Mastering Developer-Led Outbound
Attributable Strategies to Connect with Developers and Grow Pipeline
From DevRel to DevMarketing — insights and opportunities
The landscape of DevTools is undergoing a seismic shift — B2B DevTools marketers, grab pen and paper and take notes.
Traditional Developer Relations (DevRel) has long been the cornerstone of developer engagement. Focused on the 3Cs — conferences, community, and content — DevRel teams have excelled at building relationships and fostering developer ecosystems. These efforts have been crucial in creating brand loyalty and establishing thought leadership within the developer community.
However, a persistent challenge has plagued DevRel initiatives: the difficulty in measuring their direct impact on the bottom line. While DevRel activities undoubtedly add value, quantifying this value in terms of revenue or user acquisition has often been elusive. This lack of measurable outcomes has sometimes led to questioning the ROI of DevRel efforts, especially in more fiscally conservative business environments.
Enter Developer Marketing — the next evolution in developer engagement. This data-driven approach bridges the gap between community-building and measurable business outcomes. Developer Marketing takes the best aspects of DevRel — the deep understanding of developer needs and the ability to create meaningful connections — and combines them with measurable growth tactics that drive quantifiable results.
It's not about abandoning the community-centric approach of DevRel, but rather enhancing it with bottom-line-focused methodologies that resonate with both developers and business executives.
As we delve deeper into this topic, we'll explore how this shift is reshaping strategies, driving ROI, and creating new opportunities for meaningful developer engagement that directly impacts business growth.
In this post, we’ll specifically delve into the most largely untapped and hugely controversial opportunity for DevMarketing — Developer-Led Outbound. We’ll be sharing creative tactics on how you can effectively employ personalized outbound to bypass developers’ “BS sniffer”, add value, and drive meaningful conversations.
Let’s go!
From closed builders to key buyers
Last decades’ evolution of the developer's role in B2B SaaS has been nothing short of revolutionary. While developers were once viewed as siloed actors building products with internal tools, the landscape has dramatically shifted since the mid-2000s.
The rise of cloud computing, SaaS, and now AI technologies has propelled developers into the spotlight as key influencers in the buying process.
Here's how developers have become pivotal in B2B decision-making:
Growing influence: Though directors of engineering still hold the final say, developers wield significant power in shaping purchasing decisions.
Technical expertise: Senior engineers can effectively argue for specific tools that impact project timelines and outcomes.
Budget allocation: Engineering teams now have dedicated budgets for external SaaS tools.
Early adoption: Developers are often the first to embrace and champion new technologies within their organizations.
While they may not hold the final decision-making power, their influence has grown exponentially. Today's developers wield significant sway in the procurement process, acting as key influencers who can make or break a deal.
Consider this scenario: two senior engineers approach their director with a compelling case — "If we buy Product X, we'll ship Feature Y on time. Without it, we're looking at delays."
In most cases, the director will heed their advice, recognizing the technical expertise and on-the-ground insights these developers bring to the table. Companies like Twilio, MongoDB, and Stripe recognized this shift early on, pioneering developer-centric approaches through:
Modular tech stacks
Engineering-focused content marketing
Robust Developer Relations (DevRel) programs
However, these trailblazers primarily focused on inbound and Product-Led Growth (PLG) strategies. The next frontier? Engaging developers through targeted, developer-led outbound. Controversial? Yes, but as the developer's influence continues to grow within the org, savvy B2B marketers must tap into this channel to effectively reach and persuade this technically-savvy audience across all channels.
Let’s show you how to do this properly.
The decline of DevRel and the rise of DevMarketing
Before we get into the weeds, it’s key to mention that the landscape of developer marketing is evolving rapidly.
Traditional Developer Relations (DevRel) strategies are giving way to more sophisticated, measurable approaches. While DevRel has long focused on the 3Cs — conferences, community, and content — its impact on the bottom line often remained elusive.
And that’s when Developer Marketing emerged — a more data-driven evolution that bridge the gap between community-building and measurable business outcomes.
The evolution of DevRel into the more robust Developer Marketing approach is intrinsically linked to broader economic shifts. The era of zero interest rates fostered a climate where DevRel teams could operate without strict revenue-related KPIs, focusing primarily on community building and engagement. However, as economic realities have shifted, new times called for a more revenue-focused approach.
Companies like PlanetScale and MongoDB recently restructuring their DevRel teams to re-align their focus on measurable growth goals are other tangible signs that reveal the decline of DevRel in favor of a more attributable approach to developer GTM.
Also, the latest tech advancements enabled DevMarketing strategies to leverage data created by developers interacting with products and websites, combining them with AI-driven personalization. This combination allows for outbound marketing efforts that are tailored and value-additive. Unlike the generic outreach of the past, modern DevMarketing can offer developers insights, solutions, and opportunities that are specifically relevant to their work and challenges — bypassing their BS sniffer altogether.
The result? Outbound marketing to developers is no longer a taboo practice but a powerful tool for delivering genuine, targeted value.
By harnessing data and AI, companies can now create outbound campaigns that resonate with developers' specific needs and interests, transforming what was once seen as intrusive into a welcome source of personalized support and information.
This shift marks a new era in developer engagement – one where marketing efforts are not just tolerated, but potentially eagerly anticipated by the developer community.
Developer-Led Outbound, Done Right
Developer outreach has entered a new era, demanding a delicate balance between attributable strategies and respect for developers' preferences.
While DevTools companies need measurable results, developers still possess a finely-tuned "bullshit sniffer" and favor touchless experiences. The key to successful outbound marketing lies in delivering genuine value.
Below are few creative plays we’ve tested with our portfolio companies and proved to be successful.
Need help getting developer outbound done right? Our team has been leading marketing at major Devtools organizations like Vercel, Deepgram, Retool, and more.
1. Programmatically identify and flag bugs in GitHub open-source projects
One innovative approach is programmatically identifying and flagging bugs in GitHub open-source projects. This method is centered in showcasing technical expertise while offering practical assistance. It’s an hyper-targeted strategy provides immediate value, potentially opening the door for further engagement.
This play could work specifically well for companies like Snyk that focus on finding vulnerabilities on projects and granting security.
Create a list of relevant GitHub repos with tools like Clay or Apollo
Write an AI prompt to scrape the code within these repos and identify “common” bugs
Extract emails of developers working on these repos
Craft an AI-generated message to flag the bug and offer a solution to developers
Bonus: tailor the prompt/flag based on the dev activity/contribution to the repo, or on their role within the repo (IC vs. manager)
Then, if developers respond positively, a follow-up message can introduce your product as a long-term solution to prevent similar issues.
The crucial factor? Ensuring the identified bugs align closely with the problems your product solves. By focusing on relevant issues, you demonstrate not just technical acumen, but a deep understanding of the developers' specific challenges and how your solution addresses them.
2. Scrape Fortune500 company's T&Cs to identify back-end stack and suggest 10X better alternatives
If you’re targeting enterprise customers, some of their GitHub might not be open source, making the play above more challenging to implement at scale.
If that sounds like you, then another play to elevate your developer outreach is by tapping into an often-overlooked goldmine: a company's terms and conditions. This creative approach allows you to uncover valuable insights about the backend technologies used by the company (they have to display it by law!) and position your product as a superior alternative. Here's how to execute this strategy:
Compile a list of target companies from LinkedIn
Use AI prompts to analyze their T&Cs, returning their current backend stack
Write another AI prompt to identify competitors' tools within the identified stack
Source developer contact information from these companies
Based on the above, program the AI to extract how the target prospect is using their current alternatives product so that we can position and suggest specific use cases where our product is better
Bonus: Inject a programmatic case study from a similar company to showcase your industry expertise and credibility.
This method not only demonstrates your technical research and acumen, but also your ability to provide tangible value from the very first interaction. By offering actionable insights based on their specific tech stack, you're not just selling a product – you're presenting a solution to challenges they may not even realize they have.
This targeted, data-driven approach transforms cold outreach into a compelling conversation starter, setting the stage for meaningful engagement and potential sale.
3. Compare site performance with public tools like PageSpeedInsights
The last play we’re sharing is leveraging PageSpeedInsights to deliver competitive edge insights. This strategy transforms cold emails into valuable, action-oriented communications. This play was inspired by Vercel's successful tactic of measuring page load times and offering performance-boosting solutions, providing clear, tangible value from the first interaction.
Depending on your target segment, you can build a target company list from:
Global 1000 API or LinkedIn, if you’re selling to mid-market and enterprise with an established social presence
Crunchbase API, if you’re selling to startups who’s recently raised a specific stage or amount
Use an AI prompt to identify each company's key competitors
Craft a specific API call that can deliver you PageSpeedInsights for both your target company and their competitor, returning both scores and areas of opportunities
Source developer contact information from target companies
Craft AI-generated messages presenting both sites' results and specific, actionable insights for the developer to action
By presenting a side-by-side comparison with competitors and outlining concrete steps for improvement, you position your outreach as a strategic asset rather than a sales pitch — something developers tend to appreciate!
Again, this personalized method not only demonstrates you’ve done your (technical) research) but also your commitment to helping developers achieve measurable improvements in their day to day. It's a powerful way to initiate meaningful conversations.
Want to implement any of these plays with expert leaders? We can help.
Conclusion
The future of developer GTM lies in the strategic integration of hyper-personalized data within developer-led communications.
This powerful combination creates a comprehensive approach that not only fosters community but also drives measurable business outcomes. By adopting value-additive outbound strategies, companies can effectively engage and convert developers, transforming traditional marketing efforts into welcomed, personalized interactions.
Here's why this matters:
Demonstrable ROI: Measurable, attributable marketing efforts provide clear insights into campaign effectiveness and contribution to business growth.
Trust-Building: Value-driven outbound strategies, tailored to developers' specific needs and challenges, build credibility and foster long-term relationships.
Conversion Power: Personalized, insightful outreach not only captures attention but also increases the likelihood of converting developers into loyal customers or advocates.
By embracing this integrated approach, B2B marketers can navigate the delicate balance between providing value and driving business results, positioning their products as essential solutions in the developer's toolkit while respecting the unique preferences of this discerning audience.