Tweets

@antnebel But who lands on a random company website when they’re “just browsing?”

@aprildunford @AdityaKothadiya I just don’t think your only option (when entering an existing, mature category) is to niche down (ie. CRM for lawyers, CRM for banks or CRM for subscription businesses.)

It can’t be that binary.

(And with @TransistorFM, niching hasn’t been a big driver of growth)

@louisnicholls_ This is the main sentiment.

https://twitter.com/pcutty/status/1276706917994450945?s=21 https://twitter.com/PCutty/status/1276706917994450945

@manuel_frigerio But if they’re “cold,” how did they get to your website in the first place?

@spencerfry @r00k Increasingly, I think using your homepage to “build awareness” is a mistake.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1277031091690496002?s=21 https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1277031091690496002

@jongold C’mon back to Rails!

We built @TransistorFM on Rails (with a sprinkling of @Alpine_JS) and we’re loving it.

@louisnicholls_ I never said you shouldn't talk about benefits.

I said the advice of "focus on benefits over features" is misguided.

(Also: most benefit-driven copy is way too verbose)

Features & benefits go hand-in-hand.

What is it? Email.
Why's it better? Features & benefits.

Gmail's original marketing site was beautifully simple:

"Gmail is a new kind of webmail"
(quickly describes "what is this?")

Features:
- Searchable
- 1000 MB of storage
- Grouped replies (displayed as thread)
- No pop-up ads

Who's the product for? Whoever wants these features!

@JamesCridland Yes, but what brought you there in the first place?

@kallemoen I wonder if the marketing site is the place to address 1 & 2.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1277031091690496002

A marketing site should be for people who have a high level of awareness about the product category. (You're not teaching people about what a CRM is here.)

If you're educating the consumer, that should happen in blog posts, videos, tutorials, talks, Twitter, podcasts, PR, ads.

@aprildunford @AdityaKothadiya Also, browsing Apple's earliest ads from 1977, I don't know if your characterization of them being targeted only at "designers and schools" is correct.

"It's a home computer, a business computer, a classroom computer, your computer."

Seems pretty open-ended to me!

@aprildunford @AdityaKothadiya In Feb 2004, Basecamp launched with: "web-based project management and extranet for creative service firms."
https://web.archive.org/web/20040204224142/http://www.basecamphq.com/

But by July 2004, they'd switched to the more general "Painless project management" positioning.
https://web.archive.org/web/20040704063826/http://basecamphq.com:80/

A quick transition!

@boaticus @jitbit Yes, but you’ve just revealed how awareness is truly built: in community, conversations, tutorials, etc.

I don’t think it happens on a marketing page that often.

@aprildunford @AdityaKothadiya I agree with April, and I’ll add a few more ways you can compete:

- Brand: Apple was in the “PC” market, but developed a devout group of followers. (Basecamp & Tesla are similar).
- POV in your product: Apple, Basecamp, and Tesla build & package their products uniquely.

@ljin18 Yes! I wrote about this back in April:

"These days, it's not so much owning the factory that gives you power; it's owning the Means of Distribution. This is Amazon's big strength."

https://justinjackson.ca/main-street-fights-back

@DAKCAR Yes, exactly.

How much do we really understand about the customer journey?

https://justinjackson.ca/software-saas-product-marketing

@samuelstancl @mikeburrelljr @Julian Can you think of an example where people "have problem X" and they're not searching for a specific solution? (ie. CRM, accounting software, email newsletter, code editor, podcast editing)

I wonder how much influence copywriting actually has on someone's intent to buy *in the moment*.

How many people land on a website for the first time, read the copy, and then click "buy?"

@boaticus @jitbit Dev focused courses often have benefit-driven copy, but I think sales are mostly driven by personal brands.

For invoicing software, I think customers know what they're looking for ("invoicing software"), they search it, find a site that looks reputable, and buy.

So much marketing and sales advice relies on theories about how people come to a buying decision.

We need to constantly question these assumptions.

Most are tropes that are constantly repeated, but don’t have meaningful numbers behind them.

Really powerful piece by @caroranwill.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/confederate-monuments-racism.html?referringSource=articleShare

@brhea @benediktdeicke Nice work!

Multiple people have told to me they now go to the pricing page *first* because it shows them exactly what the product does, and what it’s features are.

https://twitter.com/trevmckendrick/status/1276743427472814080?s=21 https://twitter.com/TrevMcKendrick/status/1276743427472814080

@LukeCannon727 🎯

@j_kettmann @misterparker @simonsinek But practically, are there really that many products that fit into that paradigm?

I bought Kayako because I needed “live chat software.”

When I visit Kayako’s website, I don’t really need them to remind me that I have a problem (or guess what my problems are).

@VCFryer @hnshah I think if the customer is ready to buy, they don’t need to be told the benefits. They just need to know:

a) are they in the right place (does this product do what they want it to do)
b) can they trust you

Oddly, I see salespeople trying to sell me on benefits when I’m in the midst of purchasing.

Car dealership: “You’re going to love this car, it’s electric which means you’ll never need an oil change.”

If I’ve made it this far, I’ve already convinced myself of the benefits. 😜

Brand awareness + WoM + keyword searches drives most SaaS revenue.

If a customer is ready to buy, they don’t need to be told the benefits. They just need to know:

a) are they in the right place (does this product do what they want it to do)
b) can they trust you

@Marvdor2000 @aprildunford Well, in this case I want to know: did this copywriting sell more cars? 😉

@MayorOfHotdog Lol. Exactly!

Mayor of Hotdog, I don’t know who you are, but I’ve really been digging your tweets lately. 👍

@venikunche Cheering for you Veni!

Don’t worry: this phase will pass. ❤️

@jammasternate @hnshah In practice, it’s difficult to test.

@LarsLofgren has a good article on this:

https://conversionxl.com/blog/dont-build-growth-teams/

@louisnicholls_ Yes, but my frame of reference is that (in most cases) indies should be going after categories with strong awareness and demand.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1276680158812893184?s=21 https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1276680158812893184

@louisnicholls_ My thoughts all fall under the umbrella of “the market you’re in will determine most of your growth.”

I’ve worked in categories that had low demand. In some cases I could “juice conversion” by highlighting benefits.

But overall, a category with strong demand was better.

@louisnicholls_ In my experience, “the long tail” doesn’t actually drive that much business.

Brand awareness + WoM + keyword searches drives most SaaS revenue.

This has applied in all sorts of different product categories.

It might be different in DTC (I don’t have experience with that).

@kunaljasty Exactly.

There are other ways to communicate value (branding, screenshots, testimonial).

But ultimately, customers won’t experience the value portion until they use the product.

At the very least, tell visitors which product category you’re in.

“The customer tries to figure out what box to put you in; what frame of reference to put you in. And if you don't give them a box they have to make one up." – @aprildunford

@gaburieru4649 @louisnicholls_ I’m in the “high awareness” camp.

“The customer tries to figure out what box to put you in; what frame of reference to put you in. And if you don't give them a box they have to make one up." – @aprildunford

@louisnicholls_ How does a person land on your website if they have low awareness levels?

What brings them there in the first place?

@louisnicholls_ You’re missing all my other experience doing product and marketing for SaaS companies since 2008. 😉

Before that, I was in the snowboard industry (starting in 2001).

In most cases, purchasing behavior is driven by desire for the product category (“email newsletter”) or brand.

@ianlandsman Exactly. 👍

@ScottPinkert @jonbuda We didn’t! Sorry. Personal stuff came up for me. We’re hoping to record on Monday.

@blirwin 😂

The problem with describing only "benefits," is that benefits are personal.

The benefit I want from a tool is different from what you'll want out of it.

People are looking for the features that will get them the benefits they want.

https://twitter.com/noahwbragg/status/1276613019854757888

There are so many websites now that are so desperate *not* to talk about features, that you can read the whole thing and still not know what the company does!

https://twitter.com/brasmussen/status/1276612000785850369

When people are looking for a solution, do they search:

"Easily manage your company's financial future on all your devices."

or do they type in:

"Accounting software?"

They're looking for ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE. Tell them what you do right away.

Increasingly, I'm skeptical of this copywriting advice: "Focus on benefits over features."

In practice, it makes the copy longer, more abstract, and harder to parse for potential customers.

When folks land on your website, they just want to know: "What does this company do?"

@mattsayward CC @cgenco: you should build this!

@DuaneStorey Really difficult to find an accountant who understands the digital economy, the nuances of currency exchange, the ability to handle multiple bank accounts (USD, CAD, Transferwise, PayPal, Stripe).

@mattsayward How is this generated?

🇨🇦 Any Canadians here have an accountant/bookkeeper who understands businesses that are located here, but primarily invoice in USD?

Looking for someone who really gets the digital economy.

In retrospect, being able to visualize the database model, create relationships between tables, and define how inputs would be stored, was amazing for visual thinkers.

@nwquah wait. It’s weds?

@nikkilr88 Looks good! 🙌

Microsoft Access was the original no-code tool.

You could build a UI, link input fields to your database, create menus.

Pretty powerful stuff (and in the 1990s)!

RT @digitaltrouble: If you’re looking for a forum for your community, check out Playgroup. It’s a modern and affordable take on classic for…

@rjs @_buildingbeauty Omg. I’m a huge Alexander fan. Downloading this now.

@MrSimonBennett I still need to initiate goal tracking!

@charliprangley @oscaroarevalo You can host multiple podcasts on Transistor for $19/month.

(Also: we don’t charge you for adding new podcasts) 👍

https://youtu.be/hUugNVgsXvk

@MrSimonBennett @davzie Simplecast should still be able to do a 301 redirect on your old feed to your new one. 👍

@Ribeezie @nathanbarry @TransistorFM 👍

@digitaltrouble Nice!

@digitaltrouble That’s a right of passage!

Love seeing folks switch to @TransistorFM! 🙌 https://twitter.com/melvyndotme/status/1274845723117236224

RT @mijustin: It’s counterintuitive, but customers who are “hard won” (through costly ads, persuasion techniques, etc) are easily lost. The…

@javebratt I need to get one of those.

Nice Father’s Day 👍

RT @mijustin: Dear Twitter,

Follow Tumblr's lead here.

Sincerely,
Everyone watching an unused Twitter handle

It really helps when you have a product (or idea) that people are already interested in.

If they’ve already been asking “I wonder if there’s a way to do this?” then it’s a lot easier to sell them the solution. 👍

@McGregor_Jamie Yes!!

Yes! This is a good way to put it. 👍

https://twitter.com/leandropinter/status/1274533185196441602?s=21 https://twitter.com/leandropinter/status/1274533185196441602

It’s counterintuitive, but customers who are “hard won” (through costly ads, persuasion techniques, etc) are easily lost. They’re fickle.

But customers who are sufficiently motivated themselves, who are actively looking for a solution, will stick around a lot longer.

🎯 https://twitter.com/Chik/status/1274487566033547264

@fffabs I’m a huge fan of @statamic ❤️

@glenmccallumcan 😮😮😮

@MrGrillet Amazon has a special deal.

Smart take from @siracusa:

https://hypercritical.co/2020/06/20/the-art-of-the-possible

@matteing Game changer.

Constant exposure to other cultures, other ideas, other ways of life:

Also: California beaches would become much more popular.

Eye-opening.

Didn't realize that podcasters working with big networks (like Gimlet) don't get a stake in the podcast’s IP or brand.

"The show bears our faces. It's about the unique lens through which Eric and I see the world. Do we not deserve to own even a fraction of it?” https://twitter.com/bmluse/status/1273741795453788160

🎯 "We’ve seen bad actors with power bend the rules at will, in politics, business, and law. We all suffer because of it. The harm crosses all cultural lines."

❤️ this from @operaqueenie & @WAOFrancesca:

"We must rethink how power, opportunity, safety, and resources are distributed."

https://medium.com/black-brown-founders/from-the-ashes-rebirth-158a47b7d7f8

@ianlandsman @dabernathy89 @wilburpowery @joecampo @tillkruss The last time I guessed (in 2016) I estimated $39 million per year.

(I could be way off)

My sources are included here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RwrDxt1KwAB_MSoHN79adVhVXanHeMXZ2UvWIos_-oM/edit?usp=sharing

@dvassallo Yup. Exactly. 👍

@jamesclift @WaterlooAlex I'm genuinely curious! (And the other devs I know on the App store don't like this setup).

https://twitter.com/marcoarment/status/1273989686445424640

@ianlandsman @MayorOfHotdog @wilburpowery @joecampo @tillkruss Guess it depends on how you're reading your anecdotes. 😉

https://twitter.com/marcoarment/status/1273989686445424640

@adambader @dvassallo Yup. I'm for them too!

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1274130318237134848

@dvassallo Lots of folks are mentioning we shouldn't have sympathy for Basecamp because they're a "billion-dollar company."

I'm just pointing out: it took them 21 years to earn that kind of revenue, and other beloved companies (like ConvertKit) will likely achieve that as well.

@heyjoshwood Mad about what though?

Like what are they mad *at*?

Don't all indie devs want more flexibility when it comes to this stuff?

@louisnicholls_ Sorry, you don't believe that when monopolies control distribution it harms small businesses?

Apple makes $1 billion A DAY.

If Basecamp has made a billion, it took them 21 YEARS to do it.

The scale here (both in terms of revenue and power) is completely in Apple's favor.

(It's likely that Convertkit will also make $1 billion in its lifetime. Why the hate for Basecamp?)

@wilburpowery @joecampo @tillkruss @ianlandsman Again, I don't understand why you folks are so cynical.

Apple makes $1 billion A DAY.

If Basecamp has made a billion, it took them 21 YEARS to do it.

The scale here (both in terms of revenue and power) is completely different.

At the end of the day, I don't care *that* much about Hey.

But the principle here matters.

FB/AMZ/GOOG/MSFT/APP are exerting more and more control over distribution.

Low-cost, open distribution is the *one* thing the internet gave indies. Without it, you can't bootstrap.

@rohangilkes This is a battle that indie devs have been fighting for a long time.

If we can get Apple to change their guidelines, it will enable more indie devs to build better businesses.

Megacorps are sucking all the oxygen out of the room; they're making it harder for indies to succeed.

@ianlandsman @joecampo I didn't realize you were a perfect software company builder. 😉

I'll be the first to admit: at Transistor there are tons of policies we miss, terms of use we don't understand, and launch mistakes we make.

@ianlandsman @joecampo Hahaha. Dude. I honestly can't believe that you (who's built software before) would think that a company might:

a) Just look at the app store and see what other email apps were doing.
b) Not understand the rules when they didn't previously apply to the other apps they'd launched

@joecampo @ianlandsman Cool cool.

Next time a trillion-dollar company (with enormous power) clamps down on you with a draconian policy, I'll just leave you be.

Trust me: eventually, this will happens to you.

https://twitter.com/mijustin/status/1274122944667516929

These massive corporations love implementing new policies that take away power from small players.

There's always going to be a policy.

The fact that some of you are *cheering* for Apple right now (a company that averages $1 billion in revenue per day) is just dark.

The playbook is always the same:

FB/AMZ/GOOG/MSFT/APP/SHOP/TWTR use indie devs & businesses to build and substantiate their platform.

Then, when they've gained significant distribution power and market share, they use that leverage against the people who got them there.