you want the first launch list because you want the first day that you launch to be an amazing day day that you launch to be an amazing day day that you launch to be an amazing day of interest not just on product hunt or of interest not just on product hunt or of interest not just on product hunt or hacker news or reddit but you're gonna hacker news or reddit but you're gonna hacker news or reddit but you're gonna want hundreds or thousands or tens of want hundreds or thousands or tens of want hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of people on an email launch thousands of people on an email launch thousands of people on an email launch list in order to have that amazing list in order to have that amazing list in order to have that amazing launch day that you imagine because launch day that you imagine because launch day that you imagine because getting lucky and playing the hacker getting lucky and playing the hacker getting lucky and playing the hacker news the product the reddit lottery news the product the reddit lottery news the product the reddit lottery that's not a way to have a proven launch that's not a way to have a proven launch that's not a way to have a proven launch or a way to have something that's or a way to have something that's or a way to have something that's probably going to work having that email probably going to work having that email probably going to work having that email list of people who are super interested list of people who are super interested list of people who are super interested in hearing what your product does to in in hearing what your product does to in in hearing what your product does to in hearing when it launches is an amazing hearing when it launches is an amazing hearing when it launches is an amazing way to have that incredible first launch way to have that incredible first launch way to have that incredible first launch day if you want to hear how i built my day if you want to hear how i built my day if you want to hear how i built my email list for my most recent sas email list for my most recent sas email list for my most recent sas product look for the video how to product look for the video how to product look for the video how to validate your idea and launch to seven validate your idea and launch to seven validate your idea and launch to seven thousand dollars in recurring revenue thousand dollars in recurring revenue thousand dollars in recurring revenue you can look for it on our youtube you can look for it on our youtube you can look for it on our youtube channel and as you launch to the world channel and as you launch to the world channel and as you launch to the world you're going to be scratching and you're going to be scratching and you're going to be scratching and calling to get those early customers calling to get those early customers calling to get those early customers i've already mentioned product hacker i've already mentioned product hacker i've already mentioned product hacker news and reddit but there are things news and reddit but there are things news and reddit but there are things like q and a sites like quora and stack like q and a sites like quora and stack like q and a sites like quora and stack exchange these don't scale but in the

exchange these don't scale but in the exchange these don't scale but in the early days they can be worth it early days they can be worth it early days they can be worth it depending on your price point to get depending on your price point to get depending on your price point to get folks in and get the buzz and start folks in and get the buzz and start folks in and get the buzz and start building brand you can do a podcast or a building brand you can do a podcast or a building brand you can do a podcast or a youtube tour you can hang out where your youtube tour you can hang out where your youtube tour you can hang out where your customers hang out these are places like customers hang out these are places like customers hang out these are places like facebook groups slack groups forums and facebook groups slack groups forums and facebook groups slack groups forums and then you start looking at blocking and then you start looking at blocking and then you start looking at blocking and tackling you know what are the five most tackling you know what are the five most tackling you know what are the five most common b2b sas marketing approaches it's common b2b sas marketing approaches it's common b2b sas marketing approaches it's content seo cold outreach pay-per-click content seo cold outreach pay-per-click content seo cold outreach pay-per-click and partnerships and integrations and and partnerships and integrations and and partnerships and integrations and you look at those and you think about you look at those and you think about you look at those and you think about what is your price point how much money what is your price point how much money what is your price point how much money can you commit to acquiring a customer can you commit to acquiring a customer can you commit to acquiring a customer and which of these are gonna work in and which of these are gonna work in and which of these are gonna work in your space and i have an entire video your space and i have an entire video your space and i have an entire video dedicated to that topic that i want to dedicated to that topic that i want to dedicated to that topic that i want to tell you about in just a second but tell you about in just a second but tell you about in just a second but before i do i wanted to let you know before i do i wanted to let you know before i do i wanted to let you know there is a companion podcast to this there is a companion podcast to this there is a companion podcast to this youtube channel it's called startups for youtube channel it's called startups for youtube channel it's called startups for the rest of us and on that show every the rest of us and on that show every the rest of us and on that show every week for about 30 minutes i talk about week for about 30 minutes i talk about week for about 30 minutes i talk about things like this about launching about things like this about launching about things like this about launching about marketing about building sas marketing about building sas marketing about building sas bootstrapping mostly bootstrapping sas bootstrapping mostly bootstrapping sas bootstrapping mostly bootstrapping sas and i've been doing it for more than 10 and i've been doing it for more than 10 and i've been doing it for more than 10 years we have more than 600 episodes and years we have more than 600 episodes and years we have more than 600 episodes and so check out startups for the rest of us so check out startups for the rest of us so check out startups for the rest of us on any place that podcasts are available on any place that podcasts are available on any place that podcasts are available including apple podcasts spotify including apple podcasts spotify including apple podcasts spotify stitcher downcast overcast so if you stitcher downcast overcast so if you stitcher downcast overcast so if you want to go deeper into the marketing want to go deeper into the marketing want to go deeper into the marketing side of this i know i've talked a lot side of this i know i've talked a lot side of this i know i've talked a lot about go to market which is a full about go to market which is a full about go to market which is a full package but if you want to know about package but if you want to know about package but if you want to know about building a flywheel this is a process i building a flywheel this is a process i building a flywheel this is a process i cover in detail in the video and this cover in detail in the video and this cover in detail in the video and this channel titled how to get your first 100 channel titled how to get your first 100 channel titled how to get your first 100 customers for your sas product so i hope customers for your sas product so i hope customers for your sas product so i hope you enjoyed the video today about you enjoyed the video today about you enjoyed the video today about building a winning go to market plan building a winning go to market plan building a winning go to market plan i'll see you in the next video i'll see you in the next video i'll see you in the next video [Music]

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