Booking meetings for early stage SaaS - a guide

The number one thing that early stage founders seem to struggle with is pipeline (a close call with positioning and the two are of course related.) But creating top of funnel conversations and booking meetings with potential customers is tricky. 

The internet is full of solid ideas of how to outreach and ways of driving awareness that even the most technical of founders can learn from. 

But in reality, actually doing it is harder. Knowing what to focus on with the limited time you have - whilst also trying to build a product, hire and then execute for existing customers, can be a struggle.

This is a very practical guide of the approach I would take if I were to start a SaaS B2B company today, for booking meetings in year one.

LinkedIn for awareness 

1️⃣ Network approach 

I would sign up for Sales Navigator. First I would use it to build a list of relevant 2nd degree contacts, assuming I’ve already exhausted my 1st degree network for meetings of course. I would filter for anyone with relevant roles, geographies and company size or other variables that are connected to people I know, even vaguely. Then I would ask for introductions into those 2nd degree contacts.

Reach out to request:
Intro email ask template

2️⃣ The long play

Next I would build a second broader list of my ICP in Sales Navigator, at least 500-1000 people. I would send connection requests weekly to at least 20 people and post at least once per week on LinkedIn to build awareness (or more often if my ICP spends a lot of time on LinkedIn). I would try to mix written and video formats. I would also try to engage with their content. Regularly, I’d put some time in the calendar to go through people that have followed my company page, engaged with my content or viewed my profile and then start a conversation over DM’s.

Reach out to request:
Example of LinkedIn messaging cadence 
LinkedIn content ideas for founders
Intro to Sales Navigator

Content that engages

3️⃣ Email outreach

I would create a few pieces of value adding, gated content like blogs, e-books, videos or research pieces. Using something like Apollo I would find verified emails, then message the content to my ICP. I wouldn’t necessarily push for meetings via outreach (the stats on this is terrible these days no matter how relevant your value proposition is) but would instead guide people to download the content, follow my company LinkedIn page or sign up to a webinar.

Reach out to request:
Outreach tips and tricks

4️⃣ Webinars 

Pretty quickly I would also set up a a monthly or quarterly webinar that people can sign up to. Nothing complicated, maybe even just a demo and Q&A. Sign up links would be added to my website and email cadences. Booking a one to one meeting can be high commitment and many people may be more comfortable listening in to a one-t0-many session. If even one person signs up, it was worth it.

5️⃣ Customer cases

Another key thing I would focus on would be to build one or two solid cases with customers that I can then share publicly. I would use those in all the channels above as much as possible, for example on my LinkedIn profile and anywhere curious eyes might go looking for information.

Create meaningful connections

6️⃣Trade events

Budget allowing, I would try to attend one or two relevant industry events in the first year. But I would only do it if I have time to prep, connect and ask to meet with people at the event.

7️⃣Co-host event with other SaaS provider

If there’s a clear fit for another SaaS provider with a complimentary, non competitive product but selling to the same ICP, I would try to connect with the founders to arrange a joint in person event (like a breakfast networking event or an exclusive lunch for 10 leaders in our space). The power of two will help drive attendees and we can benefit from each other's networks. I would make some content out of the event.

8️⃣ Go where my ICP hangs out

When speaking to any potential customers I would try to remember to ask if they are in any communities, groups etc for people in their industry. It could be public ones like LinkedIn groups or more informal ones on Slack or WhatsApp. I would make a list of any I come across and see if any collaboration possibilities exist, if I can join the groups or later, see if a happy customer could give my product a shout out.

9️⃣Warm meetings

I would try to identify a couple of people in customer facing roles (like sales or customer success) who sold to my ICP before and are now freelancing or open to part time gigs. I would pay them to book meetings from their warm network. 

Reach out to discus if can use Studio 1% for this

Things I wouldn’t do (right away)

It’s impossible to try to do everything at once. So the key thing is to find what works for you and your product. Here are some other options for experimenting with that wouldn’t likely be my go-to, but they might be yours:

• Partnerships- Some founders swear by partnerships as the key route to driving meetings. I’ve always found partnerships a difficult channel to get right, even in established tech companies . So as an early stage founder with limited time, unless there are super clear synergies to make use of, I would personally hold off on this for a while. 

• Ads- Again, some founders have lots of success with ads, especially on LinkedIn and in combination with more organic content. It can work a charm, but perhaps exercise a bit of caution, especially if you are still trying to figure out your ICP.  

• Community building- Creating a type of customer or expert advisory board can be a great way to get meetings with your ICP in a non-salesy way. But this can be difficult if you are only just starting out, unless you are already a well known voice in the space you are building in.

• Cold calling- Some founders have great success in cold calling their ICP, I have spoken to early stage companies who book up to 5 meetings per week this way. Whether you do it or not should really depend on the type of person you are selling to, how quick your USP is to grasp over the phone, and naturally, how comfortable you are with picking up the phone. Do it in the right way and you might be very positively surprised with the results. 

• Product-led- So this is one I, for the right type of product, would actually do as soon as possible. If you can build in loops for customers using your product to refer other customers, to share their results / dashboard publicly or something similar, this can become such a strong route for new meetings. It may even be the only GTM motion you need, if there’s a strong fit.

• F2F & prints- Don’t underestimate the way things were done before everything went online. If suitable for your ICP, drop-in visits in person to a prospects office or place of work with a flyer can go a long way. Or sending printed material, especially if the messaging is custom to their company.

• Speaking engagements- Podcasts, speaking where your ICP hangs out or other ways of showing you are a thought leader in the space can definitely help build the awareness and build pipeline.

• PR- Building some brand awareness via various coverage and getting the story out there can be tricky, unless your story, fundraise or positioning is a very unique one. I’d not put a lot of effort here until later, when I’m also more set on my positioning.

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This blog is written from the perspective of having sold SaaS for over 13 years, and working with technical founders as early as day one on go to market efforts. Feel feel to reach out to chat about all things sales and go to market, or to request any of the templates mentioned.

/Stina