Insights, Marketing

How to Choose the Best SaaS Marketing Agency for Your Company

by Ryan James

In today’s competitive market, partnering with the right SaaS marketing agency can be a game-changer for your business. From nailing down the perfect SaaS marketing strategy to getting your branding on point, SaaS marketing companies can make a big difference to your business outlook.

That said, selecting the right agency can be overwhelming with such a specific niche to market. From researching the right team and services to finally handing over the marketing reins to a partner you just have to trust, settling on the best option for you can take time.

To help make your decision easier, our team of SaaS marketing experts are here to help guide you through the process.

Ready to get started? Here are our tips on how to choose a SaaS marketing agency that aligns with your business goals.

1. Ensure they actually specialise in SaaS products and services

This one might sound obvious but you’d be surprised by the number of marketing agencies that claim to specialise in SaaS but in reality, offer a completely different set of skills that aren’t necessarily relevant for your business.

For a marketing agency to truly be experienced in SaaS, they should:

• Have current clients in the industry
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the SaaS industry and its unique challenges (and also show compassion for how difficult it is to own your own business in a constantly-evolving industry!)
• Possess knowledge of SaaS marketing strategies, including lead generation, paid ads, customer acquisition, and customer loyalty
• Have experience working with SaaS-specific platforms and tools such as CRM systems, marketing automation software, and analytics platforms
• Be able to present a comprehensive portfolio of SaaS brands and discuss the individual projects carried out for those brands
• Have the ability to present data and insights to back up their performance
• Be able to work alongside all departments of your organisation, e.g., the sales team and HR

2. Evaluate if they’re an agency you can see yourself working with long-term

No forward-thinking SaaS company ever establishes itself with only short-term goals in mind. This is why before you begin your search for a SaaS marketing agency, it’s important to ensure that the agency you choose is one you’ll be able to work with for the foreseeable future.

Whether you aim to boost brand awareness, generate leads, improve customer retention, or expand into new markets, having a clear vision will serve as a solid foundation for evaluating and selecting the perfect partner.

To help ensure you and your chosen agency are on the same page, we suggest:

• Assessing their company values i.e. are they customer-centric or only interested in expanding their portfolio?
• Discussing their commitment to ongoing communication, collaboration, and partnership to ensure a strong working relationship over time
• Assessing their ability to measure and report on KPIs and ROI forecasts
• Seeking out references/testimonials for delivering on long-term goals
• Evaluating their ability to scale and support business growth
• Understanding their capacity to adapt to industry trends for long-term success

3. Ensure they’re great communicators

When researching SaaS marketing agencies, prioritising the ones who stand out as great communicators is always a good idea. Communication is not only the key to a successful partnership, it can also greatly impact your marketing results.

Ultimately, you want a SaaS marketing agency that’s clear and prompt in their communication right from the start. Some good indicators of this will be:

• They respond promptly to inquiry emails about their services
• They listen to your needs (often through a discovery call or free marketing strategy call)
• They showcase excellent written and verbal communication skills, ensuring clear and concise communication
• They adapt their communication style to suit your preferences and communication channels (email, phone, video calls, etc.)
• They provide regular and transparent updates on the progress of your relationship, even during the early stages
• They actively leverage a variety of marketing channels

By choosing a marketing agency that excels at communication, you’ll build a stronger relationship, understand each other better, and get the best results for your SaaS business.

Tip: An experienced SaaS marketing agency will also be proactive in discussing any challenges, opportunities, or changes in strategy. You can investigate this by asking current or previous clients about their experiences.

4. Investigate which technology and marketing tools they use

Especially for SaaS founders, technological innovation can play a pivotal role in effective SaaS marketing. Particularly for agencies claiming to dedicate a lot of time to growing SaaS companies, cutting-edge technology is likely to be important for streamlining success.

To ensure your preferred agency is keeping up to speed with the latest marketing tools and technology, we recommend:

• Inquiring about their experience with marketing automation software e.g., CRM systems, analytics tools, and other relevant technologies
• Asking about how they leverage these tools to optimise marketing campaigns, track results, and provide valuable insights for continuous improvement
• Checking if they have expertise in SaaS-specific tools such as customer engagement and success platforms, user onboarding tools, and subscription management systems
• Evaluating their familiarity with SEO tools and strategies to improve organic visibility and website rankings (especially relevant for agencies offering content marketing services)

Tip: The sign of a good SaaS marketing agency can also be one that can justify their decision to not involve themselves with certain technologies. For example, for technology that might have security or reliability issues, it’s common for a reputable SaaS marketing company to want to protect its clients and opt-out.

5. Evaluate their range of services

When it comes to finding the right SaaS marketing agency for your needs, it’s always a good idea to assess their full range of services. With the industry moving quickly, having an agency who can take full control of your marketing efforts will always be preferred.

Some examples of great services to look out for include:

• Web design and development
• Branding
• Copywriting (and content marketing strategy)
• Visual imagery (incl. Photography and video)
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Paid advertising and social media marketing
• Email marketing
• Lead generation
• Customer retention strategies
• Various other marketing approaches (e.g., inbound marketing, account-based marketing, digital marketing tactics etc.)

Tip: The most effective marketing strategy a SaaS company can have is a comprehensive one. Especially when it comes to B2B SaaS marketing, SaaS businesses need to be able to keep up in a competitive market and stand out from competitors. This is why a SaaS marketing company not offering a wide range of services is likely to be a red flag for many.

6. Ask yourself if you actually like the work they do for others

Before hiring a SaaS marketing agency, it’s crucial to evaluate whether their previous work resonates with your personal taste and target audience. Trust is everything when building an effective strategic partnership with your marketing team, so if you don’t like what they do for others — it’ll be difficult to trust them with your marketing goals.

While sometimes, trusting a professional is best (even if you don’t like their work), it’s usually best to find another agency if you have a clear distaste for their portfolio.

To help, we suggest that you:

• Look for signs of creativity, innovation, and attention to detail that align with your desired brand identity
• Start by seeking out agencies with a proven track record of working with companies similar to yours
• Doing a deep-dive into their portfolio, case studies, and client testimonials to gain insights into their capabilities and the results they have achieved (many SaaS marketing agencies offer this information on their websites, but it’s also good to find out what people are saying elsewhere too through social listening exercises)

How Rocket SaaS can make your SaaS marketing agency choice easier

Choosing the best SaaS marketing agency for your company can feel like quite the task. That said, with the tips included in this blog, we hope it feels a little easier now!

If you’d prefer to cut straight to the point and save time on research, at Rocket SaaS, we can offer you a FREE marketing strategy call to help you better understand what we do.

As a leading specialist in SaaS marketing services for UK and international clients, we have the knowledge you need to take your SaaS company to new heights.

Alternatively, you can get in touch with our team to learn more about our range of full-service SaaS marketing solutions.