Navigating the Marketing Agency Landscape: How B2B SaaS Professionals Avoid the Snake Oil

The marketing agency landscape is rife with snake oil sales people looking to make a hollow buck and who don’t truly believe in their own service.

One of the most glaring issues we see in the B2B SaaS marketing agency sector is a distinct failure to invest in well…marketing.

It’s a growing issue that is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate. But if you can spot the red flags, you’ll be able to pick the right B2B SaaS marketing agency for you—with confidence.

We’re going to help you avoid the snake oil and walk the path to success right here in this guide.

Identifying the genuine agencies. Some insider advice.

To avoid slipping on the snake oil of empty promises, knowing which red flags to spot when investing in a marketing agency is a good place to start.

Avoid these B2B marketing agency red flags

Circling back to our original point, droves of B2B SaaS marketing agencies don’t invest ample time or budget in their own promotional efforts. This is a red flag (does the phrase, ‘practice what you preach’ spring to mind?).

When we ask marketing agency decision-makers about their ongoing promotional strategy, many of them are pretty blasé.

Here’s the scenario…

Question: “How much do you invest in your own marketing?”

Answer: “We don’t need to do our own marketing.”

Translation: “We are not competitive and passionate about our craft.”

Here’s another common red flag that we see. One that suggests a certain level of misplaced complacency. Again, here’s the scenario…

Statement: “We have more demand than we can keep up with.”

Translation: “We have not invested into talent acquisition and don’t know how to match your needs to properly trained and vetted labor, powered by a methodology that earns consistent results.”

Last but not least, this red flag statement is something we come across frequently. If you hear this statement in any way, shape or form—think twice:

Statement: “Our priority is your marketing.”

Translation: “We treat the agency like an ATM and underinvest in research & development (R&D).  Oh, and you’re the guinea pig.”

The cold hard truth? This industry is full of fractional tourists who want to spend your budget, offering little return in the process. Beware.

What to look for in a solid B2B SaaS marketing agency

You know which red flags to avoid. Now we’re going to give you some advice on what to look for in a results-driven agency that has your back with this checklist.

• A proven track record in your niche or industry
• A team of proven industry specialists
• A selection of genuine case studies and success stories to showcase
• An ability to communicate clearly and collaboratively
• A clearcut passion and knowledge for modern marketing strategies
• A drive to develop a tailored B2B SaaS marketing strategy based on your needs and budget
• A strategy that includes matching the right KPIs to your campaigns to drive sustainable results

Read: 5 must-know marketing principles for SaaS brands who refuse to play small

The (vital) importance of self-investment

FYI: If an agency is not committed enough to get consistent results for themselves, they will lack the insight required to drive results for you.

To win on the B2B SaaS battlefield—and keep winning—self-investment is vital. Why? If you can’t keep your house in order as a marketing agency, how can you be trusted with a client’s precious brand and budget.

For more context, self-investment showcases that a B2B SaaS marketing agency can:

• Manage and optimize marketing budgets effectively
• Drive genuine growth and a consistent return on investment (ROI)
• Be trusted to deliver on their promise and put their values into practice
• Run a collaborative and cooperative team dedicated to lifelong learning and development
• Keep on top of the latest industry trends, updates, and tech innovations
• Be bothered to care about their brand, business, and craft
• Work with you to help you get the results you deserve

Directive spends $3m a year on R&D. Our tight-knit team of dedicated industry experts invest more budget than most of our clients into every ad unit, channel, and service we offer to them.

This level of enduring commitment, dedication, and self-investment means that we’re perfectly equipped to elevate our B2B SaaS clients to the next stage of their journey—earning consistent results with marketing methodologies that offer real personal value. We set the standard and practice what we preach.

Read: Our ever-expanding library of Directive Success Stories to see our people-first, results-driven marketing methodologies in action.

Establishing trust and credibility as a B2B SaaS leader

To work with the right B2B marketing agencies in a cohesive and collaborative way, you have to be confident in their ability to deliver the goods.

Explore the evidence

Before you commit to any B2B SaaS marketing agency and hand over your hard-earned budget, you should do your due diligence. Look at reviews, testimonials, case studies, and any other credible signs of social proof to ensure that your potential agency is not only trustworthy—but is a leader in their field.

Ask for an intro

By booking an intro call or meeting with a prospective marketing agency, you can explore their credentials and build initial trust by asking questions, requesting case studies or examples, and exploring potential strategies. Taking this step is important as you can ask the questions you need and get a feel for how your working relationship may work out in the long run.

Be transparent about your goals

When you’re looking to work with a B2B SaaS marketing agency, being 100% transparent about your specific goals and the budget you have is essential. Without knowing what you want from your agency, what you’re looking to achieve, and establishing quantifiable goals, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get the most from your relationship. Take the time to do the work here and you’ll reap the right rewards.

Avoid slipping in the snake oil: Final thoughts…

As a B2B SaaS leader, knowing which potential pitfalls to avoid will prove paramount to choosing a marketing agency that elevates your business in a way that aligns with your goals.

As a leader, you have to have a clear cut understanding on where you want to take your business  as well as you core target audience segments. You also have to take a proactive stance when it comes from working with your talent—internal and external alike.

Take the time to know what you want from your marketing collaboration. Work with trusted stakeholders to establish a sensible budget—then follow the advice outlined in this guide.

And we’ll say it again: If an agency is not committed enough to get results for themselves, they will not have the insight required to drive sustainable results for you.

These snake oil salespeople don’t have a methodology or opinion into what will get you from where your SaaS marketing is today to where you want to be.

If you need a fresh approach from your B2B SaaS marketing agency, book an intro call with us. We want to work with you, using our unique approach and expertise to get you the results you deserve.