# Focus on problems, not plumbing

By [Doug Lane](https://paragraph.com/@axalane) · 2022-03-30

---

I pay close attention to what up-and-coming marketers are saying and doing on social media and in various marketing communities. Partly because it’s really interesting. And partly because I’m terrified that I’m turning into a dinosaur. 😆

But I find it surprising how many marketers identify their specialization as “B2B SaaS.” Don’t get me wrong. SaaS is awesome. And there are marketing skills that apply to SaaS delivery models uniquely. For example, a [product-led growth](https://mirror.xyz/axalane.eth/O-GqBEiN4-axHuErDNcQ_URxpAevhwFpTvfui7mlN0s) expert can add value to many types of B2B SaaS companies.

But for most marketers – especially product marketers – B2B SaaS is way too broad to be considered a specialization. It’s kind of like someone 10 or 15 years ago saying their expertise is “business software.” Nearly everything is SaaS now. And the knowledge you need to be great at marketing a SaaS-based security product vs. a SaaS-based human resources product vs. a SaaS-based video conferencing platform couldn’t be more different.

Think about the most effective marketers in your organization. I’m willing to bet that they’re not effective because they know the ins and outs of how your product is delivered. Sure, you may have someone who is a wiz at converting trials into paid accounts. But the marketers who provide the most strategic value are likely the ones who truly understand your market, your buyers’ problems, and the way your product helps.

SaaS is the way today. It will be something different tomorrow. (Pauses as a thousand crypto bros scream “BLOCKCHAIN!” in unison.)

Align your marketing career with markets and buyer problems – not plumbing.

\-Doug

---

*Originally published on [Doug Lane](https://paragraph.com/@axalane/focus-on-problems-not-plumbing)*