With over 14,000 new AI startups in the past few years and nearly every software tool now adding “AI” to its messaging, how can your AI-powered SaaS product stand out? 

In Episode 84 of BSMS Marketing Snacks, host Brian Graf and special guest CMO Antoine Vial (fractional CMO for 20+ SaaS companies) explore why technical features alone aren’t enough to win customers during the AI gold rush. You need to craft messaging around the real outcomes and value you deliver. 

They use real examples (like how one startup niched down with “personalization at scale” for a specific audience before broadening out) to illustrate effective go-to-market tactics. You’ll hear about emerging trends: from new pricing models in an AI-first era to booming verticals like customer support, sales automation, analytics, cybersecurity, and more.

This episode covers:

• Differentiating in a Saturated AI Market: Why the explosion of AI startups makes clear positioning more important than ever, and how to avoid getting lost in a sea of “AI-powered” claims.
• Outcome-Focused Positioning: How to move beyond bragging about algorithms and instead highlight the concrete business outcomes and “jobs-to-be-done” your product delivers for customers.
• The Power of Niche & Early Adopters: A playbook for niching down – targeting a specific vertical or problem first – to gain traction and product-market fit (and how companies like Clay used this strategy to build momentum).
• Evolving Your Go-to-Market Strategy: Tips on identifying your ideal early adopters, refining your messaging for that subsegment, then expanding thoughtfully once you’ve established a foothold.
• Emerging Pricing Models for AI SaaS: An overview of pricing trends – from traditional subscriptions and tiered plans to usage-based “credit” models and value-based pricing – and how these choices support (or hinder) your positioning.
• Industry Trends & Examples: Insights into key AI-driven verticals (from AI voice agents in customer service to AI coding assistants) and what’s helping the winners in those niches break through the noise.
• Cutting Through Hype to Drive Adoption: Why simply having AI isn’t a strategy, and practical advice for founders on communicating your unique value so customers understand why your solution matters to them.

For B2B SaaS founders and marketing leaders driving companies above $2M ARR, this conversation is a masterclass in standing out and scaling up in the AI era. As your company grows, the stakes of positioning only get higher – especially when you’re competing in a hot space with well-funded entrants and legacy players all touting AI. 

Episode 84 arms you with expert perspectives on sharpening your value proposition and go-to-market focus. You can refine your messaging, target the right niche audiences, and align your pricing with value – all of which are crucial to accelerating growth beyond the $2M mark. 

Make sure your AI-powered product isn’t just another face in the crowd, but a clearly differentiated solution poised for long-term success.

B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks is one of the most respected voices in the SaaS industry. It is hosted by two leading marketing and revenue growth experts for software:

• Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 CMO Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
• Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi

B2B SaaS companies move through predictable stages of marketing focus, cost and size (as described in the popular T2D3 book). The best founders, CFOs and COOs in B2B SaaS rely on a balance of marketing leadership, strategy and execution to produce the customer and revenue growth they require. Staying flexible and nimble is a key marketing asset in a hard-charging B2B world.

Resources shared in this episode:

• BSMS 67 - The impact of AI on marketing
• Unlocking the power of AI: Transform your content creation process
• The State of B2B SaaS SEO in the Age of AI [2025]
• T2D3 CMO Masterclass
• Submit and vote on our podcast topics

ABOUT B2B SAAS MARKETING SNACKS
Since 2020, The B2B SaaS Marketing Snacks Podcast has offered software company founders, investors and leadership a fresh source of insights into building a complete and efficient engine for growth.

Meet our Marketing Snacks Podcast Hosts: 

• Stijn Hendrikse: Author of T2D3 Masterclass & Book, Founder of Kalungi
  As a serial entrepreneur and marketing leader, Stijn has contributed to the success of 20+ startups as a C-level executive, including Chief Revenue Officer of Acumatica, CEO of MightyCall, a SaaS contact center solution, and leading the initial global Go-to-Market for Atera, a B2B SaaS Unicorn. Before focusing on startups, Stijn led global SMB Marketing and B2B Product Marketing for Microsoft’s Office platform.

• Brian Graf: CEO of Kalungi
  As CEO of Kalungi, Brian provides high-level strategy, tactical execution, and business leadership expertise to drive long-term growth for B2B SaaS. Brian has successfully led clients in all aspects of marketing growth, from positioning and messaging to event support, product announcements, and channel-spend optimizations, generating qualified leads and brand awareness for clients while prioritizing ROI. Before Kalungi, Brian worked in television advertising, specializing in business intelligence and campaign optimization, and earned his MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business with a focus in finance and marketing.

Visit Kalungi.com to learn more about growing your B2B SaaS company.