This Is the SMARTEST SaaS Marketing Strategy I’ve Ever Seen… 🤯

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares insights on effective content marketing strategies for startups, particularly for those with low annual contract values. They recount their experience with 'spraying and praying' and introduce a structured approach based on Eugene Schwarz's five levels of awareness from his book 'Breakthrough Advertising'. The speaker provides practical examples of content creation for a hypothetical CRM called 'bump', emphasizing the importance of targeting the right audience level in the marketing funnel. They suggest starting with solution and product awareness for early-stage startups and highlight the value of content marketing beyond just driving traffic, as it serves as education for potential customers. Finally, they advise against focusing on content marketing for those who haven't yet secured their first 10 customers, as it may distract from more immediate marketing needs.

Takeaways

• 💡 Content marketing can be a cost-effective way to acquire new customers, especially for startups with low annual contract values.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a strategic approach to content marketing, rather than a 'spraying and praying' method.
• 📚 The concept of the 'five levels of awareness' from Eugene Schwarz's book 'Breakthrough Advertising' is introduced as a framework for content strategy.
• 🔍 The five levels of awareness are: unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware, and most aware.
• 🚀 For early-stage startups, focusing on content that addresses 'solution aware' and 'product aware' audiences is recommended, as they are closer to making a purchase decision.
• 📝 Examples of content ideas at different awareness levels are provided, such as articles on organizing sales leads for the 'problem aware' level.
• 🔎 'Solution aware' content might include articles comparing different CRM systems, with the startup's product included as an option.
• 🤔 'Product aware' content involves creating 'versus' articles that compare the startup's product with competitors, which can be effective once the product has some brand recognition.
• 🏆 'Most aware' content is targeted at industry insiders and experts, who might be potential partners rather than direct customers.
• 🚫 Founders who have not yet acquired their first 10 customers are advised not to focus on content marketing, as it may be a distraction from more immediate sales efforts.
• 📅 An upcoming event, 'Microcom Remote', is mentioned as a resource for early-stage marketing strategies and networking with other bootstrap founders.

Q & A

What was the main issue the speaker faced with their previous startup's content marketing strategy?

The speaker was 'spraying and praying' with their content marketing, meaning they lacked a clear strategy and were not targeting specific topics or audience segments effectively.

What is the key marketing strategy the speaker discusses in the video?

The key marketing strategy discussed is overlaying content ideas with the five levels of awareness outlined by Eugene Schwarz in his book 'Breakthrough Advertising'.

What are the five levels of awareness mentioned in the video?

The five levels of awareness are being unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware, and most aware.

What type of content should be created at the 'unaware' level of the content strategy?

At the 'unaware' level, content should target broad general keywords and topics, such as 'how to get more business' or 'how to be a better salesperson'.

What is the purpose of creating content at the 'problem aware' level?

The purpose is to address the audience's realization of a problem they face, such as organizing sales leads, and provide solutions or tips that can lead them to consider using a CRM system like the one being marketed.

How should content be crafted for the 'solution aware' level?

Content at the 'solution aware' level should inform people about the existence of software that can solve their problems, such as comparing different CRM systems and including the marketer's product in the comparison.

What is the significance of 'versus' content in the content strategy?

'Versus' content is used to compare the marketer's product with competitors, highlighting its advantages and differences, which is particularly effective when people are already searching for the product name.

Why is it recommended to start content marketing with 'solution aware' and 'product aware' levels?

Starting with these levels is beneficial because they target people who are already looking for a solution to their problem and are more likely to convert into customers soon.

What is the role of 'alternative to' content in the content strategy?

'Alternative to' content is used to attract people who are searching for alternatives to popular products, leveraging the brand equity of well-known competitors to draw attention to the marketer's product.

Which Founders should not focus on content marketing initially, according to the speaker?

Founders who have not yet acquired their first 10 customers should not focus on content marketing initially, as it can be a distraction and the payoff from content marketing takes longer to materialize.

What is the main takeaway for early-stage startups regarding content marketing?

Early-stage startups should focus on content that targets people who are already searching for a solution to their problem, as these potential customers are more likely to convert quickly.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Content Marketing Strategy for Startups

The speaker shares their experience with content marketing in a previous startup, emphasizing the importance of a strategic approach rather than a 'spraying and praying' method. They introduce the concept of the five levels of awareness from Eugene Schwartz's 'Breakthrough Advertising' as a framework for content creation. The speaker explains how to apply these levels to content marketing, starting from 'unaware' to 'most aware', and provides an example of how to create content for a new CRM product called 'bump' at each level. The focus is on targeting the right audience with the right content to drive conversions and sales.

05:01

🎯 Targeting the Right Audience with Content Marketing

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the importance of targeting the right audience for content marketing, especially for early-stage startups. They suggest starting with 'solution aware' and 'product aware' content to attract customers who are actively looking for a solution and are closer to making a purchase. The speaker also touches on the potential of 'alternative to' content for leveraging the brand equity of competitors. Additionally, they provide guidance for when content marketing might not be the best focus, such as before acquiring the first 10 customers, and instead suggests other marketing channels that could be more effective in the early stages of a startup.

Keywords

💡Content Marketing

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience. In the video, the speaker discusses how they initially used content marketing to drive traffic to their website without a clear strategy, which led to inefficiencies. Content marketing is central to the video's theme as it is presented as a key strategy for acquiring new customers.

💡Low-Cost Acquisition

Low-cost acquisition refers to marketing strategies that aim to acquire new customers at a low cost. The speaker mentions this concept in the context of their startup, where they were looking for cost-effective ways to acquire customers due to their low annual contract value. This concept is crucial as it sets the stage for the discussion on content marketing as a low-cost strategy.

💡Levels of Awareness

Levels of awareness is a marketing concept that categorizes potential customers based on their knowledge and interest in a product or service. The speaker uses this concept to structure their content marketing strategy, dividing it into five levels: unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware, and most aware. This framework is central to the video's message, guiding how content should be tailored to different stages of customer awareness.

💡Eugene Schwartz

Eugene Schwartz is a renowned copywriter and marketer, known for his book 'Breakthrough Advertising', which the speaker references in relation to the levels of awareness. His work provides a foundation for the speaker's content marketing strategy, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer awareness levels in marketing.

💡Tiny Seed Gathering

Tiny Seed Gathering is an event organized by the speaker for SaaS bootstrappers, which serves as a catalyst for the discussion in the video. The speaker uses this event to illustrate how they developed a content marketing strategy by discussing with founders, highlighting the practical application of theoretical concepts in a real-world setting.

💡CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

CRM refers to a technology solution that helps businesses manage their interactions with customers and sales prospects. The speaker uses the hypothetical example of a new CRM called 'bump' to demonstrate how content marketing can be applied at different levels of customer awareness, showing how content can be tailored to address specific customer needs and interests.

💡Solution Aware

Solution aware is one of the levels of awareness where customers recognize that there is a problem and are looking for solutions. The speaker advises starting content marketing at this level, as it targets customers who are actively seeking solutions and are more likely to convert. This concept is exemplified in the video through the creation of content that addresses how to organize sales leads and close more deals.

💡Product Aware

Product aware is another level of awareness where customers are aware of a specific product but may not know all its features or benefits. The speaker suggests creating 'versus' content, such as 'bump versus Salesforce', to educate customers about the product and its advantages. This strategy is crucial for differentiating the product and influencing purchasing decisions.

💡Most Aware

Most aware is the highest level of customer awareness, where individuals are experts in the field or are deeply familiar with the product category. The speaker mentions that targeting this group is more about building partnerships with industry insiders rather than direct sales, as they can influence a large number of potential customers. This concept is relevant in the context of leveraging influence and partnerships for marketing.

💡MicroCom Remote

MicroCom Remote is an event mentioned by the speaker, focused on early-stage marketing strategies. It serves as an example of how the speaker engages with the community and provides additional resources for bootstrap founders. The event is used to illustrate the broader ecosystem of marketing and learning opportunities available to entrepreneurs.

💡SaaS Playbook

The SaaS Playbook is a book by the speaker that outlines various marketing strategies for SaaS businesses. The speaker refers to this book to emphasize that content marketing is just one of many strategies that can be employed to drive growth. This reference provides context for the broader marketing landscape and the speaker's expertise.

Highlights

The speaker discusses the challenges of content marketing in acquiring new customers, especially with low annual contract values.

Content marketing was initially used as a strategy to drive traffic to the website without a clear strategy.

The speaker introduces a smart content marketing strategy based on the five levels of awareness outlined in Eugene Schwarz's book, 'Breakthrough Advertising'.

The five levels of awareness are: being unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware, and most aware.

The content strategy involves overlaying content ideas with these five levels of awareness and focusing on the right level in the funnel.

The speaker shares a personal anecdote from a Tiny Seed Gathering event where founders discussed marketing strategies.

An example is given for a new CRM called 'bump', detailing the kind of content that might be created at each of the five awareness levels.

At the 'unaware' level, content should target broad keywords like 'how to get more business'.

In the 'problem aware' stage, content should address how to organize sales leads and close more deals.

For the 'solution aware' level, content might include lists of top CRMs or comparisons of different CRM systems.

At the 'product aware' level, content should focus on what makes the product unique, such as 'bump versus HubSpot'.

The speaker suggests starting content marketing with 'solution aware' and 'product aware' levels to target those already looking for a solution.

Content marketing is recommended for those who already have some brand recognition and are looking to educate potential customers.

The speaker advises against focusing on the 'most aware' level initially, as these are usually industry insiders.

For early-stage founders, content marketing should be approached with the understanding that it takes time to see results.

The speaker recommends that founders without their first 10 customers focus on outbound marketing rather than content marketing.

Content marketing is described as one of the five major marketing channels in the speaker's book, 'The SAS Playbook'.

The speaker promotes an upcoming event, Microcom Remote, focused on early-stage marketing strategies.

Transcripts

I wasted thousands of dollars and

countless hours developing content for

my last startup I was looking for

lowcost methods of acquiring new

customers especially because our annual

contract value was pretty low in the

early days and so content marketing was

a way of driving eyeballs to the website

problem was I was spraying and praying I

was looking at any topic dealing with

email marketing cuz we were an email

service provider and I had no real

strategy in today's video I'm going to

tell you about one of the smartest

marketing strategies I know and it's the

key to un locking your success with

content marketing and if you stick

around till the end I'm going to tell

you which Founders shouldn't worry about

content marketing at all after finally

figuring my way out with drip and having

a lot of success in exiting that

business I developed an actual content

strategy at a Tiny Seed Gathering so

tiny seed is the accelerator that I run

for SAS bootstrappers and we were doing

a kickoff event and some of our Founders

were sitting around a table one of them

asked how do I Kickstart My marketing

efforts people thought content marketing

was great for him so the ideas started

flowing but towards the end he had made

a bunch of notes taken them all down he

was kind of shaking his head and he said

all this sounds great but where do I

start so I sat down and on Hotel

stationary I still have the piece of

paper I broke down all the different

content ideas and I bucketed them into

the five levels of awareness that Eugene

Schwarz lays out in his book

breakthrough advertising we're going to

dive into the levels as we get into the

video but briefly the five levels are

being unaware problem aware solution

aware product aware and most aware and

so the key to this content strategy that

I laid out is overlaying your content

ideas with these five levels of

awareness and then choosing the right

level or levels in the funnel to focus

on and other people have talked about

this over the years I know some folks

over at powered by search for example

have talked about levels of awareness

with content marketing it's not a Brand

New Concept but to take it and apply it

to practical content ideas in an example

I think could be really helpful so all

this Theory obviously can be a bit

abstract so let's just take an example

you're in the early days of developing a

Content strategy for your new CRM called

bump let's run through the kind of

content you might create at each of the

five levels so we'll start with least

aware and move to most aware so at

unaware which is level one people are

kind of oblivious that they have a

problem at all so you're going to be

targeting super broad General keywords

you might create articles like how to

how to get more business

entrepreneurship here's how to be a

better salesperson or do better sales

demos at the next level of awareness

being problem aware folks are thinking

wow I have a lot of leads and I'm having

a tough time organizing all of them so

you might create pieces of content

around how to organize your sales leads

how to close more deals by staying

organized how to use software to help

you close leads five tips to closing

more sales deals one of those tips is to

use your software bump right any of

these you can imagine someone coming to

your website to find out how to close

more deals or be more organized and that

could lead them to sign up for a CRM the

next level is solution aware and so

solution aware content is for people who

know that there is software out there

that could solve their problem so you

might create content around what are the

top five crms what are the cheapest 10

CRM systems what's the best CRM for XYZ

industry you would of course include

bump as one of the items in these lists

or mention it at the top or the bottom

and get email optins and there another

angle here too there's also alternative

to types of Articles where you state how

bump is an alternative to different crms

but I'll explain those in a minute now

at the next level of awareness these

folks are product aware people know your

product bump exists but they don't know

everything about it so this is where you

can do versus content right you can say

bump versus HubSpot create an article or

a piece around that bump versus

close.com bump versus Salesforce a lot

of people create versus articles you

really only want to create them when

once people are searching for your

product name because without that

they're not going to find these pieces I

guess the other time you could do it you

put it in the footer is when people find

out about bump and they do genuinely

want to know the differences between

your product and Salesforce or hub spot

or close but in that case it is less

about content marketing per se and it's

more about educating your prospects

another ankle you can take is if people

are not searching for bump your product

name you create alternative to articles

so this is where you say alternative to

HubSpot alternative to closeth

alternatives to Salesforce and you're

trying to essentially piggyback on their

brand equity and people searching for

alternatives to those products and you

can go even one level deeper which is

like product detail content right so

integrating bump with twilio or with

zappier building your lead list with

bump like what if you're so popular and

you have an actual brand at this point

you can try to rank for people who are

trying to accomplish a task with your

specific software and finally in the

most aware level this is mostly people

who are experts in the space so this

might be someone who is a CRM consultant

and they know everything about all of

the crms in the space or perhaps it's

the founder or an employee of one of the

crms in the market so realistically if

you're going to Market to this segment

often times you're looking to get

agencies or Consultants to become

partners with you because if they're

going to choose between 5 10 15

different crms and they're going to

bring C customers then you can Market to

them as partners so now let's Circle

back to the Tiny Seed Founders question

from the beginning of this video where

do I begin at which level should you

start creating content if you are in

your early stage if you're an MVP if you

have 10 20 50 customers you need content

that will help you get conversions and

get you sales you want to create content

for people who are already searching for

a solution to their problem because

they're looking to buy soon and then you

want to show show why your solution is

the best fit for them so in this case I

would start with solution aware people

already know what they're looking for

and then as you get a bit of brand

recognition you can start with product

aware or you can do honestly the

alternative two pages pretty early so

really solution and product aware are

where I would start you're starting down

deep in the funnel because if you start

at the top of the funnel with unaware

people it might take them years to

convert or to ever need a CRM or they

may never need a CRM so while there

might be more traffic to those articles

they're worth much less to you and the

reason I wouldn't typically start by

focusing on those who are most aware is

those are usually industry insiders and

if you're trying to recruit Partners

fine but if you want to get the broader

community and get individual customers

most individual customers will not be

most aware until they've used your

product or used many products and tried

them out and so that that product aware

and that solution aware level is where I

think the sweet spot is for your first

pieces of content and keep in mind even

if you're not doing content marketing if

you're running ads if people are finding

you through Word of Mouth they are going

to wonder what's the difference between

bump and Salesforce they're going to ask

themselves that question and so Building

Product and solution aware content isn't

just marketing it's actually education

for people who are considering buying

your product in a minute I'm going to

tell you which Founders shouldn't worry

about creating content at all before I

do that I want to let you know about

microcom remote it's focused on early

stage marketing November 1st and 2nd of

201 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 2: p.m.

Eastern talks include the bootstrap

startup marketing checklist hiring a

copywriter and how to hire one that

doesn't suck building sustainable

customer acquisition funnels SAS email

marketing plus founder by founder

sessions where you get to meet other

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microcom remote.com it's very

inexpensive I highly encourage you if

you've never attended one of our remote

events you should check it out all right

so which Founders shouldn't worry about

creating content at this point or diving

into content marketing if you don't have

your first 10 customers yet I think that

content can be a distraction right now

you're trying to scratch and Claw and do

whatever it takes with outbound

marketing you want things that go

quickly right so you want to do cold

Outreach you're going to be in the

forums you're going to be talking to

folks content takes a long time and

while I wouldn't say it's a terrible

idea to do in the early days realize

that every hour spent creating content

is going to pay off in five 6 8 months

and when you're trying to get your first

10 customers and prove that you've built

something people want and are willing to

pay for often times you want something

that's going to work in the next few

weeks content marketing is just one of

the big five marketing channels that I

lay out in my book The SAS Playbook but

there are obviously other ways to get

your product in front of more people and

if you want to add an additional

approach to your marketing tool belt

you'll want to watch this next video for

seven more SAS marketing strategies that

your competitors might be using to beat

you