There was likely a time when you were your company’s only employee and you were responsible for handling the business’s sales and marketing duties. But now that your SaaS business has grown and there aren’t enough hours in the day to focus on your sales and marketing strategy, it’s time to find and hire a few professionals to help with these types of business-related tasks. These tips from Arch Web Design will help you to find the professionals you need to market and sell the software tools you offer.
Identify the Sales and Marketing Roles You Need to Fill
Your sales and marketing efforts can make or break your SaaS business, which is why it’s so important to hire professionals with experience in the software-as-a-service industry. Look for professionals with inbound marketing skills — specifically social media, blogging, online ads, and whitepapers — as well as those with experience representing companies at conferences and trade shows. The salespeople you hire must also be able to present information via telephone and video conferencing.
Some examples of common sales and marketing positions within SaaS businesses include:
- Senior roles such as the chief marketing officer (CMO), VP of marketing, head of marketing, and creative content director.
- Manager-level roles like digital marketing managers, brand managers, and marketing project managers.
- Implementation roles such as content marketing managers, social media managers, events managers, and digital advertising managers.
- Cross-channel sales and marketing roles such as digital marketers, copywriters, graphic designers, web designers, and SEO specialists, and social media marketers.
These professionals can assist your company with creating content, increasing website traffic, managing digital campaigns, and selling your products and services. You might also choose to hire a sales manager or sales representative if you’re eager to generate more revenue in less time.
Decide Between Employees, Freelancers, and Agencies
Once you’ve identified the sales and marketing roles you’re looking to fill, you’ll need to determine whether to work with employees, freelancers, or agencies. Freelancers are typically the most affordable option, and you can use websites like Upwork, Guru, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com to find sales and marketing professionals with SaaS experience.
If you hire employees rather than freelancers, you’ll have more control over the work they do — but you’ll need to pay mandatory employee benefits. In Canada, these benefits include pension, paid time off, sick leave, and employment insurance.
Another option is to work with an agency such as Arch Web Design if you need help creating and managing a website, advertising your business online, and increasing your website traffic. Advisable offers some tips to help you choose the best option for your business.
Look for Other Ways to Save Time and Money
In addition to hiring a few freelancers or employees to handle your company’s sales and marketing duties, several other services can save you time and money as you build and grow your SaaS business. A few of them include:
- Online incorporation services. By using an online service to register your company, you’ll protect yourself from personal liability, reduce your tax rate, and can choose how you’d prefer to be paid as a business owner — whether it’s a salary, dividends, or both. Plus, using an online incorporation service is cheaper than registering a business with help from an attorney.
- CRM solutions. Some of the top CRM solutions for SaaS businesses include Salesforce Sales Cloud, Oracle CX, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
- Accounting software. Plenty of free and low-cost accounting solutions are available to small business owners, including Wave, ZipBooks, and QuickBooks Online.
- Customer support software. Good customer service is crucial to building customer loyalty, increasing sales, and improving the reputation of your SaaS business. The best customer service software for SaaS companies includes Zoho Desk, Freshdesk, and Zendesk.