Marketing in 2024 is getting harder.

Getting customer attention takes serious effort. The brightest PMs at Tiktok, Instagram, YouTube and every new app are solving for getting more of the customer’s attention.

In that context, marketing for SaaS is similar to precision-guided missiles.

You need to reach that one right ICP in a crowd of 1000s of similar users. And your messaging should be right on point, conveying your value prop and the urgency to try your product.

Brand-recall and User reach is multi-channel

Because customers are on so many platforms & channels at once, your Go-to-market strategy has to be multi-channel.

Let’s take a startup that is looking for RevOps automation solutions. The following are the actions the customers can be doing:

  1. Customers may be searching for “How to fix my RevOps team” on Google (or Perplexity, enter AEO)
  2. Or they follow business LinkedIn, and their feed is filled all-day with motivational and Revenue Automation content
  3. Outbound sales teams from RevOps automation companies are reaching out to the user

Marketing strategy today looks a lot like an end-to-end workflow, that begins with the first customer contact to the customer getting nurtured by a BDR team and finally handed-off to Sales teams.

And that is where Marketing automation tools come in.

Marketing automation helps SaaS companies grow by making it easier to find and to keep customers.

With the right workflows, businesses can connect with people at every step of their journey.

Types of Marketing workflows

In this blog, we’ll look at three main types of marketing programs—Inbound Marketing, Outbound at Scale, and Personalized ABM (Account-Based Marketing). And we share an example of where these programs work best.

1. Inbound Marketing Workflows

What Is It? Inbound marketing is when you draw people to your business by giving them useful content.

Inbound marketing seeks to build trust and recall with potential customers, and to then guide them to try your product.

Example Workflow: HubSpot HubSpot is great at inbound marketing. Here’s an example of how they do it:

  • Step 1: Finding Content

    A user searches for something like “cluster topics and pillar pages” while working on SEO. They find HubSpot’s blog, which explains the topic in detail.

  • Step 2: Offering Gated Content

    The blog invites the user to download an ebook called “How to Build Cluster Topics.”

  • Step 3: Starting Email Workflows

    After downloading the ebook, the user gets two types of emails:

    • Nurturing Emails: These share more helpful content, like articles or webinar invites.
    • Conversion Emails: These encourage the user to try a free demo or sign up for a trial.

  • Step 4: Personal Follow-Up

    If the user clicks on the conversion emails, HubSpot’s team reaches out with:

    • LinkedIn messages.
    • Phone calls.
    • Personalized WhatsApp messages.

Who It’s Best For:

  • Small Businesses (SMBs): It’s affordable and easy to scale.
  • Global Audiences: Inbound works well everywhere, especially in markets like the US and Europe.

2. Outbound at Scale

What Is It? Outbound marketing means reaching out to people directly, like sending emails or making calls. When done at scale, it helps you connect with a lot of potential customers quickly.

Example Workflow: Outreach.io Outreach.io uses its own platform to run big outbound campaigns. Here’s an example:

  • Step 1: Find Your Audience

    Pick target accounts based on industry, location, and size.

  • Step 2: Use Multiple Channels

    Send a series of personalized emails about a topic like “sales pipeline efficiency.” At the same time, run LinkedIn ads aimed at decision-makers from these accounts.

  • Step 3: Send Follow-Ups

    If someone opens your email but doesn’t reply, send follow-ups with extra value, like a case study or free tool.

  • Step 4: Pass Warm Leads to Sales

    Once someone replies or clicks on your ads, a salesperson contacts them for a deeper conversation.

Who It’s Best For:

  • Large Companies (Enterprises): Great for connecting with high-level decision-makers.
  • SMBs in India: Works well in markets where businesses don’t often find companies through inbound methods.

3. Personalized ABM (Account-Based Marketing)

What Is It? ABM is all about focusing on a few important accounts and creating campaigns just for them. It’s like outbound but with extra customization.

Example Workflow: Drift Drift uses ABM to win big accounts. Here’s how they do it:

  • Step 1: Pick Your Accounts

    Select 50-100 high-value companies you want to target.

  • Step 2: Build Custom Landing Pages

    Make landing pages that speak directly to each company’s problems and goals.

  • Step 3: Reach Out Directly

    Send video messages to key people at each company, explaining how you can help them.

  • Step 4: Use Retargeting Ads

    Show ads featuring success stories from similar companies.

  • Step 5: Offer VIP Sales Support

    Set up one-on-one demos to show how your product solves their specific problems.

Who It’s Best For:

  • Large Companies: Perfect for businesses with high budgets and specific needs.
  • High-Value SaaS Products: Great for premium products where each sale is worth a lot.

Matching Programs to Customers

Inbound:

  • Best for SMBs that need affordable ways to find leads.
  • Works well in regions where people search for educational content, like the US and Europe.

Outbound at Scale:

  • Great for enterprises and SMBs in places like India, where direct outreach is more effective.

Personalized ABM:

  • Ideal for targeting big companies with premium products.
  • Works globally, especially when you need a hands-on approach.

Conclusion

SaaS companies can grow faster by using the right marketing workflows. Whether it’s attracting customers with inbound strategies like HubSpot, reaching out at scale with Outreach.io, or creating personalized ABM campaigns like Drift, each method has its strengths. Choose the one that fits your business and watch your results improve.