SaaS Marketing Weekly

In this episode, Ryan breaks down one of the most powerful, yet underused, ad formats on LinkedIn right now: Thought Leader Ads. He explains what they are, why they’re performing better (and cheaper) than company ads, and how to use them to grow both your personal brand and your SaaS business. From storytelling and video strategy to targeting and budgeting, Ryan shares the exact framework he’s used to turn simple posts into direct revenue — including one ad that’s brought in multiple clients and measurable pipeline.

Takeaways:

• Thought Leader Ads are up to 80% cheaper than company ads — and far more engaging
• Best for top-of-funnel and brand-building — people buy from people, not companies
• Don’t abandon company ads — use both together for full-funnel performance
• High-performing ad formats: story-driven posts, short videos, memes, and educational carousels
• Include a soft call-to-action — subtle links work better than hard sells
• Ryan’s top-performing ad: “7 reasons RocketSaaS is better than hiring in-house” — directly led to new clients
• Build a content calendar: 80% educational, 20% promotional
• Pair with retargeting ads to nurture and convert engaged viewers
• Growing your personal brand is the best long-term ROI — for both founders and marketers

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this episode, Ryan gives a full debrief of SaaStock 2025 - what it was like, what he learned, and whether it was worth the trip for Rocket SaaS. Fresh back from Dublin with his team, he shares the highlights, the ROI, the best stands and talks, and tactical lessons for anyone thinking about exhibiting or attending SaaS events. From clever networking strategies to a genius after-party play, this episode is packed with takeaways for SaaS founders and marketers looking to make events a genuine growth channel.

Takeaways:

• SaaStock featured 100+ SaaS companies, live talks, and a smart new Meetup Room for pre-booked networking
• The pre-event matchmaking tool made lead generation easier and more structured than typical exhibitions
• Best networking actually happened at the after-parties — relaxed conversations led to stronger relationships
• A clever play by Optik AI: host your own unofficial after-party near the venue for guaranteed visibility
• Budgeted £7–8k for the trip (flights, hotels, food, and Guinness) — walked away with 27 leads and 6–8 hot prospects
• Two deals alone would cover the full cost thanks to RocketSaaS’s high-ticket pricing model
• Great stands included Optik AI, Human.Video, RealFlow, and Bookster
• Top tip: if you get a stand, bring at least two people — one to network, one to manage the booth
• Use incentives (like commission for your team) to drive active networking and lead collection
• Beyond ROI, events are amazing for culture-building and team bonding

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this controversial episode, Ryan and Jamie discuss the realities of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) for startups and small businesses. Jamie, with his experience at Cognizant, explains why traditional ABM methods may be out of reach for smaller teams with limited resources. Instead of trying to copy big enterprise ABM strategies, he argues for a simpler, more sustainable approach. They break down the challenges of ABM, the importance of focusing on scalable tactics, and how small businesses can still use account-based targeting without breaking the bank.

Takeaways:

• ABM isn’t always right for small businesses — it’s resource-intensive and often impractical
• If you’re a small team, don’t focus on pure ABM with one-to-one, one-to-few strategies
• Startups can use ABM Lite: a simpler version with fewer resources but the same targeted approach
• Focus on a larger account list to scale your efforts, not a handful of accounts
• Use intent data to build relevant workflows and trigger sales outreach
• Small businesses need to balance intent data with traditional marketing to avoid wasted effort
• Don’t rely on “random” ABM — focus on qualified intent signals to narrow down your target list
• ABM Lite helps you build sustainable pipelines without huge budgets or a dedicated marketing ops team

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this solo episode, Ryan shares one of Rocket SaaS’s most successful campaigns to date, which generated over £180,000 in pipeline. He breaks down exactly how the idea came about, how it was organised, what went right (and wrong), and how any B2B business can replicate the same formula.

Takeaways:

• The campaign cost under £1,000 and produced £180,000 in pipeline
• Promote across LinkedIn, email, and SDR outreach for maximum attendance
• Use a simple landing page to collect signups and qualify attendees

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In the final episode of this three-part mini-series on LinkedIn Ads, Ryan and Jamie cover everything you need to know about budgeting and optimizing your LinkedIn ad campaigns. They discuss how to structure your budget based on reach and frequency, how to avoid wasting spend on irrelevant audiences, and key metrics to monitor during the campaign. They also share actionable strategies for optimizing your ads and content as you go. Whether you’re just starting with LinkedIn ads or looking to improve your current performance, this episode has the insights you need.

Takeaways:

• Set your budget based on reach and frequency: Target at least 80% reach and 5-10 frequency for remarketing
• Don’t over-invest in cold audience ads: Focus more budget on retargeting ads to people already engaged
• Evaluate targeting effectiveness: Start with data-driven audience segmentation using CRM and opportunity data
• Maximize budget efficiency: Layer on intent data and external tools like Clay to improve targeting
• Key metrics to monitor: Reach, frequency, dwell time, engagement rate, and click-through rate for optimization
• Optimize based on ad performance: Review targeting, budget allocation, and offer to fine-tune campaigns
• Test and iterate: The first few weeks should focus on data collection before making any big changes
• Creative matters: Keep ad design clear and simple, especially for mobile views, and ensure your offer is compelling

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In part two of the LinkedIn Ads mini-series, Ryan and Jamie dive into how to get your ads in front of the right people. They cover how to use your CRM data to define your ICP, the limitations of LinkedIn’s native targeting filters, and how to supercharge campaigns with intent signals and third-party data tools like Clay, Apollo, and Crunchbase. They also break down how to structure retargeting audiences for maximum impact — including segmenting by pages visited and recency. If you’re wasting ad spend on the wrong audience, this episode shows you how to fix it.

Takeaways:

• Don’t decide targeting in a vacuum — use customer and opportunity data from your CRM
• Break down data by firmographics: industry, company size, department, region, job title
• LinkedIn’s filters are good, but not perfect — industries in particular can be messy
• Build account lists with tools like Clay, Apollo, or Cognism for greater accuracy
• Enrich lists with intent signals: funding rounds, hiring patterns, leadership changes, M&A
• Upload these lists into LinkedIn for laser-focused campaigns with tailored messaging
• Retargeting is essential — don’t rely only on cold ads
• Segment retargeting audiences by page visited (pricing/demo) and recency (14, 30, 90 days)
• LinkedIn Insight Tag lets you retarget all website traffic, not just LinkedIn clicks
• Retargeting makes smaller SaaS brands appear bigger, more credible, and front-of-mind

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In the first part of a three-part mini-series, Ryan is joined by Jamie Skeels, Head of Strategy at RocketSaaS, to break down the fundamentals of running successful LinkedIn ad campaigns for B2B SaaS. They cover why most companies fail with LinkedIn ads, how to approach top, middle, and bottom-of-funnel campaigns, and which ad formats deliver the best results. If you’ve ever struggled to get ROI from LinkedIn, this episode gives you a clear framework to start building campaigns that convert.

Takeaways:

• Most SaaS brands go straight for bottom-of-funnel demo ads — and it rarely works
• Top of funnel: focus on educational content that addresses customer problems
• The best content formats
• Best ad type at TOFU: single image ads (fast, low-friction, most consumed)
• Middle of funnel winning ads
• Effective MOFU ad formats
• Bottom of funnel to drive conversions

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this episode, Ryan is joined again by Jess Chilman, Head of Growth at Rocket SaaS, to share five high-impact ABM campaign tactics designed to help SaaS businesses move upmarket and close six-figure enterprise deals. From research outreach to direct mail, podcasts, events, and bespoke campaigns, they explain how to build relationships with C-suite decision makers, stand out from the noise, and create memorable touchpoints that convert. If you want to move beyond mid-market clients and start landing enterprise logos, this is the playbook.

Takeaways:

• Start with the BFG framework (Buyer, Firmographics, Geography) to build your high-intent account list
• Validate your TAM and use intent signals (funding, hiring, leadership changes) to refine your ICP list
• Campaign 1: Research outreach – co-create content with your ICP via surveys, interviews, or advisory boards
• Campaign 2: Podcast ABM – invite C-suite decision makers as guests to build relationships and authority
• Campaign 3: Events – run low-cost networking breakfasts or private dining sessions to connect face-to-face
• Campaign 4: Direct mail – send thoughtful, personalized packages (chocolates, handwritten notes, themed gifts) to create standout moments
• Campaign 5: Tailored ICP campaigns – design bespoke plays around your target’s pain points (e.g., mystery shopping, funding celebration gifts)
• Align marketing and sales so every touchpoint has tight follow-up
• These tactics work best together, creating multiple relationship-building touchpoints with decision makers

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this episode, Ryan is joined by Janelle Amos, founder of Elevate Growth, to dive deep into the most common growth challenges facing B2B SaaS businesses today. Janelle shares her proven framework for scaling SaaS marketing and reveals the power of focusing on the entire funnel — not just individual channels. From pipeline acceleration to optimising messaging and the importance of listening to customer feedback, this episode is packed with actionable insights for marketing teams and business owners aiming to hit their revenue targets faster.

Takeaways:

• Marketing efficiency is key: Over-analysing one channel without considering the bigger picture won’t drive growth
• Start by reverse-engineering your marketing goals and aligning them with revenue targets
• Build an evergreen closed-lost program to re-engage opportunities that slipped through the cracks
• Test and iterate your strategies — don’t just increase budget, improve efficiency first
• Messaging is often the biggest barrier — ensure your homepage clearly explains what you do and who it’s for
• SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) help scale predictable, repeatable processes
• The Elevate Growth Framework: A 7-step process to drive efficient, repeatable revenue with measurable results
• Reach out to Janelle via LinkedIn for more insights on the Elevate Growth Framework

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]

In this episode, Ryan dives into one of the most important levers for SaaS growth: your onboarding experience. Too many companies get plenty of free trial signups but fail to convert them into paying customers. Ryan explains what industry benchmarks look like, why onboarding often fails, and how to design an experience that drives users to activation. From signup flow and guided tours to gamification, personalisation, and email onboarding, this episode is packed with practical ways to increase your conversion rate and reduce churn.

Takeaways:

• Average free trial → paid conversion = 15–25%; below 15% means something is broken
• Define your activation milestone (e.g. Slack = 2,000 messages; Dropbox = 10 files saved) and build onboarding around it
• Keep signup flows short — name, email, password; use Single Sign-On to reduce friction
• Use guided tours, tooltips, and short videos to highlight only key actions (not every feature)
• Personalise onboarding for different roles or use cases
• Add quick wins & gamification (progress bars, rewards, incentives) to keep users engaged
• Provide educational resources, but make them optional and easy to find
• Add a human touch — personal messages or LinkedIn DMs can increase upgrades
• Use email onboarding flows (5–8 emails over 30 days) to re-engage inactive trial users
• Leverage product data to spot drop-off points and re-engage before churn happens

Join the SaaS Marketing Weekly Newsletter here: https://saasmarketingweekly.com/

Check out Ryan’s agency, Rocket SaaS, here: https://rocket-saas.io/

Send podcast guest pitches to: [email protected]