How to Structure The Best B2B SaaS Marketing Team for Startups and Scale-ups
- Laura Beaulieu
- Dec 7, 2023
- 13 min read
Updated: Jan 2, 2024
Discover the essential steps to building a high-performing B2B SaaS marketing team for startups and scale-ups. I'll cover what's stage-appropriate, ideal team structure, and key roles to accelerate growth.
Here's what I'll cover:
What are "T" Shaped Marketers, and How Can You Find Them?
How to Structure The Best B2B SaaS Marketing Team for Startups and Scale-ups
Starting and scaling a B2B SaaS business requires a top-notch marketing team that can drive growth and keep pace with rapidly evolving trends. In this article, we'll dive into the key elements of building the best B2B SaaS marketing team, from identifying the ideal team structure to measuring and optimizing performance for long-term success. So, let's get started!
Creating a Team that is Stage Appropriate
When it comes to creating the structure for the marketing team for startups and scale-ups, getting it right is crucial. The ideal team structure will vary depending on the specific needs and goals of your business, but there are some key roles that are essential for success.
The size of your team will depend on the stage of the company. At an early stage startup - pre-seed or seed, it's not unusual to have a solo marketer and a team of one. As your company grows and builds revenue or raises a Series A, you will build out your team.
It's important to be stage appropriate. What that means, is that the size and background of your team (and cost of headcount, martech stack, and program spend) are appropriate in relation to the revenue and lifecycle stage of the company.
If you overload spend on marketing and sales before your revenue can support it, you'll burn your runway too fast. If you hire a seasoned executive used to spending $10M on a marketing budget and ask them to become a solo marketer on a scrappy budget - be wary. Those are VERY different skill sets.
If you're expecting an individual contributor (IC) to lead the growth and strategy of your marketing team, be careful. They may not have the leadership or managerial experience to build and lead a successful team, and may not want to. Leading a team is very different from being an IC. You may be better off with a player-coach type of role.
Both will be successful in the right situations. The key is finding the right person to lead your team to the next level of growth.
Let's talk budget. What's appropriate? Depends!
Determining an appropriate marketing budget for a startup depends on various factors, including the startup's stage, industry, business goals, revenue, and overall financial situation. Here are some general guidelines:
Percentage of Revenue: A common approach is to allocate a percentage of your revenue to marketing. For startups, especially those in growth mode, this can range from 12% to 20% of your gross revenue. However, this percentage can be higher for companies aggressively seeking market share in competitive industries.
Goal-Oriented Budgeting: Align your budget with specific marketing goals. For instance, if your primary goal is brand awareness in a crowded market, you might allocate more funds to marketing than if you're in a niche market with less competition.
Lean Startup Approach: If you're in the early stages with limited funds, your budget might be minimal, focusing on low-cost, high-impact strategies like social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing.
How to Figure Out what Stage Your Company is in
Determining the stage of your company, especially in the context of fundraising and growth, involves assessing several key factors. Here's a general guideline to help you identify whether your company is at the pre-seed, seed, Series A, or another stage of raising capital:
Pre-Seed Stage:
Your Focus: Validating your idea, conducting market research, and building a prototype or MVP (Minimum Viable Product). You're most focused on getting those first critical customers and iterating around their user experience.
Marketing Team: Likely the CEO or a marketing specialist. The goal here is to spend as little as possible to get the jobs done.
Funding Sources: Often self-funded, or through friends, family, and possibly angel investors.
Financial Indicators: Little to no revenue; funding is typically under $1 million.
Seed Stage:
Focus: Refining the product or service, initial market entry, building a user base, and starting to generate revenue. Your focus is testing your messaging and making sure it resonates to build out the client base.
Marketing Team: Starting to build out a small team. A Director level role and a marketing specialist to start building a marketing program for one or two channels (like events and social media).
Funding Sources: Angel investors, early-stage venture capitalists, and incubators.
Financial Indicators: Some revenue, but not yet profitable; funding ranges from $1 million to $3 million, though this can vary.
Series A:
Focus: Scaling the business, expanding the market reach, enhancing the product/service, and building a more robust team.
Marketing Team: Continuing to build out the team. Here's where it makes sense to hire a VP Marketing or a fractional CMO that specializes in startups to guide you. They will dig into your data, analytics, customer base, historical info and come up with a plan to start to scale your business. They will also advise you on which marketing hires make the most sense next, and what their goals should be.
Funding Sources: Venture capital firms, sometimes with participation from earlier investors.
Financial Indicators: Demonstrable revenue growth and a clear path to profitability; funding is typically between $5 million and $15 million.
Raising Capital (Beyond Series A):
Series B and Beyond: Focus on scaling, market leadership, and possibly international expansion. Companies at this stage have a solid customer base, consistent revenue streams, and are often working towards profitability or are already profitable.
Marketing Team: By now you have a VP Marketing or a CMO and a team of 3+ marketers. You can start to hire specialized marketers who are experts in their area (SEO, paid search, growth, community, etc) to expand the marketing strategy and dominating your channels. You've already tested your message and know what works. The focus is on scaling, acquisition, retention and expansion.
Funding Sources: Larger venture capital firms, private equity, and sometimes public markets (in later stages).
Financial Indicators: Substantial revenue figures, and the funding amount can range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Additional Considerations:
Market Traction: User growth, customer acquisition costs, lifetime value of customers, and other metrics are crucial.
Product Development: The maturity of your product or service is a significant indicator.
Team and Infrastructure: The size and capability of your team, as well as your operational infrastructure, can indicate your company's stage.
Important to note: these stages are not strictly defined by specific criteria and can vary based on the industry, market conditions, and individual business models. It's also common for startups to not follow a linear progression through these stages.
Identifying the Ideal Team Structure
First and foremost, you'll need a savvy marketing leader who can set the strategic direction and drive the team towards achieving its goals. This person should have a deep understanding of the B2B SaaS landscape and be able to navigate the complexities of marketing in a highly competitive market.
The marketing leader will be responsible for overseeing the entire marketing operation and ensuring that all efforts align with the overall business objectives. They will work closely with the executive team to develop and implement marketing strategies that drive brand awareness, growth, generate leads, drive retention and expansion.
Alongside the marketing leader, you'll also need dedicated specialists in areas such as content marketing, demand generation, social media, and analytics. These specialists will bring the necessary expertise to execute your marketing strategies effectively.
Remember, depending on your stage you don't necessarily need ALL these roles. In a pre-seed or seed stage, this may be one person who's a Swiss army knife. A generalist that can roll up their sleeves.
In a Series A or B you will start to build out these functions starting with your core team and filling in the blanks with blended roles. Or you may have a part time contractors to plug the gaps.
Let's dive into some core marketing roles:
The content marketing specialist will be responsible for creating and managing the production of high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. They will develop a content strategy that aligns with your brand and helps drive engagement and conversions.
You'll need to narrow down the type of content you want to build for your ICP (ideal customer persona) depending on where they spend most of their time.
Planning & hosting engaging webinars and interviews
Repurposing content for different channels (LinkedIn, Youtube, TikTok). Note - generally the person who does the editing will not be the person on-camera as they require very different skill sets, but you can outsource the editing piece.
Case studies, blog posts, and thought leadership content
Ebooks that highlight industry trends and how your brand fits in
Owning the content calendar
The growth or demand generation specialist will focus on generating leads and driving customer acquisition. They will develop and execute campaigns that attract and engage potential customers, using a mix of inbound and outbound marketing tactics. This role won't be able to handle ALL of these tactics simultaneously, but this is a sampling of what they could tackle.
ABM (account based marketing)
Outbound email
Paid campaigns (LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube)
Partnerships with industry newsletters
SEO can fall into this category but most likely will be outsourced to an agency
CRO (Conversion rate optimization) and A/B testing
The product marketing specialist focuses on crafting and executing strategies to showcase a product's value to business clients. They're experts on your product and the problems that it solves. They analyze market trends, develop targeted messaging, and collaborate with sales teams to align product positioning with customer needs, driving product success in the business market.
Tight relationships with both Sales and Customer Success
They are the customer expert and help shape your messaging
The social media specialist will be responsible for managing and growing your brand's presence on social media platforms. They will create and curate content, engage with followers, and monitor social media trends to ensure your brand stays relevant and connected with your audience.
Can be the same person as content marketing specialist, depending on how big your channels are.
In addition to these core roles, you may also consider adding other specialists based on your specific needs. This could include roles such as community manager, SEO specialist, email marketing specialist, or event marketing specialist. Often you can outsource graphic design and specialities like CRM, automations, or tech stack configurations.
By assembling a team with the right mix of skills and expertise, you can ensure that your B2B SaaS marketing efforts are strategic, targeted, and effective. Each member of the team will bring their unique perspective and contribute to the overall success of your marketing initiatives.
What are "T" shaped Marketers, and how can you find them?
T-shaped marketers are ideal for startups and scale-ups because they can bring the most value to a lean marketing team. A T-shaped marketer is someone with deep expertise in one area - think Demand Gen, who also has some periphery experience in another marketing function like SEO or Content.
T-shaped marketers" are professionals with a unique blend of expertise. They possess deep knowledge in one specific area (the vertical line of the 'T'), such as SEO or social media marketing, and also have a broad understanding of a wide range of marketing skills (the horizontal line of the 'T'). This makes them incredibly versatile and valuable in a dynamic marketing landscape.
When hiring a T-shaped marketer, look for someone who not only excels in a particular marketing discipline but also shows a broad understanding of various marketing strategies and tools. Their depth of knowledge in one area allows them to specialize and innovate, while their broad skills ensure they can collaborate effectively across different domains. This combination is key for agile marketing teams that need to adapt quickly to changing trends and technologies.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
Once you have identified the ideal team structure, the next step is to define the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Clearly outlining each person's responsibilities will ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
For example, the content marketing specialist will be responsible for developing and executing a content marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience. They will create engaging blog posts, whitepapers, and case studies that showcase your expertise and provide value to your prospects.
In addition to creating content, the content marketing specialist will also be responsible for conducting thorough market research to identify the latest trends and topics that will capture the attention of your target audience.
By staying up-to-date with industry news and monitoring competitor strategies, they will be able to create content that sets your brand apart and positions you as a thought leader in your industry.
The growth or demand generation specialist, on the other hand, will focus on driving leads and generating revenue for your business. They will develop and implement lead generation campaigns across various channels, such as email marketing, account based marketing, search engine marketing, and social media advertising.
In order to effectively drive leads, the demand generation specialist will need to have a deep understanding of your target audience and their pain points. By conducting thorough market research and analyzing customer data, they will be able to create highly targeted campaigns that resonate with your ideal customers.
They will be responsible for optimizing conversion rates and continuously monitoring and analyzing campaign performance to make data-driven decisions for maximum ROI.
The demand generation specialist will collaborate closely with the sales team to ensure a smooth handoff of leads. By aligning their efforts with the sales team's goals and objectives, they will be able to create a seamless customer journey from lead generation to conversion.
Overall, defining roles and responsibilities within your team is crucial for ensuring clarity and accountability. By clearly outlining each team member's responsibilities and expectations, you can foster a collaborative and efficient work environment where everyone is empowered to contribute their unique skills and expertise towards achieving common goals.
Leveraging Technology to Maximize Efficiency
In today's digital age, technology plays a crucial role in maximizing the efficiency of your marketing team. By leveraging the right tools and platforms, you can automate repetitive tasks, streamline processes, and gain valuable insights into your marketing efforts.
For instance, using a marketing automation platform can help you automate email campaigns, track customer interactions, and nurture leads through the sales funnel. This automation allows your team to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as developing personalized content and building relationships with key stakeholders.
Don't hesitate to hire a specialist to get your automations and CRM straightened out early on! This can avoid a lot of pain later on when your strategies become more complex.
One use case would be to have your team design all of the stages and the messaging, and then have a CRM or Automation specialist set up all of the triggers and make sure it's firing correctly.
Technology can also enhance collaboration within your marketing team. With the rise of cloud-based project management tools, team members can easily access and update project files in real-time, regardless of their physical location. This eliminates the need for time-consuming email exchanges and ensures that everyone is on the same page.
A few good project management tools include Asana, Notion, Monday.com, ClickUp, and AirTable in addition to Slack.
Your marketing technology stack can provide valuable data and analytics that can inform your marketing strategies. By utilizing tools like Google Analytics and your CRM, you can track website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. This data can help you identify trends, optimize your marketing campaigns, and make data-driven decisions to drive business growth. Additionally, search engine optimization (SEO) techniques can help your website rank higher in search engine results, increasing its visibility and attracting more organic traffic.
Technology can empower your marketing team to create visually appealing and interactive content. With graphic design software and video editing tools, you can produce eye-catching visuals and videos that capture the attention of your audience.
There are great AI tools out there to generate high quality image to assist in storytelling - playground.ai, midjourney, and chatGPT4
CapCut can create and edit engaging videos for free. This multimedia content can enhance your brand storytelling and create memorable experiences for your customers.
Lastly, technology can facilitate customer relationship management (CRM) by providing a centralized database for storing and managing customer information. CRM platforms allow you to track customer interactions, monitor their preferences, and personalize your marketing communications. This level of personalization can strengthen customer loyalty and drive repeat business. HubSpot is great for startups and Salesforce tends to work better for higher ACVs (average customer values).
Building an Agile and Adaptive Team
In the fast-paced world of B2B SaaS marketing, agility and adaptability are essential qualities for success. Your "T shaped" team should be able to quickly respond to market changes, experiment with new strategies, and adapt their approach based on data and feedback. Creating a culture of test-and-learn is important.
Encourage a culture of experimentation and learning within your team. Provide them with the freedom to test new marketing channels, creative messaging, and innovative tactics. Be open to trying new approaches, even if they may not always result in immediate success. Learn from failures and iterate on your strategies to continually improve.
Establishing an Effective B2B SaaS Marketing Plan
An effective B2B SaaS marketing plan is the foundation of a successful team. It outlines your goals, target audience, messaging, and the strategies you will implement to achieve your objectives. It needs to tie into your AFP (annual financial plan) and you need to get buy-in from the CEO and CFO (or CRO if you report to a Chief Revenue Officer).
A good plan should have its core pillars, and room to evolve as the year goes on and the data unveils places for improvement, or places to double down on your successes.
Start by conducting thorough market research to understand your target audience's pain points, needs, and preferences. This will enable you to tailor your messaging and develop marketing campaigns that resonate with your prospects. Set clear, measurable goals and create a timeline for executing your marketing initiatives.
Remember, your marketing plan should be dynamic and flexible. Regularly review and refine your strategies based on performance data and market trends.
Crafting Compelling Content That Resonates with Buyers
In the world of B2B SaaS marketing, content is king. Your content should be informative, engaging, and valuable to your target audience. It should provide solutions to their pain points and position your business as a trusted advisor.
Develop a content strategy that aligns with your marketing goals and target audience's preferences. Create a mix of blog posts, ebooks, videos, and webinars that educate, inspire, and entertain your audience. Leverage data and analytics to understand which types of content resonate the most with your buyers and optimize your content strategy accordingly.
Strategizing for Account-Based Marketing
Account-based marketing (ABM) is a highly targeted approach that focuses on engaging key accounts and building personalized relationships with decision-makers. It involves tailoring your marketing efforts to specific companies or industry segments, rather than casting a wide net.
To succeed with ABM, your team needs to collaborate closely with sales and customer success teams to identify target accounts and develop personalized marketing campaigns. Leverage data and insights to create personalized messaging and content that speaks directly to the needs and pain points of your target accounts. Monitor and measure the effectiveness of your ABM efforts to continuously refine your approach.
Measuring and Optimizing Performance for Long-Term Success
Measuring and optimizing performance is crucial for long-term success. By analyzing data and metrics, you can identify what's working, what's not, and make data-driven decisions to improve your marketing strategies.
Set up robust tracking and analytics systems to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs). These may include metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, lead-to-customer ratio, and customer lifetime value. Regularly review and analyze this data to gain insights into your marketing effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Use A/B testing to experiment with different variations of your campaigns and determine which elements drive the best results. Continuously iterate and optimize your marketing strategies based on the insights you gain from data analysis.
Building the best B2B SaaS marketing team is an ongoing process. It requires a combination of the right people, well-defined roles, adaptable strategies, and a data-driven approach. By investing in your marketing team and continuously optimizing your strategies, you'll be well-positioned to drive growth and success in the competitive world of B2B SaaS.
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