Hi there,
Really happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on this. Sounds like you're in a good place having launched, getting from 10-100 is a common issue, so I'm happy to provide some of my experience and expertise here and hopefully this all makes sense.
We'll need to look at your ideal customer...
First off, congrats on the launch of your property management software! Going from 10 to 100 paying customers is a common challenge, and paid advertising can be a great way to scale if done right. With a limited budget, it's important to be as targeted and efficient as possible.
I'd say first, you'll need to define your ideal customer profile (ICP) in excruciating detail. Don't just think about "property managers." Think about:
- What types of properties do they manage (residential, commercial, mixed-use)?
- What size are their portfolios (small, medium, large)?
- What's their level of tech savviness? Are they early adopters or resistant to new technologies?
- What specific pain points are they experiencing? Are they struggling with tenant communication, rent collection, maintenance requests, or something else?
- Which platforms are they using?
The more specific you get, the better you can tailor your messaging and targeting to resonate with the right people.
I'd say you should leverage LinkedIn targeting
Given you're in B2B software, LinkedIn Ads is probably your best bet for precise targeting. I've seen it work well for software companies to reach decision makers and target specific industries or job titles.
Some targeting options to consider:
- Job titles: "Property Manager", "Regional Property Manager", "Director of Property Management", "Leasing Manager", "Asset Manager" (depending on the size of the company).
- Industry: "Real Estate", "Property Management".
- Company size: You can target companies based on the number of employees, which can help you narrow down your audience to the right size firms.
- Skills: Target people who have skills like "Property Management", "Real Estate", "Tenant Relations", "Leasing".
- Groups: Look for relevant LinkedIn Groups focused on property management. You can target members of these groups.
Ad Formats:
I would probably try a few different add formats and see which are most effective at getting through to your ideal customer.
- Sponsored Content: Share valuable content (e.g., blog posts, case studies, ebooks) that addresses your target audience's pain points and positions your software as the solution. Use eye-catching visuals and compelling headlines to grab their attention.
- Lead Gen Forms: Use LinkedIn's Lead Gen Forms to capture leads directly from your ads. These forms pre-populate with the user's LinkedIn profile information, making it easy for them to submit their details. Offer a valuable incentive, such as a free trial, demo, or consultation, in exchange for their contact information.
- Message Ads: Send personalized messages directly to your target audience's LinkedIn inboxes. Use this format to introduce your software, highlight its benefits, and invite them to learn more. This can work quite well to start conversations.
You probably should improve your landing page
Your landing page is where the magic happens. It needs to be optimised for conversions.
Here are some key elements to include:
- Compelling Headline: Clearly articulate the value proposition of your software and how it solves your target audience's pain points.
- Clear Call to Action (CTA): Make it easy for visitors to take the next step, whether it's signing up for a free trial, requesting a demo, or contacting your sales team.
- Concise and Persuasive Copy: Highlight the key benefits and features of your software in a clear and concise manner. Use bullet points, headings, and subheadings to make the content easy to scan.
- Social Proof: Include testimonials, case studies, and customer reviews to build trust and credibility. If you've worked with any well-known companies, feature their logos on your landing page.
- Visual Appeal: Use high-quality images, videos, and graphics to create a visually appealing and engaging experience. Make sure your landing page is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.
- Pricing Information: Be transparent about your pricing. A completely free trial usually works best to get people in the door, then you can onboard them, nurture them, and upsell them to a plan later.
You'll need to consider these factors
Remember to track your results closely and make adjustments as needed. Use A/B testing to experiment with different ad creatives, targeting options, and landing page elements to optimise your campaign performance.
I would recommend starting with a small budget and gradually scaling up as you see positive results. This will allow you to test different strategies and identify what works best for your business without overspending.
As a B2B SaaS company, a successful campaign should be generating leads consistently. Leads may be generated immediately after launching your campaign, whilst others may take longer to come to fruition. As you continue to generate more and more leads, you should be closing more and more deals and bringing in more revenue.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Area | Recommendation | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) | Define your ICP in detail, focusing on property types, portfolio size, tech savviness, and pain points. | Enables precise ad targeting and tailored messaging. |
| Ad Platform | Focus on LinkedIn Ads for B2B targeting. | Offers granular control over audience selection. |
| Ad Formats | Test Sponsored Content, Lead Gen Forms, and Message Ads. | Determine the most effective format for capturing leads. |
| Landing Page | Optimise landing page with a compelling headline, clear CTA, persuasive copy, social proof, visual appeal, and pricing information. | Improves conversion rates. |
| Testing and Optimisation | Track results, A/B test, and scale budget gradually. | Ensures efficient use of resources and maximises campaign performance. |
It sounds like you have a really interesting product. As I've hopefully made clear, there are many factors that go into a successful paid advertising campaign. Often, business owners find they are too busy to manage their campaigns, and that's where we come in. We have experience working with software companies in particular.
If you are finding it difficult, you might benefit from working with someone with expertise in scaling software campaigns and knowledge of the B2B sector. I remember one client, a software company, where we used LinkedIn Ads to target B2B decision makers and achieved a cost per lead of $22. Paid advertising can be complicated, and we're more than happy to offer a free consultation. In a free consultation, we'd conduct a full review of your current strategy, including your website, marketing plan and your ad accounts to show you any glaring errors in your set up, and provide recommendations to improve your results. That'll give you a good idea of the expertise you'll see going into your project if you decide to work with us.
Regards, Team @ Lukas Holschuh
