How Zoho Grew from 6M to 130M Users | Praval Singh | The Marketing Couch | Ep 18

Meet Praval Singh, Head of Marketing at Zoho, who has spent 13 years building one of the most successful bootstrapped SaaS companies in the world.

From managing a single product (Zoho Social) to now overseeing brand marketing, enterprise GTM, and customer advocacy across 55+ products, Praval has witnessed Zoho's remarkable journey from 6 million to 130 million users globally.

In this episode of The Marketing Couch, Praval shares the real story behind scaling B2B SaaS marketing—from product-led to brand-led strategies, why product marketing is under fire, and how to prove marketing ROI when leadership questions your impact.

What you'll learn
🔸 Product marketing under scrutiny: How to prove ROI and demonstrate strategic value beyond feature launches
🔸 The shift from product-led to brand-led marketing at scale (and when to make that transition)
🔸 Messaging strategy for 55+ products: How to avoid customer confusion while maintaining brand coherence
🔸 SMB vs Enterprise playbooks: Why applying enterprise tactics to SMB customers kills startups (and vice versa)
🔸 Customer advocacy done right: Turning satisfied users into your most powerful sales channel
🔸 Remote leadership secrets: Building and managing high-performing teams across geographies
🔸 The SaaS marketing evolution: What actually changed between 2012 and 2025 (and what stayed the same)
🔸 From agency to product company: The mindset shifts required when you move from B2C to B2B SaaS
🔸 Why consistency beats campaigns: The long-term thinking that built Zoho's brand equity

Where to find Praval Singh
LinkedIn:   / praval  
X (Twitter): @praval

Where to find Jaydip Sikdar
LinkedIn:   / jaydipsikdar  

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:07 Zoho's Growth Journey and Product Evolution
00:06:08 The Importance of Product Marketing
00:09:02 Understanding the SaaS Landscape
00:11:59 The Role of Product Marketing in Driving Revenue
00:14:46 Key Performance Indicators for Product Marketing
00:18:07 Zoho's Unique Approach to Growth and Privacy
00:21:05 Building a Unified Tech Stack for Innovation
00:23:48 The Future of Zoho and Market Positioning
00:31:27 Data Privacy and Marketing Strategy
00:35:41 Zoho's Go-to-Market Approach
00:36:05 Transitioning from SMB to Enterprise
00:42:27 The Role of Events in Marketing
00:53:26 Building a Unified Brand Narrative
00:57:15 Organizational Structure and Marketing Strategy
01:00:57 The Role of Brand and Product Management
01:01:44 Exploring AI Integration in Business
01:03:26 Marketing's Shift Towards Revenue Ownership
01:06:07 Enhancing Customer Experience
01:09:16 Driving Cross-Functional Consensus
01:17:29 Hiring Philosophy and Cultural Fit
01:23:23 Personal Insights and Interests


Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/
Zoho Social: https://www.zoho.com/social/
Zoho Books: https://www.zoho.com/books/
ManageEngine: https://www.manageengine.com/
Stratigery Newsletter by Ben Thompson: https://stratechery.com/
MKT1 Newsletter: https://mkt1.substack.com/
Om Malik's Commentary: https://om.co/

About The Marketing Couch
The Marketing Couch brings you real conversations with B2B marketing leaders, sales leaders, product leaders, customer success leaders, and founders who share what actually works beyond the theory. From startup growth to enterprise scale, discover the strategies, frameworks, and mindsets that drive measurable business impact.

For inquiries about the podcast, contact [email protected].

This Marketing video is part of 'The Marketing Couch' podcast series. Subscribe if you are a B2B Marketer, want to grow your career in B2B marketing, B2B Sales, Product Marketing, Startup Marketing, SaaS Marketing, or you want to keep track of the latest trends in B2B Marketing, or you are a startup founder and figuring out where and how to start marketing.

#b2bmarketingstrategy #SaaSMarketing #ProductMarketing #ZohoMarketing #MarketingROI #BrandBuilding #CustomerAdvocacy #TheMarketingCouch #CMOInsights #B2BGrowth #RemoteLeadership #EnterpriseMarketing #SMBMarketing #MarketingStrategy #StartupMarketing #communitymarketing