Edward Ford from Advance B2B at SaaStock on Tour Helsinki, May 2018

1. Unleash Your Superpower
How to build a killer brand in B2B SaaS
Edward Ford - SaaStock Helsinki - 23 | 05 | 18

2. Part 1: Why Part 2: How Part 3: A Question

3. Edward Ford
Advance B2B
► SaaS marketing agency in Malmi
► Strategist who likes to get his hands dirty
► Host of The Growth Hub Podcast
Marketing Strategist

4. Part 1: Why

5. 3 drivers of brand in SaaS
▪ Commodities → Experiences
▪ Supply → Demand
▪ Products → Brands

6. 1. Commodities → Experiences
In the early days of SaaS,
the commodity was enough.

9. Features will not protect you in a SaaS
world.
-Des Traynor, CSO at Intercom, SaaStock London
“

10. Features can be copied.
Feelings can’t.

11. Takeaway #1
Create an experience, not a commodity.
Brand will help you do this.

12. 2. Supply → Demand
The balance of power has shifted
from company to customer.

13. From owning supply to owning demand

14. From owning supply to owning demand

15. From owning supply to owning demand

16. Takeaway #2
As the world becomes more software-driven,
you need to own demand, not supply.
Brand will help you do this.

17. 3. Products → Brands
In a post-consumerised SaaS world,
brand differentiates product.

18. Here’s what happens...
▪ Barrier for entry lowers
▪ Competition increases
▪ Market becomes commodity driven
▪ Supply goes up, Demand goes down
▪ You can compete on price (race to the bottom)
▪ You can compete on brand (race to the top)

19. 5 years ago, when anybody would approach me to talk
about brand, I was just translating this to bullshit.
But then I started realising that brand played a big part
in enabling us to be so successful in a space that’s so
crowded.
-Steli Efti, CEO at close.io, Seeking Wisdom
“

20. CRM Wars

21. CRM Wars

22. CRM Wars

25. build brands, not products

26. Takeaway #3
In B2B SaaS you will see a shift towards the B2C world,
where consumer behaviour is heavily influenced by
brand.

27. In summary
▪ Create experiences
▪ Own demand
▪ Build a brand

28. Part 2: How

30. Salesforce understood the critical importance of building a
brand from day one.

31. Identified a shift → on premise to internet software

32. Identified a shift → on premise to internet software
Created a category → cloud-based sales automation (SaaS)

33. Identified a shift → on premise to internet software
Created a category → cloud-based sales automation (SaaS)
Reinforced a theme → cloud

34. Identified a shift → on premise to internet software
Created a category → cloud-based sales automation (SaaS)
Reinforced a theme → cloud
Started a movement → “The end of software!”

36. Identify a shift

37. Identify a shift
Create a category

38. Reinforce a theme

39. Start a movement!

40. Identify a shift → marketing funnels to customer journeys
Create a category → conversational marketing
Reinforce a theme → conversations
Start a movement → #NoForms

41. Identify a shift
Create a category
Reinforce a theme
Start a movement

42. you can’t fake brand
it must be authentic

43. That’s your superpower...
...and this is how to unleash it!

44. Your brand is the sum of every single
touchpoint a customer has with you
during their journey.”
-Bill Macaitis, Former CMO at Slack
“

45. brand is the punainen lanka of your customer journey

46. brand is the punainen lanka of your customer journey
First contact
Product info
Blogs/Podcast Pricing & Trial Support & Success
Emails Onboarding & UX

47. It also connects the dots and builds a moat around everything you do
BRAND

48. It also connects the dots and builds a moat around everything you do
values
BRAND
vision
mission
culture
value prop
customer success
customer support
product
sales
eventscommunications
copy
visual identity
tone & voice
content

49. ▪ Externally → Perception
▪ Internally → Influence

50. Brand is everyone’s business
▪ CEOs/Founders → Commitment & Consistency
▪ Marketers → Drivers of brand
▪ Product/CS → Deliver the brand promise
▪ Sales → Easier to sell

51. Source: ProfitWell

53. In summary
▪ Create experiences
▪ Own demand
▪ Build a brand

54. In summary
▪ Identify a shift
▪ Create a category
▪ Reinforce a theme
▪ Start a movement

55. Part 3: Question

56. Do you, as a company, want to make a
conscious decision to invest in and
build your brand?
▪ Yes
▪ No

57. advanceb2b.com/superpower
- slides
- links to referenced articles/books
- links to additional resources

58. Edward Ford
Advance B2B
► edward@advanceb2b.fi
► @NordicEdward
► LinkedIn
► Come talk to me
Marketing Strategist

59. Edward Ford - SaaStock Helsinki - 23 | 05 | 18
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