Today's edition is a guest edit by Jamie R Cox. She's a person I met through the extremely great connector Lex Roman.
I asked her to write this because I thought: sometimes, it's pretty good to hear from someone who isn't only thinking about SaaS marketing and is actually an expert in something tangential.
Here's a little bio about Jamie. I recommend her newsletter:
Jamie R Cox is a brand strategist who works with B2B service providers to help them show up consistently and attract better-aligned (and well-paying) clients. Her newsletter, Brand Burnout highlights strategies to help you ditch hustle culture in favor of building a better-for-you brand and business.
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When Marc asked me to write a post for Positive Hüman, I thought, “What could SaaS folks learn from me—someone works almost exclusively with B2B service providers?” But then I realized—y’all have a lot in common.
You’re too stressed to be blessed, constantly chasing shiny objects, and trying to make big disruptions. And while you’re focused on the next big thing, you’ve likely overlooked smaller, more immediate ways to build brand visibility.
Gasp! “But, how can that be? I’ve looked under every rock!”
I get it. But we’re often too close to our own work to see what’s right in front of us. It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of bigger, better faster (let’s call it capitalism), but here are three simple ways to make your marketing work harder for you—no budget, approvals, or waiting required.
1. Show, Don’t Tell
We assume our customers “get it.” Spoiler alert: They don’t.
They’re busy (because you know, life) and they don’t have time to dig through jargon-packed lists of features. So instead of telling them what you do, show them how you make their lives easier. Paint a picture of their big transformation by showcasing the before and after of how your product improves their life.
Before: “Keeping track of tasks is chaos.” → After: “Your team always knows what’s next.”
Before: “Loud offices kill your focus.” → After: “Silence at the press of a button.”
Before: “Which campaigns are actually working?” → After: “See what’s driving revenue in seconds.”
2. Stop Talking About Yourself
No on cares why you do what you do. Sorry, Simon!
They care about how what you do will improve what they do.
Instead of focusing on your theoretical why, shift the focus to your customer, letting them know you see them, hear them, and are here to help. Understand your customers beyond their job titles—taking into account the complexities of their lives—and show them how you solve their problems.
3. Enter Your Repugnant Era
Put it on my tombstone: You’re not for everyone!
It’s not enough to say who you serve. You’ve got to be clear about who you don’t serve, too. Some folks should take one look at your product and show themselves to the door
How do you repel the wrong people? By standing up for what you believe in and showing us what you stand against. Don’t be afraid to call out common advice or outdated systems that your product is fighting against. Start by highlighting the problem, then pitch your solution.
Not every marketing move has to be groundbreaking.
You don’t need to chase bigger, better, faster to build brand visibility. Sometimes, the biggest impact comes from the smallest shifts. So before you dive headfirst into another shiny new strategy (tempting, I know!) start with what’s in front of you. You might already have everything you need to create the visibility you’re searching for.
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