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Before taking an in depth look at b2b SaaS branding, consider this question: without consulting any documents, website pages, or a coworker sitting across from you, do you know what your company’s values are? If the idea of “company values” feels like an after thought to you, odds are your brand message isn’t too meaningful either. Without values, your SaaS brand will struggle to find a memorable identity and become an empty shell of unused potential.
Here are some tips you can look for to determine whether or not your b2b SaaS brand is properly communicating your company values.
Your company values need to communicate to your audience
The SaaS industry is already overloaded with thousands of companies all competing for similar audiences. As a result, it’s easy to become lost in all the competitor commotion. To stand out, you’ll need to start looking at your company and brand from a different perspective—through the eyes of your audience. While it’s important to have values that your company can call its own—such as a dedication to creativity or a “can-do-attitude”—your values should also relate to your target audience.
These are just a couple of examples of how you can craft your SaaS company’s values around your customers:
- Speak directly to their pain points. If you’re aware that someone you know is struggling with a problem, you help them; it’s a natural human instinct. Likewise, your SaaS company may have a value that relates to strong communication and conversational language—to never disregard a concern from a client or customer.
- Share your brand as if it were an ongoing partnership. Your software is a solution and a service. A solution can sometimes be temporary, but the service you provide can, and should be, continuous. Continue to delight customers and strive to make customer service a core value for your SaaS brand.
Your SaaS brand’s personality is reflected in your company values
Your brand’s personality shines through the tone, behavior, and message that your company shares with its audience. These can say a lot about the type of brand your company will be in the eyes of your target audience. For example, a SaaS company that strives for thought leadership in their industry may share informative content or articles that inspire their audience. Other companies may follow a different value and focus heavily on customer support, in which case they might adopt a more helpful, conversational tone.
At the end of the day, what do you want your SaaS brand to be known for?
A key takeaway for your company to consider is what your audience will ultimately know your brand for. In other words, what is the strongest asset that your SaaS company can bring to the table with its brand? Having a bunch of solutions doesn’t mean your SaaS brand can solve any problem.
That’s not to say that a brand can’t specialize in several areas at once (just look at Google!); but for the sake of approaching your brand’s messaging and relating to your company values, it’s better to focus on your strongest solution first.
Think of it like ordering salmon at a diner; just because a diner is serving salmon, that doesn’t mean it’ll be worth eating. Your SaaS brand doesn't have to be a "Jack of all trades." Try to determine what the ultimate solution will be that will attract the most attention and provide the strongest overall service to your audience. What service can you provide that no other competitor can match in terms of quality, value, and emotional resonance toward your audience?
SaaS brands that follow meaningful, inspiring company values are able to stand out more in a wave of endless competition. If you're looking for more insights and strategies about brand development for your SaaS brand, contact thinkdm2 today! We’re a digital marketing and branding agency in New Jersey that specializes in working with b2b businesses in the SaaS industry. You can also download our Branding 101 eBook below, to assess the strength of your brand.
