Scaling a B2B SaaS company requires a strategic, data-driven approach to marketing. And choosing the right agency can make the difference between meeting your growth goals or falling short.
We’ve built this guide to walk you through the key factors to consider when choosing your B2B SaaS marketing agency, so you can confidently select the right partner and achieve your growth objectives.
Every startup goes through different growth stages, and each stage requires a different marketing approach. Whether you're focused on gaining traction, optimizing customer acquisition, or scaling revenue, your marketing strategy needs to align with these goals.
If you’re an early-stage startup, you’re likely focused on finding product-market fit and driving early customer adoption. In this stage, you need an agency that excels in demand generation and has the experience to rapidly test different channels to find what works best. You probably need an agency like Kalungi.
Kalungi is the only B2B SaaS marketing agency focused on venture-backed B2B SaaS companies under $50M ARR. We combine a proven go-to-market playbook (T2D3) with a full-service digital marketing team to design strategies and build complete marketing engines for early-stage software companies. Interested in knowing how we can kickstart your growth? Book a consultation here.
If you're a scaling startup, you’ve probably already achieved product-market fit and are focused on aggressive growth. You will need an agency that specializes in scaling demand generation, optimizing marketing funnels, and improving conversion rates. Here, the ability to scale efficiently while maintaining low CAC is critical.
Make sure the agency you choose understands where you are in your journey and can tailor its strategies to support each growth phase.
Scaling effectively most of the time requires outsourcing certain functions. Here are the clear signs that your startup is ready to bring in a specialized marketing agency:
If several of these signs resonate with you, it’s time to consider outsourcing your marketing.
As a founder or C-level executive, your focus should be on scaling the business, not micromanaging marketing efforts. Outsourcing your marketing allows you to focus on high-level strategy while experts handle the execution.
Outsourced B2B SaaS marketing agencies can be a game-changer for SaaS companies. They can provide a combination of expertise, scalability, and cost efficiency.
Partnering with the right agency allows you to cover all your marketing needs without the overhead of a full-time team. For early-stage startups, this is especially important—you don’t need to commit to a complete internal marketing team when you can access specialized, on-demand expertise from an agency.
With the complexities of B2B SaaS marketing, industry-specific experience is crucial. Your marketing partner should have a deep understanding of SaaS challenges, from long sales cycles to customer retention. A good agency brings this expertise to the table, helping you craft strategies that drive efficient growth.
Furthermore, outsourced marketing agencies deliver speed—by bypassing the lengthy process of hiring and onboarding, you can get started immediately with the right-sized team, scaling up or down based on your growth needs.
Flexibility is another key benefit. As your business scales, your marketing needs will change. An outsourced agency provides the flexibility to adjust the level of support you need, ensuring you’re not overpaying for services you don’t use.
And finally, by outsourcing, your internal team can stay focused on core business operations. This will allow your marketing execution to happen seamlessly in the background!
Before selecting an outsourced marketing agency, you need to align your internal resources and objectives.
First, set a realistic marketing budget that reflects both your immediate needs and long-term growth ambitions.
Consider dividing this budget into foundational one-time expenses—like building a website—and continuous expenses, such as monthly agency retainers or team salaries. Having clarity on your budget helps in narrowing down agency options and ensuring that you’re investing in the right areas for growth.
Next, clearly define your marketing objectives using the SMART framework.
Establishing Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals (“SMART” goals) will guide both your internal team and the agency toward focused execution. Whether you’re looking to improve lead generation, reduce customer acquisition costs, or increase lifetime value, clear objectives ensure that you and your agency are aligned from day one.
It’s also important to review your current marketing efforts.
Conduct an internal audit of strategies such as lead generation, email workflows, and your buyer’s journey. This will help you identify gaps where an agency can provide immediate value. By analyzing your channel performance and customer touchpoints, you can fine-tune your strategy and redirect resources to where they’ll have the greatest impact.
When selecting an agency, it’s critical to ensure they bring not only technical expertise but also strategic value. Here’s what to prioritize:
Look for agencies that specialize in SaaS. Ensure the agency has experience in SaaS-specific marketing tactics, including inbound marketing, product-led growth (PLG), and customer retention strategies. Ask about their understanding of SaaS funnels and how they tackle churn reduction and ARR growth.
Look for measurable results. Look for agencies that have successfully scaled SaaS companies in the past. Ask for case studies where the agency has successfully scaled SaaS businesses, increased MRR, or reduced CAC. Don’t just look at logos—demand to see numbers and specific outcomes.
Your agency should act as a strategic partner, offering insights on how to optimize your go-to-market strategy, improve conversion rates, and drive revenue. Avoid agencies that are solely focused on execution without the strategic vision to guide your growth.
Your time is best spent on strategy, not tactics. Choose a partner that brings high-level thinking to the table, not just campaign execution.
When evaluating agencies, focus on the factors that will have the most direct impact on your revenue growth and scalability:
Here’s a detailed evaluation framework:
Whether it’s Salesforce, HubSpot, or Pardot, the agency needs to have experience with your CRM, marketing automation, and analytics platforms. Ask them to demonstrate how they integrate with your existing tech stack to ensure seamless execution.
Content is the cornerstone of SaaS marketing. Evaluate their content strategy—are they capable of producing high-quality, SEO-driven content that drives organic growth? Check for thought leadership, whitepapers, blogs, and case studies they’ve created for similar companies.
As your startup grows, your marketing needs will evolve. Choose an agency with flexible pricing models and the ability to scale their services. Avoid agencies that lock you into rigid pricing structures that don’t allow for growth or adaptation.
Read about Kalungi’s pay per performance model here.
Some agencies focus on specific areas like SEO or PPC, while others provide full-service solutions. Depending on your needs, evaluate whether you need a specialist or a comprehensive team that can cover all aspects of marketing, from branding to lead generation.
Check for third-party validation. Read reviews, speak to past clients, and study their testimonials. This will give you a sense of their reputation and ability to deliver on promises.
Once you’ve shortlisted potential agencies, the next step is to clearly communicate your specific needs. This ensures the agency can tailor its proposal to fit your business goals.
After receiving proposals, scrutinize the contracts thoroughly.
Consider opting for a short-term agreement to evaluate the agency's performance before committing to a long-term partnership. This trial period gives you the chance to assess their fit with your team and whether they can deliver on the agreed objectives.
Finally, after meeting with agency teams and reviewing proposals, it’s time to make your decision.
Trust your instincts and consider both the agency’s track record and whether you see yourself enjoying a productive working relationship with them. After all, this is a partnership, and you’ll be spending a significant amount of time collaborating with them on your marketing goals.
Once you’ve chosen your agency, building a productive partnership is key to achieving long-term success.
To start, it’s critical to set clear KPIs and expectations from the outset. Defining what success looks like—whether it’s reducing customer acquisition costs (CAC), increasing monthly recurring revenue (MRR), or improving lifetime value (LTV)—ensures both parties are aligned on the primary objectives.
Regular communication is equally important; scheduling weekly or bi-weekly check-ins allows you to review progress, address challenges, and stay aligned on the next steps.
While it's essential to remain involved at a strategic level, it’s just as important to give the agency room to execute. Micromanaging can hinder creativity and slow progress, so trust the experts to carry out the tactics while you focus on overall performance metrics.
Lastly, make sure you’re regularly reviewing performance data. This not only helps you track whether the agency is hitting the KPIs you’ve set but also allows for timely adjustments and optimizations as your strategy evolves.
As a founder, you know that short-term wins don’t equate to long-term growth. The right agency will help you build a scalable marketing engine, optimize customer acquisition costs, and maximize LTV over time.
One of the biggest mistakes you could make is choosing an agency based solely on price. While budget considerations are important, the cheapest option is rarely the best one. It’s critical to focus on the value and results the agency can deliver, rather than just the cost. Another common pitfall is expecting overnight success.
SaaS marketing, by nature, is a long-term investment, and agencies that promise quick wins often set unrealistic expectations. Be wary of any agency that guarantees immediate results, as sustainable growth takes time.
Additionally, failing to set clear goals can derail even the best of partnerships. Without well-defined KPIs, it’s easy for both parties to lose focus, which can lead to a lack of accountability and direction.
At Kalungi, we specialize in driving growth for B2B SaaS companies through a full-stack marketing team led by seasoned CMOs. Our proven T2D3 framework is designed to scale businesses at every stage.
Whether you need strategic planning, demand generation, SEO, or a fractional CMO, we have the experience and expertise to accelerate your growth.
Ready to take your SaaS company to the next level? Let’s talk about how Kalungi can help you build a scalable marketing engine tailored to your growth goals. Contact us today!
Vaughan endeavors to create intriguing and well-informed material. He is excited to make a positive impact with his work and to continually expand and make effective use of his skills in and knowledge about marketing.
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