Building a company is hard. Building trust with strangers is even harder.

Today, it feels like everyone is shouting online - more ads, noise, and fake promises, but some brands don’t just shout louder.

They find a smart way to connect, and BetterHelp is a perfect example. It was a small startup trying to make online therapy normal a few years ago.

Today, it’s a $7 billion giant. The crazy part?

They didn’t do it with big TV ads or fancy Super Bowl commercials. They grew fast by partnering with YouTubers and telling emotional stories.

The Big Idea:

Challenging the Traditional Ad Strategies

Let’s think about something simple.

Most people don’t wake up and say they were signing up for therapy.

It doesn’t work like shopping for shoes or buying a pizza.

People look for therapy when they feel hurt, stuck, or overwhelmed.

But only when they need it the most.

They often don't know where to start. BetterHelp saw this gap. They realized they would be too late if they waited for people to search for therapy.

So, instead, they showed up inside moments when people felt emotional.

• Watching a gaming video and feeling stressed?

• Listening to a podcast about self-improvement?

• Following a YouTuber opening up about anxiety?

BetterHelp made sure their name popped up there.

Not as a cold ad but as a warm hand offering help, and they did this by aggressively partnering with thousands of YouTube and Podcast creators.

Here’s one on BetterHelp’s YT channel:

And instead of just selling therapy, they told emotional stories that felt real.

That was their core idea:

• Meet people where they are emotionally.

• Tell stories, not ads.

• Make it easy to ask for help.

And that idea unlocked massive growth.

Behind the Magic:

Partnering Aggressively

BetterHelp’s growth wasn’t an accident.

They didn’t just try some YouTube ads and hope for the best.

They built a serious machine around two big moves:

• Aggressive Creator Partnerships

• Emotional Storytelling at Scale

How did they make this work?

1. Aggressive Creator Partnerships

Most brands act shy when working with creators.

They pick a few, run a test, and then wait months for results.

BetterHelp did the opposite.

They flooded the market with partnerships - big YouTubers, small YouTubers, podcasters, vloggers, gamers, finance channels, and wellness influencers.

All these creators got a shot to promote BetterHelp.

It worked for the brand because of:

• Trust transfer: People trust creators more than brands.

• Constant visibility: Viewers kept hearing about BetterHelp again and again.

• Low risk, high spread: Instead of betting $100K on one ad, they spread smaller bets across hundreds of creators.

At their peak, BetterHelp sponsored so many videos in a year.

They understood that:
In today’s world, winning is not about the biggest ad.
It’s about being everywhere when your customer needs you.

2. Emotional Storytelling at Scale

BetterHelp didn’t make creators read boring discount codes.

They asked creators to open up genuinely.

Instead of: Use code BetterHelp123 to save 10%, you heard: A few years ago, I struggled with anxiety... and therapy changed my life.

That tiny difference changed everything. And this worked because it:

• Felt authentic: Viewers knew when creators were speaking from the heart.

• Reduced stigma: Therapy felt less scary and more normal.

• Built urgency: When people feel understood, they act faster.

BetterHelp even trained some creators on how to talk about sensitive topics properly. They invested in ensuring the storytelling felt right and not promotional.

BetterHelp didn’t just buy attention. They earned trust by showing up in people’s most human moments. That’s not a growth hack.

That’s smart, patient brand building at scale.

And if you want real, lasting growth, it’s the only way.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

• The Emotional Scale Playbook
  (Use This to Grow Your Brand Like BetterHelp Did)

The Emotional Scale Playbook

Step 1:
Find Where Emotions Run High

Your product solves a problem. Now, think deeper:
When do people feel the pain of that problem the most?

For example:

• A fitness app? → When people feel guilty after overeating.

• A finance tool? → When someone is stressed about bills.

• A productivity app? → When people feel overwhelmed at work.

Write down 3-5 emotional moments when your customer needs you the most.

That is your attack zone.

Step 2:
Build a Creator Army (Fast)

Don’t overthink it. Start small but wide, like BetterHelp.

• Find 30-50 small creators on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, or podcasts.

• Look for high-engagement creators (even if they have small audiences).

• DM or email them offering a simple partnership:

• “I love your content! Would you be open to trying [Product]? I’d love to sponsor a piece where you share your real experience.”

Remember to give them the freedom to tell real stories.

Don’t kill their voice with stiff scripts.

Step 3:
Package Emotional Storytelling

You don’t want boring ads but testimonials disguised as stories.

• Tell creators to share:

  1. A personal moment they felt the problem your product solves.

  2. How your product made life easier.

  3. Why they would recommend it to their audience (in their words).

Example Script Template (if they need help):
I remember [painful moment]. I felt [emotion]. That’s when I found [your brand], and honestly, it [specific result]. I think it could help a lot of you too.

Step 4:
Stay Consistent (Even When It’s Boring)

The magic isn't in one viral video. It’s in showing up again and again.

• Plan a 90-day creator partnership sprint.

• Sponsor at least 10–20 pieces per month.

• Track which creators drive real engagement (comments, saves, shares).

(You will start seeing compounding trust.)

Step 5:
Keep the Funnel Frictionless

BetterHelp didn’t send people to a complicated website.

They used simple, direct CTAs, like Click the link below to get started.

• Ensure clicking on your link takes people to a simple action: Sign up, book a demo, and start a free trial - no extra steps and confusion.

Emotional Moments ➔ Creator Storytelling ➔ Repeated Exposure ➔ Easy Action ➔ Trust Builds ➔ Sales Follow.

This works because this isn’t just influencer marketing. This is emotional timing + trusted voices + easy action working together.

That’s why BetterHelp exploded. That’s why you can, too.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• Why emotional marketing works & 6 steps on leveraging it

• Master funnel building: Essential strategies for marketers

YT Video: Emotional marketing - How does it work?

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

In every local market, there’s always that one stall you remember.

The one with handmade candles. Or clay earrings. Or bookmarks painted with care.

They do not come from factories but from kitchens, bedrooms, and garages by real people. Now, imagine all those creators in one giant digital market.

That’s Etsy.

It started as a simple site in 2005, built by a woodworker who wanted to sell furniture online. But it became something much bigger.

Today, Etsy is home to over 7 million sellers.

And it is worth more than $15 billion.

The Big Idea:

The Secret Behind Etsy

Most online marketplaces want to scale fast. They chase growth, add more categories, and try to serve everyone. Etsy did the opposite.

Instead of trying to be the next Amazon, it became a home for handmade. While other sites sold electronics, fast fashion, and factory-made goods, Etsy focused on:

• Handmade products

• Vintage items

• Craft Supplies

That made it unique from day one.

It wasn’t trying to be the cheapest but was trying to offer same-day shipping.

It just wanted to help small creators find buyers who cared.

That single focus shaped everything:

• The kind of sellers it attracted

• The design of its product pages

• The way it grew traffic (without ads!)

• The community it built

Etsy didn’t try to win by competing with big players.

It won by choosing a different game. That choice to go niche, stay human, and think long-term turned a side project into a billion-dollar ecosystem.

Behind the Magic:

Etsy’s Growth Strategies

We saw what Etsy did differently.

Now, let’s see how they built this $15B empire, step by step.

1. Etsy owned a tiny corner of the internet

Instead of selling everything, Etsy sold one thing: uniqueness.

You couldn’t find Apple products there - no mass-produced jeans.

Just hand-knitted baby socks, wooden toys, and vintage typewriters.

That made Etsy stand out.

While others competed for speed, Etsy competed on story, soul, and craft.

For example, they said this on their About Us page:

click here

That made their platform easier to design, market, and grow.

By focusing only on handmade goods, Etsy built a place where artists and crafters felt seen. That emotional connection created a sticky experience.

Then, when you bought from Etsy, the entire journey felt personal.

2. Etsy made every product page an SEO goldmine

Etsy didn’t throw money at Facebook ads.

Instead, they played the long game... SEO.

Each time a seller added a product, Etsy:

• Used the product title in the URL

• Let sellers write detailed descriptions

• Tagged the product with smart categories

That made thousands of pages Google-friendly.

And Etsy had to put no effort into any of this.

Think about it: Etsy would pop up if someone searched for a handmade ceramic coffee mug because a seller had listed that item.

For example, Etsy showed up in the 2nd position in the organic results when I searched for handmade bookmarks. Imagine the same for other keywords.

Etsy turned its user-generated content into free marketing.

That is how they grew long-tail traffic without constantly publishing blog posts or running new ad campaigns.

3. Etsy made sellers feel like co-founders

Most platforms treat their users like inventory.

Etsy did the opposite. They treated creators like partners.

Each Etsy shop had its page, logo, and story. Sellers could customize their stores, talk to buyers directly, and track real-time data. For example:

There were forums. Monthly newsletters. Guides to grow.

Even shoutouts from Etsy’s editorial team.

That freedom made sellers feel in control and valued. And because Etsy helped sellers grow, sellers became brand ambassadors. They stayed longer.

They told friends. Etsy became the default place for creators to start.

4. Etsy stayed flexible but never lost its soul

Even as Etsy scaled, it didn’t forget why it started. Sure, they introduced shipping integration and personalization and even went public.

But through all that, they stayed true to their mission:
Help small creators succeed.

This focus helped Etsy avoid the growth-at-all-costs trap. They didn’t chase trends. They made updates that helped creators first, not just shareholders.

During the pandemic, when supply chains broke down, and creators struggled, Etsy ran ads asking people to support small shops. (Read all indetail here)

That alignment between brand and behavior is what builds long-term trust.

In short, Etsy’s growth wasn’t magic. It was:

• Niche + SEO + Trust

• Combined with patience, care, and clear values

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

PHASE 1:
Claim Your Niche

• Objective: Stand out by being specific, not big.

1. Define your one-sentence niche

Instead of saying: We help small businesses grow.

Say: We help Etsy jewelry sellers turn browsers into buyers.

Keep it ultra-clear:

• WHO you help

• WHAT you help them do

• WHY you are different

2. Create a Niche Welcome Kit

It is a lightweight marketing starter pack:

• A simple landing page for that audience

• 3 content pieces that solve niche-specific problems

• One freebie (template, checklist, etc.) to collect emails

Tools to use: Carrd / Notion + Beehiiv + ConvertKit

PHASE 2:
Make SEO Your Salesperson

• Objective: Build a long-term, low-cost marketing engine.

1. Turn every user action into content

Let your users generate searchable content, like product listings, reviews or testimonials, user-submitted FAQs, and success stories.

Then, structure it for Google:

• Use keyword-rich URLs (like Etsy did)

• Add meta titles/descriptions automatically

• Let users tag content with relevant keywords

2. Publish Niche SEO Stacks

Find 5–10 high-intent keywords your users are already searching.

Examples for Etsy-like brands include:

• Best handmade jewelry shops in [city]

• Unique birthday gifts for dog lovers

• How to price handmade items for Etsy

Write helpful, honest answers. Link to your platform naturally.

Tools to use: Lowfruits.io (keyword ideas) + ChatGPT (drafts) + Webflow (landing pages)

PHASE 3:
Empower Your Creators

• Objective: Turn users into your marketing team.

1. Give sellers their brand tools

Just like Etsy:

• Custom shop pages (with their URLs)

• Upload logo and banner

• Write their story and description

• Easy share buttons for Twitter, IG, Pinterest

This builds community and drives traffic to your site through their promotion.

2. Create a Partner Playbook

Give your early sellers or creators a launch kit:

• Email templates to announce their shop

• Sample tweets or IG captions

• A monthly content calendar

• Reward them with exposure (feature them in newsletters, and socials)

This kind of love creates loyalty.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• The ultimate guide to SEO for e-commerce websites

• How to stand out in an over-saturated market

• User-generated content (UGC) examples + how to use it

YT Video: How to rank no. 1 on Google: Ecommerce SEO secrets

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

You don’t need to invent something new to build a big brand.

Sometimes, you need to tell a better story.

Take oat milk. It’s been around for years.
Tastes good. Best for the planet. Easy to make.

But for a long time, no one cared... until Oatly came in.

They didn’t change anything but how other brands showed it.
Instead of selling oat milk as a boring health drink, they made it exciting.
Bold ads. Strong opinions. A voice that stood out.

Suddenly, oat milk became a movement.

Oatly won hearts and built a $10 billion brand doing it.

The Big Idea:

Oatly’s Activism Marketing

Most brands play it safe by trying to be liked by everyone.

Oatly did the opposite by fighting in the dairy industry and making it fun.

Instead of asking people to buy oat milk directly, they framed a story around it. Something like, it’s like milk, but made for humans.

That one line caused a stir. Milk companies weren’t happy.

But Oatly didn’t back down. They leaned in and told people that milk hurts the planet and oat milk is better and convinced them to switch sides.

That’s what activism marketing is.

It’s when a brand stands for something bigger than its product. In Oatly’s case, the mission was to help people (and the planet) by ditching cow’s milk.

• They printed climate facts on their cartons.

• They ran weird, funny ads that didn’t feel like ads.

• They used their packaging like a protest sign.

And they kept saying the same thing, over and over, people felt something.

It wasn’t just about oat milk anymore. It was about joining a cause.

And that’s why it worked.

Behind the Magic:

Playing the Opposite Game

Oatly didn’t just build a product. They built a point of view.

They didn’t market oat milk like everyone else. They made it feel like a protest, a campaign, and a late-night chat... all rolled into one.

1. They didn’t play it safe. They picked a side.

Most brands try to avoid controversy.
They write safe copy. Neutral tone. Generic slogans.

The result is that no one remembers them.

Oatly knew that to be remembered, they had to be loud and clear.

They looked at the dairy industry and did the opposite.

They used black-and-white messaging, called out dairy as bad for the planet, and made milk look like an outdated idea. It was risky, and they got sued.

And this is one such ad:

EBC: EWHA [Brand Communication]

But they also got headlines.

They sparked debates and attracted people who believed in the same thing.

2. They used their packaging like a protest sign.

Oatly treated every part of it like a storytelling opportunity.

Their cartons talked like a real person instead of just listing ingredients.

You would see bold fonts, cheeky jokes, and stories squeezed between barcodes. They even used the side panels to rant about the food system.

It made their product fun to hold. Fun to read and fun to share.

Check this one:

Behance

People posted pictures of oat milk cartons like they were T-shirts.

Because the packaging had a personality.

That is wise marketing because packaging is free media. It travels to fridges, offices, and cafes and becomes part of the customer’s daily life.

3. They made the brand feel like a friend.

Oatly didn’t act like a polished brand. They acted like a quirky friend with strong opinions, cracked jokes, and admitted mistakes.

They made weird creative choices, like airing a Super Bowl ad where the CEO stood in a field and awkwardly sang... Wow no cow.

People hated it. But they also remembered it.

And that’s the point. Oatly didn’t chase perfection.

They chased realness and understood that today’s consumers don’t trust brands that feel too polished. They want honesty, fun, and vibes.

4. They turned critics into marketing fuel.

When Oatly got sued by the dairy lobby in Sweden, they didn’t go quiet.

They printed the lawsuit on posters. And then they made fun of it.

The move was clever. It made the dairy industry look threatened.

And it made Oatly look like the brave underdog. They also once received hate mail calling them oat propaganda. They turned that into a T-shirt.

Here’s one such an incident:

Business Insider

This kind of confidence doesn’t just create buzz. It earns respect because most brands get scared of bad press. Oatly? They made it work for them.

5. They sold a mission.

At its core, Oatly wasn’t selling a drink. They were selling an identity.

Buying oat milk wasn’t just about taste or health.

It was about choosing a side in a broken food system.
It was about climate change.
It was about standing for something better.

And they made that very clear. They printed climate facts and launched bold ad campaigns calling for transparency in the food industry.

They even got banned from running certain ads and used that ban as part of their story. Customers didn’t just want oat milk anymore.

They wanted Oatly.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

• GOAL: Build a Mission-Led Brand That People Remember and Share

Mission-led brand building

STEP 1:
Pick Your Bigger Than the Product Mission

Decide the one massive issue your product touches.

That is what you will rally people around. For example:

• If you build a productivity tool, is it fighting burnout culture?

• If you run a skincare brand, are you pushing back on toxic beauty standards?

• If you make a finance app → Are you helping people escape debt cycles?

Here's how you can do this:

• Write this out in one sentence.

• Say it out loud. You are on the right track if it sounds like a tweet that would get retweeted.

• Repeat it in every public touchpoint (bio, packaging, website, emails, posts).

STEP 2:
Build a Brand Voice That Feels Human

Ditch the corporate tone. Write and speak like a bold, opinionated friend.

• Pick 3 words your brand voice should feel like (e.g., Honest, Weird, Warm).

• Rewrite your homepage, product descriptions, or emails in that tone.

• Inject personality into unexpected places: 404 pages, confirmation emails...

Start a Voice of Brand doc in Notion and build from there.

STEP 3:
Use Your Packaging/Interface as a Message Board

Every product surface, physical or digital, should tell a story or trigger curiosity.

• Add a bold one-liner, a founder note, or an anti-industry fact on your box if it's physical. Use quirky empty states, onboarding copy, or footer text to make users smile if digital.

Oatly didn’t design packaging. They designed experiences that talk back.

STEP 4:
Turn Customer Screenshots & Haters into Content

Use public reactions, love or hate, as content gold.

• Got a funny/angry DM? Post it and share your response.

• Did someone call your product weird? Make a meme out of it.

• A loyal customer praised you? Turn it into a mini-story or customer spotlight.

It builds trust. It shows you are real. And it makes your brand feel alive.

STEP 5:
Run a Bold Campaign That Signals What You Stand For

Launch a mini-campaign that’s more about your values than your product.

• Create a social post/ad/blog/video about something broken in your industry.

• Partner with a small organization that's doing good in that space.

• Add a banner, product badge, or limited edition UI change to match the message.

Oatly’s climate transparency campaign wasn’t subtle.

It was loud, honest, and messy. And that’s what made it feel different.

Tools to Make This Easy

• Copywriting: 
  Hemingway App, ChatGPT (for tone testing), Typefully (for writing in public)

• Design: 
  Canva, Figma, or just text-based assets (like Oatly’s black/white posters)

• Distribution: 
  Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Email newsletter, YouTube Shorts

• Feedback Loop: 
  Typeform for collecting emotional responses from early users

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• Craft your best brand voice: Expert tips, examples, and templates

• What is user-generated content: How to get and use it

• 5 tips to create bold marketing that stands out

YT Video: Developing your brand voice

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Most people think of salad as something you eat when trying to be healthy.

It's not something mouth-watering and worth $15.

But it doesn't feel that way when you walk into a Sweetgreen.

There’s music playing. The space feels clean and modern.
The bowls even have names like Guacamole Greens and Shroomami.

And people? They aren’t just there to eat. They love being there.

How did a simple salad shop turn into a billion-dollar brand that feels more like Apple than McDonald’s? Because Sweetgreen didn’t win with ads or discounts.

Let’s break it down.

The Big Idea:

Making Boring Salad The Cool Food

Let’s rewind to 2007. Three college students were tired of eating unhealthy fast food. They wanted something quick but also healthy and fresh. One of them was like:

That simple thought turned into a big idea.

They opened the first Sweetgreen as a small salad shop that cared just as much about experience as it did about ingredients.

Today, Sweetgreen is a billion-dollar brand.

It’s not just known for salads but for being stylish and high-tech.
People brag about eating there. So, what made this salad shop so different?

They acted like a tech startup.
They used:

• Data to know what customers wanted

• Tech to build loyalty

• Storytelling to connect with people

• And community to make every store feel local

Behind the Magic:

Salad = ❌ Healthy Lunch ✅ Tech Product

So now we know what made Sweetgreen different.

Let’s look at how they pulled it off. Sweetgreen built a system around food powered by technology, data, and a story. And this is what they did:

1. They Collected Data Like a SaaS Company

Most food chains guess what works. Sweetgreen didn’t guess.

They tracked by not leaving anything to chance.

They used tech to know things like:

• What bowls people bought the most

• Which toppings were popular in which cities

• What times have people come in

• And even how the weather affected orders

For example, when it was cold, more people ordered warm bowls.

So instead of guessing what to offer next, Sweetgreen used real-time data to change the menu and update supply chains.

They even designed new products based on customer behavior. This data-driven approach helped them make decisions quickly and efficiently.

It’s like having a roadmap to your customer’s needs + giving yourself an edge over competitors still guessing.

2. They Built an App That Felt Personal

Sweetgreen’s app wasn’t just for ordering food. It became their growth engine and made customers feel like part of a community.

And look at these on the play store:

Sweetgreen app reviews and downloads on Play Store

They added features that created a deeper connection with users:

• Rewards for loyal customers

• Quick reorders of favorite bowls

• A tracking feature showing the user’s envir

• onmental impact (how much plastic they saved)

By creating a personalized experience, Sweetgreen encouraged repeat visits. They used the app to reward loyalty and keep customers engaged.

They also made sure their app felt human.

They used it to build relationships, not just to take orders.

3. They Told Stories, Not Just Ingredients

Remember the last time you ordered a salad in a restaurant? What was the waiter's response when you asked for the best choice?

You might probably hear something like kale and quinoa. That's it.

But, you might hear Sweetgreen say, this kale is from a family farm in California. The quinoa? Grown in Colorado by farmers we know by name.

By telling the story of their ingredients, Sweetgreen made their product more than just food. They built an emotional connection with customers.

People felt they supported farmers, a sustainable lifestyle, and a better future.

They served meaning.

This approach goes beyond your typical marketing message. It’s about showing customers they are part of something bigger than just buying a product.

It’s a shared experience.

4. They Made Stores Feel Local

Sweetgreen didn’t just drop the same store design everywhere.

Every location had a local flavor.

• Murals by local artists

• Menu items inspired by the city

Even though it was a national brand, each store felt like it belonged to the neighborhood. Sweetgreen gave its customers a sense of ownership like they were part of the place, not just a transaction.

For example, their menu on the website won’t show up until you pick the location. It means, they do not maintain the same menu across all their stores:

And this can work online, too.

Your community can be just as important as the product itself.

5. They Thought Like a Tech Startup, Not a Restaurant

Sweetgreen’s founders didn’t come from the food world. They came from the startup world, where the focus remains on innovation and scaling.

Instead of following the typical restaurant industry rules, they wanted to build the best system for healthy food delivery at scale.

Sweetgreen wasn’t afraid to use cutting-edge tech. They hired engineers and tech experts to help build a simplified customer experience.

They even acquired a robotics startup in 2021 to automate salad-making for the future. That made them more like a tech company than a traditional restaurant.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

Sweetgreen’s strategy combines data-driven personalization, emotional storytelling, and community engagement…

… All wrapped in a tech-enabled model that improves customer experience.

Here’s how you can do it too:

Sweetgreen's Marketing Blueprint

Step 1:
Set Clear Marketing Goals

Before diving into the tactics, outline your goals.

This will guide every decision you make:

• Brand Awareness: Get your product in front of your target audience.

• Customer Acquisition: Convert leads into paying customers.

• Customer Retention: Keep your customers engaged and coming back.

• Community Building: Foster a loyal user base.

Step 2:
Understand Your Customer with Data

• Use tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or Mixpanel to track how users interact with your product, website, or app.

What pages do they visit the most?
What products or features do they spend the most time on?
Where do they drop off or abandon the funnel?

• Use surveys, polls, and customer interviews to understand why they make decisions (buying habits, pain points, etc.).

Ask your customers directly about their experiences.
Use tools like Typeform or SurveyMonkey for responses.

• Segment your audience based on demographics, behaviors, or preferences. It helps you create personalized content and offers.

Objective: Use this data to personalize your marketing efforts and improve customer experience.

Step 3:
Build a Personalized Customer Experience

• Sweetgreen’s app suggests favorite items based on past choices. Try offering personalized recommendations in your product, website, or email sequences.

Onboard customers based on their specific needs (based on data collected in Step 2) if you have a SaaS product. If you sell products, recommend items based on previous purchases or preferences.

• Send customized content and offers based on customer behavior (e.g., abandoned cart emails, usage reminders, etc.).

Use app notifications or website pop-ups to notify customers about personalized deals or new features.

• Reward customers for repeat purchases or for engaging with your content. Offer points, discounts, or exclusive perks.

Objective: Make your users feel valued and unique, encouraging loyalty and repeat business.

Step 4: 
Tell a Compelling Story About Your Brand

• Share your “why” - why did you start your business? Why is your product important? What values does your company stand for?

Sweetgreen shares the story of their farmers and their impact on the community. You can share the story of your team, mission, or the problem your product solves.

• Blog posts, social media, and videos should reflect your brand’s purpose and the positive impact it aims to create.

• Show behind-the-scenes content and customer success stories to build trust and connect emotionally with your audience.

• Show testimonials, user-generated content, and case studies to show your brand’s impact.

Objective: Build an emotional connection with your audience that makes them want to support your mission.

Step 5: Foster a Community Around Your Brand

• Create groups or participate in relevant communities (Facebook, Slack, Discord, etc.) where your audience hangs out. Share valuable content, answer questions, and interact with followers regularly.

• Host online events (or in-person meetups, if possible) to connect with your audience, share expertise, and answer questions. Invite customers to participate or speak about their experiences.

• Encourage users to share their own stories about your product. Offer incentives (discounts, recognition, etc.) for content creation.

Objective: Make your customers feel part of a tribe, driving brand loyalty and creating advocates to spread the word about your product.

Step 6: Innovate and Stay Agile with Tech

• Look for opportunities to automate parts of your marketing. Tools like HubSpot, Zapier, and Mailchimp allow you to automate email campaigns, lead nurturing, and other processes.

• A simplified digital experience is key. Ensure your website and app are easy to navigate, fast, and optimized for mobile users.

• Don’t hesitate to experiment with newer channels (TikTok, AI-driven tools) to reach your audience. Innovate and find unique ways to engage.

Objective: Use technology to scale and create efficiencies that allow you to focus on building relationships with your audience.

Step 7: Measure and Optimize Your Efforts

• Monitor metrics like customer retention, customer lifetime value (CLTV), cost per acquisition (CPA), and conversion rates. Tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and CRM systems will help you do this.

• Regularly run A/B tests on emails, landing pages, and ad campaigns to see what works best.

• Then, use this data to optimize your campaigns. If something isn’t working, don’t hesitate to pivot or try a new approach.

Objective: Continuously improve your strategy based on real-time feedback and data.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• Data-driven marketing: How to get started

• The definitive guide to brand storytelling (+free template)

• How to build a successful online community

• A complete guide to marketing metrics

YT Video: Business storytelling made easy

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

From enrolling for an event in schools to filling out job applications online, everything has become so simple that it doesn't feel like a chore.

There’s a good chance that most of these forms were from Typeform.

What’s even more impressive than the total users is how Typeform got to a position that comes first to mind when one wants to create a form.

They didn't bombard people with ads or cold calls like other brands.

Instead, they grew by making their product irresistible and shareable.

The Big Idea:

Why is Typeform Everywhere?

You have seen Typeform before, even if you didn’t realize it.

Maybe it was a fun customer feedback form on a website.
Maybe you filled out a survey from your favorite brand.
Or it was an engaging job application that didn’t feel boring.

Typeform created the whole experience. That experience, with its smooth design and ease of use, quickly turned their forms into something people wanted to share.

Today, Typeform has over 500 million users.

They didn't get that by spending millions on ads.

It was because of their PLG strategy.

But how did they pull this off?

Behind the Magic:

Growth Levers Behind 500M+ Users

One of the challenging strategies to crack is PLG.

Winning in this strategy is nearly impossible unless the product solves a core user problem and the user doesn't recognize it instantly but with added value.

Here's how Typeform did this.

1. The Freemium Model:
Letting People Play Before Paying

One of the smartest moves Typeform made was giving a freemium model that provided value from the get-go.

Instead of pushing users to buy before they could even try the product, Typeform opened up its platform and allowed users to build and share forms for free.

And this is their response to one of frequesntly asked questions:

But the freemium plan wasn’t just a stripped-down version. Users got more functionalities, so they got to test the core product and see the value firsthand.

But, of course, there were limits.

The free plan allowed users up to 10 responses per month.

But for serious use, users upgraded their freemium account to premium for features like branding removal, logic jumps, and more responses.

It worked so well because:

• No risk for the user: People can see if they can find the product valuable without any pressure before making a purchase.

• Clear upgrade path: Once users hit the limits, they need the paid features. The value was evident.

• Virality driven by necessity: As users started sharing their beautiful forms, they often encouraged others to sign up to create their own.

2. Embeddable UX:
Seamless Integration for Maximum Exposure

Typeform wasn’t just a tool people used in isolation.

It was a product designed to be embedded everywhere.

The embeddable feature meant users could integrate their forms directly into their websites, blogs, and newsletters. What made this so good is:

• The form became a part of someone else's brand.

• No redirects or annoying pop-ups

• No loud branding unless you were paying for it

Because of this, Typeform’s product didn’t just sit on a page. It lived within other websites and became a natural part of their ecosystem.

Whenever someone filled out a form on someone else’s site, they got exposed to Typeform without leaving the page.

This low-barrier, simplified experience did several things:

• Increased user engagement: Users stayed on the site, interacting with Typeform without interruption.

• Higher conversion rates: More people filled out the forms, which led to more user sign-ups.

• Organic exposure: Typeform got exposed to new audiences who may not have found it otherwise.

3. Designing for Sharing:
Product as a Marketing Tool

Here’s where Typeform stood out.

Every form they created wasn’t just a utility but a shareable asset.

Typeform focused more on designing forms that people wanted to share.

Instead of the traditional, clunky forms most people dreaded, Typeform made theirs look beautiful, fun, and interactive.

Each form wasn’t just functional but an experience.

I mean, think about it.

How often have you seen a visually appealing form that made you say, “Wow, I need to try that!”? That’s what Typeform was banking on.

They ensured their forms felt more like mini websites - one question at a time with beautiful layouts, clean design, and seamless transitions.

For example, look at this job post on X accepting fill ups on Typeform:

& imagine many others doing the same…

This design focus made it easy for users to love the product and want to share it.

This strategy turned their user base into a powerful marketing channel. Users created and shared them, not just filled them.

Every time someone shared a Typeform, it was like a free advertisement.

Typeform’s PLG strategy was to build a product that markets itself through its users.

By using a freemium model, making the UX embeddable, and designing sharable forms, Typeform achieved what most brands can only dream of.

Give people a reason to use and share your product.

Make the experience so good that they can’t help but pass it along.

Most products may grow by playing a wise marketing game, but the successful ones grow because their users want to help spread the word.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

• Let your goal be to drive organic growth and user sign-ups without relying more on paid ads. And to make that happen:

Product-Led Growth Cycle

1. Freemium Launch That Hooks

Offer a free plan that shows off your core product without limits on experience, only on scale.

• Let users try the full UI/UX (like logic jumps, visuals, integrations).

• Limit volume (e.g., 10 entries/month, 100 API calls/month, etc.).

• Add light watermarking with your brand (just like Powered by Typeform).

Tool stack: Stripe (for tiered pricing), Paddle, or Gumroad.

2. Make It Embeddable in 2 Clicks

Build simple embed code users can copy-paste into their website, blog, or Notion page.

• Create a “Copy Embed Code” button in your product.

• Allow customization (e.g., size, colors) so it fits anywhere.

• Add a “Made with [your tool]” footer in the embed.

Tool stack: Your embed widget + a docs page explaining it simply.

3. Design for Sharing (even before users ask)

Turn every output created by your product into a shareable asset. Make users look good when they share.

• Use clean design and animations.

• Add a “Preview” mode so users can show off what they’ve made.

• Add native share buttons: Twitter, LinkedIn, email, link copy.

• Include a mini badge: “Built with [your product]” → link to your homepage.

Tool stack: ShareThis or AddThis for share buttons. Native analytics.

4. Viral Loop Trigger

Turn one user into many with a built-in viral loop.

• Every shared form, quiz, dashboard, etc. includes a CTA like:

• “Want to create one like this? Start free →”

• Auto-create templates from what users build (with their permission) and feature them in a public gallery.

Tool stack: ReferralCandy or Viral Loops (optional). Or build a simple custom CTA.

5. Highlight Use Cases Publicly

Show how real users are using your product in cool, useful ways.

• Every week, share 1 user creation on X, LinkedIn, or in your newsletter.

• Add a “User of the Week” section to your homepage.

• Ask power users to write a 2-line blurb about why they love the tool.

Tool stack: Screenshots + social media scheduler (like Buffer or Hypefury).

Track these simple metrics weekly:

• New free users

• Free-to-paid conversion rate

• % of users who embed or share their creation

• of signups via referral/shared links

Your goal isn’t just to get users.
It’s to make users proud to show off your product.

That’s the foundation of any product-led marketing strategy.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• The ultimate guide to product-led growth marketing

• How to create viral loops to boost customer acquisition

• Secrets of Organic Marketing in 2025

YT Video: How I built a $300M startup with no degree.

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Did you ever feel guilty throwing away a plastic bottle?

You pause for a second. You know it is not the right thing to do.

But the trash can is right there.

That little moment... of guilt and confusion, and I’ll do better next time...
Blueland turned that exact feeling into a full-blown business.

They didn’t launch with a long list of features.

They didn’t brag about tech. Their philosophy is that if you are a part of the problem, you should also be a part of the solution.

And when they sold this idea, everything changed.

Because in a world of fast shipping, low prices, and plastic everything,

Blueland made people care.

It's not just about clean counters but clean oceans, too.

The Big Idea:

Saving Earth The Better Way

Most cleaning brands try to win with strong chemicals or stronger claims.

Blueland didn’t. They didn’t just sell soap or surface spray but a belief.

A belief that you don’t need to trash the planet to clean your home.

It sounds simple. But it hit people deep.
That's because guilt is a powerful emotion.

We all know plastic is bad.
We all want to do better.
But most of us don’t know how.

Blueland gave people that how. And even more, they gave them a reason.

They may sell products, but their pitch was:

• Look how much plastic you throw out every year.

• Now, look at what we made instead.

• You can help just by switching.

That message landed hard among everybody.

Suddenly, it wasn’t about the product.

It was about being part of something good.

And customers? They didn’t just buy.

They believed.

Behind the Magic:

Turning guilt and trust into brand loyalty

Blueland didn’t just sell cleaning tablets. They sold a new way of living - one that made people feel proud of their small everyday choices.

Their magic wasn’t in price cuts or product specs.

It was in how they made people feel: Helpful. Hopeful. Heroic.

Here’s how they pulled it off!

1. They turned guilt into emotional marketing

Blueland knew that guilt was powerful, but it could be tricky.

Too much of it, and people tune out.
Too little, and they don’t act.

They hit the sweet spot.

Instead of telling people how they are killing the earth and sounding so rude, Blueland told them how they can save the planet the better way.

Their landing pages and ads didn’t throw numbers without context.

They framed it in a way that made people the story's center. For example, one person throws away 30+ cleaning bottles per year. Now, imagine if we all stopped.

Here’s another on their website:

That’s a call to action. The brand took a vague, global problem, plastic pollution, and made it personal, measurable, and fixable.

2. They got Shark Tank to do the heavy lifting

Blueland didn’t launch on Shark Tank.

They leveraged Shark Tank.

The founder’s pitch revolved around storytelling.

She led with a real moment: standing in her kitchen, holding another plastic bottle, wondering if her newborn’s future would be worse because of it.

Blueland Founder’s message

That moment created empathy. And that empathy created buy-in.

And the Sharks, plus millions of viewers, listened. The best part is that credibility didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling.

Blueland repurposed the Shark Tank clip across their entire funnel:

• Ads with investor quotes

• Landing pages with a Shark Tank badge

• Email copy that mentioned investor validation

They understood something many founders miss:
Validation isn’t a one-time event. It’s a long-term asset.

3. They made their brand look like Glossier

Blueland broke every visual rule of traditional cleaning brands.

Where most use bold reds and blues, they use soft earth tones.

For example, they use (blue = ocean) acorss their website and in some product packagings and (brown = land) in a few product packagings.

Click here

They use white space, whereas most use messy text and loud claims. Where most hide the product under a sink, Blueland made it that you would want to show.

That was the strategy.

They were creating a category, and the brand needed to look like something new.

People don’t always read product descriptions.
But they feel the brand in the first 3 seconds.

Blueland’s design gave customers pride.

Design isn’t just for aesthetics.

It tells customers what kind of story they are stepping into. And Blueland’s story was: You are someone who does things differently and better.

4. They built every message around a mission

From the moment you hear about Blueland, their mission is everywhere: Eliminate single-use plastic. That line isn’t just in a slide deck or the About page.

It’s in ads.
It’s in product packaging.
It’s even in the TikTok captions and Instagram bios.
It’s the north star for every piece of communication.

And because it’s so simple, people repeat it.

That's the point - A great mission should be memorable.

It should feel like something a customer could say as if it were their own.

When customers repeat your mission, they spread your message without needing to sell anything. That’s how movements grow.

Most startups write their mission once and forget it.

Blueland repeated theirs until it stuck.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

This is a repeatable playbook for loyalty and emotional connection.

It worked for Blueland. It also works for Apple, Oatly, and Notion.

The difference is that they sold identity shifts.

And now, so can you.

Steps to build your brand strategy

» Craft a Mission That Feels Personal (Not Corporate)

Don’t write a mission statement for investors. Write it for real people. The template could be: We help [X type of person] do [Y goal] without [Z pain]. For example:

• For a writing tool: We help indie creators write faster without burning out.

• For a finance tracker: We help solo founders manage money without spreadsheets or stress.

Checklist:

• Can your users repeat your mission in 7 words or less?

• Does it solve an emotional problem, not just a functional one?

» Use Emotional Truth, Not Just Logic

People don’t always act based on facts.

They act based on how those facts make them feel.

• Write 3 truths your users feel guilty about (e.g. wasting money, eating junk, procrastinating).

• Reframe your product as a small step toward redemption, not a total life overhaul.

» Create Your Shark Tank Moment

Even if you are not pitching on TV, you can build social proof that sells.

Some of my options:

• Get quoted by a micro-influencer or newsletter in your niche

• Ask a respected user to share a 20-second video testimonial

• Post a before/after case study with real numbers

Then, use it everywhere:

• On your homepage

• In your onboarding email

• As a hook in your paid ads

Don’t just show what people say. Share why they trust you.

» Design a Brand That’s Share Shelf Ready

You don’t need to be a designer. But your brand should be easy to spot, easy to trust, and easy to love. Some design rules are:

• Use one bold color or one calming palette, but don’t mix both

• Stick to 1–2 clean fonts (no script fonts)

• Show your product being used in the real world (on a desk, in a kitchen, on someone’s phone

Your goal isn’t to make your brand cool.
Your goal is to make people feel proud when they share it.

» Repeat Your Mission in Every Funnel Step

Your user should see your mission in:

• Your email header

• Your website’s first 5 words

• Your Twitter/X bio

• Your packaging or digital experience

• Even your exit-intent popups

The mission doesn’t change. Only the format does.

Mission → Problem → Product → Redemption

If your brand helps users become the ones they wish they were, that’s not a pitch.

That’s a movement.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• Create a brand style guide for your business

• 30 brand style guide examples I love (for visual inspiration)

• Color psychology: How to use it in marketing and branding

YT Video: How To Use Color Psychology In Marketing And Branding

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Most people think Canva grew because it’s easy to use.

Well, that’s only partly true.

The actual reason is that Canva nailed distribution.

And they did all that without spending a fortune on ads.

They didn’t wait for people to discover their product.
They built a system where people found Canva naturally everywhere.
On search engines, social media, friends circle, etc.,

That was the result of a well-executed strategy using:

• SEO (search engine optimization)

• UGC (user-generated content)

• And templates (lots of them)

The Big Idea:

Canva’s Growth Engine

Canva grew because they figured out when and how to get in front of people.

They understood that people don’t search for tools. They search for solutions because nobody types like they need a design platform. They type things like:

• Event poster template

• Invoice example

• Create a YouTube thumbnail

These are real problems.

And Canva made sure they showed up first every time.

They built:

• Thousands of template pages, each matching a specific search

• Helpful blog posts that solved design-related questions

• A system where users could create and share their designs (which also ranked on Google)

This strategy created a strong SEO moat.

Even if a new tool popped up, Canva was already everywhere.
Every design niche. Every content type. Every long-tail search.

They built an engine that brought users in daily for free.
Not ads. Not partnerships. Just smart, scalable content.

Wait... How did Canva do all this?

Behind the Magic:

Canva’s Simple SEO Playbook

Canva didn’t just write content and hope for the best.

They used a smart system that any founder or indie hacker can learn from.

1. They didn’t chase keywords — they built for intent

Most people writing for SEO focus on the big numbers. High-volume keywords like graphic design tools or online editor look great.

But they don’t always bring the right traffic. Canva went the other way.

They found low-volume keywords that showed clear intent. If someone searches for a funeral program template, they are not browsing. They need a solution.

Right now. So, Canva built a page with templates for that exact need.

These kinds of searches are called long-tail keywords. For example, these are the results I got on Google when I searched for social media templates:

They may not get millions of searches, but they bring action-ready users.

That gave Canva more qualified traffic, and these search terms led to specific landing pages, not just the homepage.

And this is the organic traffic of Canva (as per Ahrefs):

So, users landed where they needed to be, saw a solution, and clicked Edit in Canva. It increased signups and reduced drop-offs.

The whole flow felt smooth and helpful, not promotional.

You know Canva also owns a blog page?

Click Here

The topics they cover are not random because the content team picks those with a clear path to a design template.

So after reading the post, readers could click a link that said, “Use this template,” and start working in Canva. This made the blog a helpful starting point.

It also created internal links to Canva’s main template pages.

That helped boost SEO across the site. Another smart thing is that Canva kept their blog posts short, visual, and actionable, just like the rest of their product.

This made the transition from reading to doing feel natural, not forced.

2. They used templates as their content strategy

Instead of writing articles and hoping people stick around, Canva made the product do the work. Each template on Canva lives on its URL.

That means Google can index thousands (even millions) of unique pages, each solving a different user problem.

But they didn’t just dump templates on a page. They organized them with clear titles, descriptions, and categories that matched search terms.

For example:

• Valentine’s Day Card Template pages rank before February

• School Certificate Template pages spike during graduation season

That’s wise seasonal planning.

It gave Canva evergreen traffic and also helped them ride trending moments. Templates are also visual, which makes them easier to rank on image search, too.

Canva got traffic from Google Images, Pinterest, and Facebook shares.

And since people could start editing right away, the conversion from page view to user was fast and friction-free.

This turned design templates into a serious content engine.

3. They turned their users into content creators

Here's where Canva stood out. Most SaaS tools lock down what users create. But Canva did the opposite by letting people share their designs.

Whenever someone made a flyer, poster, invite, or resume and shared it publicly, Canva generated a new page.

That page:

• Could be seen by others

• Included a button to “Edit this design”

• Lived on Canva’s domain and could be found by Google

So, users helped Canva grow each time they created and shared something.

And this wasn’t a one-time thing. It created a flywheel:

1. The user creates a design

2. Share it with a link

3. New people visit the link

4. Some start using Canva

5. Those users create more content

Over time, users grew Canva’s SEO and word-of-mouth channels.

This also built social proof. Seeing live designs made by others gave new users more trust in Canva’s quality and ease of use.

Canva created a loop to grow where:

• SEO brought in users

• Templates got them to take action

• UGC brought in more users

• And content tied everything together

And you don’t need a big team to do this.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

Canva did this with billions of templates.

But you can do this with 10 solid ones, and grow from there.

Canva's SEO Strategy For You

1. Start with intent, not volume

• Google your product name + “template,” “example,” or “how to.”

• Note the auto-suggestions. These are search terms people use.

• Pick 10–20 that show purchase or usage intent.

For example:

If you built an AI resume builder, your users might search:

• Cover letter for a data analyst job

• Internship resume with no experience

• Free resume templates for freshers

2. Build one SEO-optimized template page per use case

Each search term gets its landing page. Structure the page like this:

• Headline with keyword

• 2–3 sample templates (real, usable)

• Quick intro (100–150 words) explaining the use

• CTA button: “Use This Template Now”

• Internal link to blog or related template pages

Use Webflow, Notion, or Framer to build pages fast without coding.

3. Turn your product into a traffic engine

If your product lets people create something (documents, designs, videos, apps):

• Let users share their creations publicly.

• Add a “Remix this” or “Edit This” button to those pages.

• Index those links on your domain (like yourtool.com/designs/xyz)

This creates a snowball of content → traffic → signups → more content.

Notion, Figma, and Canva all did this to grow like crazy.

4. Launch a mini blog with clear how-to articles

Write 5 simple posts based on actual Google searches.

Use this format:

• Start with a common question (ex: “How do I write a resignation letter?”)

• Explain it in simple words

• Add 1–2 templates users can edit

• Add internal links to your template pages

Repeat this format for 10–20 use cases.

Don’t overthink, write like you are texting a friend.

5. Add image SEO + Pinterest

Canva didn’t ignore visuals. You shouldn’t either.

• Every template page should include a featured image (template preview).

• Name your image files clearly: wedding-invite-template.png

• Add “alt text” to match the search keyword.

Then:

• Pin these images to a Pinterest board with links to your pages.

• Tools like the Tailwind App can help automate this.

Image search + Pinterest will bring in long-term visual traffic for free.

6. Systemize it all in Notion

Create a Notion doc like this:

Use this to track your efforts and keep it simple.

What This Strategy Does:

• Brings traffic through low-competition, high-intent keywords

• Converts users through templates and real use cases

• Scales content through user-generated designs

• Keeps costs low (no ads, no full team needed)

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• What is SEO in digital marketing?

• A beginner's guide to keyword research for bloggers

• How to optimize images for search engines and users

• Top 10 Offshore Graphic Design Agencies in 2025

YT Video: Keyword Research Tutorial: 3-Step Process for All Levels

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

A couple of days back, we launched GrowthRoles on Product Hunt.

One of the not-so-mandatory requirements was to upload a short video walking visitors through what my product is about.

Right under the main heading, there was LOOM within (). Not others, why?

I couldn't stop but wonder how best this should have been to get exposure on a 510k+ monthly organic traffic site... for FREE.

But Loom didn’t go viral because it was an easy tool.

It went viral because they nailed distribution.

The Big Idea:

The Smart Bet Loom Made Early On

When Loom launched, there were already other screen recorders.

You had QuickTime. You had Zoom. You even had tools like Camtasia.

But none of them were instant.

You had to record, download, upload, and then share.

Loom cut all that out.

• You could record straight from your browser.

• You didn’t need to install a complete app.

• And you could share the video with just one link.

Their Chrome extension made it feel like Loom was just part of the internet.

No setup. No delay. Just click → record → send.

But that’s not all. They also pushed an unexplored idea that you don’t need to waste time in meetings. You can record a quick Loom.

That one belief, send a Loom instead of a meeting, changed how people worked, especially in startups, where time is tight and speed matters.

Soon, it spread like wildfire.

But how did Loom pull all this?

Behind the Magic:

How Did Loom Become So Well-Known?

Alright! So now we know what Loom did.

Let’s look at how they pulled it off step-by-step.

1. They Used the Chrome Extension Like a Front Door

Most startups build a product first. Later, they think about how to get people to use it. But Loom started with a Chrome extension, not a big, heavy app.

Click Here

That's because a Chrome extension is:

• Easy to install

• Easy to understand

• Easy to share

People didn’t have to download anything that took much effort.

They do not have to create an account up front. And the whole process, from installing it to recording and shipping the video, was smooth.

Just one button in the browser that said: Record with Loom.

That tiny button became their biggest growth lever.

And every time someone used it and shared a video?

Their coworkers saw the Loom logo on the player and wanted to try it.

That’s how Loom spread - video by video.

2. They Sold a New Behavior, Not Just a Feature

Loom didn’t win because it had fancy buttons.

It won because it sold a story people wanted to believe.

If Loom positioned like it helped people record their screens, it would have been challenging for the team to differentiate.

Instead, they were like - Don’t waste time on meetings. Just send a Loom.

They weren’t just solving a tech problem. They were solving a work culture problem - one that annoyed people every single day.

That message hit hard for startups, remote teams, and fast-paced builders. These people hate wasting time. They want to move fast and explain things quickly.

By positioning Loom as a better way to work, not just a better tool, it became something users felt good about sharing.

3. They Made Onboarding So Easy, It Felt Like a Game

Most SaaS onboarding flows are slow, boring, or overwhelming.

Loom didn’t do any of that. Their onboarding was simple.

Click the icon. Record. Stop. Share the link.

You will have it saved in the extensions section on your Chrome page. You just have to click on Loom in the extension section and you are good to go.

That’s it. You didn’t need a tour and didn’t get asked 10 setup questions.

There wasn’t even a sign-up wall up front in the early days.

Here’s how we start looming today:

What made it stick was that you got instant results. The person on the other end of the video said, Thanks, that was super clear! Or This saved me so much time.

That kind of feedback gave users a quick win. Those small moments are what build long-term habits. And habits are what drive product-led growth.

Good onboarding isn’t about more screens.

It’s about delivering value with fewer steps.

4. They Let the Product Market Itself

Loom’s well-planned growth move might have been the simplest.

Every video had Loom’s branding on the player.

So when one person used Loom to send a video, everyone who watched that video saw the logo, the design, and the product name.

It was smooth, helpful, and didn’t feel like an ad.

That meant every Loom user was bringing in new users without even trying. This kind of built-in distribution is the most underrated growth tools in the early stage.

Loom used the product to spread the word - no ads or marketing teams.

Loom didn’t just grow fast because they got lucky.

They engineered their growth by making:

• Setup friction-free (Chrome extension)

• Their message is clear and emotional (no more meetings!)

• Onboarding is super rewarding (instant results + praise)

• Sharing a built-in feature (product as the ad)

The tools you build might be different. But the playbook works anywhere.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

You don’t need a massive team to grow like Loom. You just need to design a product that spreads as it’s used and build marketing that sells a mission, not a feature list.

Build to Spread Marketing Cycle

Phase 1:
Design for Instant Use (No Setup, No Fluff)

Objective: Build a “one-click wow” experience.

How to do it:

• Launch with a simple format: Chrome extension, Notion template, mobile shortcut, Slack bot, something people can use instantly.

• Avoid logins or forceful onboarding in early versions.

• Ensure users can get a win in under 60 seconds (like sending a Loom link, sharing a template, or previewing a design).

Use tools like Tally.so for frictionless forms, Typedream for fast landing pages, and SaaSFrame to see onboarding flows that convert.

Phase 2:
Make the Product Share Itself

Objective: Turn every use into a mini marketing campaign.

How to do it:

• Add light, friendly branding wherever the product gets shared (like Loom’s video player).

• Offer built-in templates or content that people want to share.

• Add a smart CTA at the end of each share (e.g., “Made with [your product] – Try it in 30 secs”).

If users can’t naturally share your product, create a shareable output around it. For example, if you build a writing tool, help users export blog intros or tweet threads with your watermark.

Phase 3:
Show the “New Way” (Not the Tool)

Objective: Sell the belief system behind your product.

How to do it:

• Start a newsletter, LinkedIn series, or blog around the pain your product solves. Loom did this by showing async-first teams.

• Use real-world language. You could say no more useless meetings instead of improve productivity.

• Gather examples like your users, workflow, or even TikToks showing the before/after.

You can post them on Reddit, Indie Hackers, Twitter, LinkedIn, Slack communities like Trends.vc, or small Telegram/WhatsApp groups.

Phase 4:
Loop in Team Growth Without a Sales Team

Objective: Make it so one user = more users.

How to do it:

• Track when someone shares your product with others. Trigger soft nudges to invite teammates or record one for your client.

• Give bonus features if more people join (Dropbox did this, Notion does this, Loom too).

• Use referral nudges post-success, not at sign-up. Let the user fall in love first.

After they have used it 3 times, you can maybe ask something like: Looks like you are loving this. Want to loop in your cofounder or team?

Optional Booster:
Show, Don’t Sell Campaign

Once you get 50–100 users, do a weekly feature on how they are using your product:

• Create 30-second video case studies

• Post screenshots of user success stories

• Let users teach others how to use it smarter

This creates FOMO and shows real proof.

Plus, it helps users feel like they are part of your journey.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• How to create your own Google Chrome Extension

• Product distribution strategies (with examples)

• How to Copywrite for marketing campaigns

YT Video: 30 Years of Business Knowledge in 2hrs 26mins

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Let’s be honest.

Most delivery apps are convenient… until they are not.

Do you want snacks? It will take 45 minutes.
Need cough syrup? The pharmacy’s not listed.
Want it fast? You will pay extra and still wait.

Gopuff looked at all that and wanted to do it better.

No restaurant partners. No store pickups.
Just stuff people always need... and delivered super fast.

That simple idea helped Gopuff stand out in a competitive space filled with big players like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

So, what exactly made Gopuff different from the start?

And why it worked so well?

The Big Idea:

Gopuff’s Advantage in The Market

At a glance, Gopuff looks like another delivery app. But that’s not what it is.

Where others act like the middleman between you and a store, Gopuff is the store.

Gopuff’s homepage

They own the products and store them in their small warehouses called micro-fulfillment centers. They handle delivery, too.

That helps them deliver snacks, essentials, drinks, and meds in 30 minutes or less better than anyone else. Like most others, they didn’t try to deliver everything.

They picked a tight category, stuff you would usually grab from a convenience store, and focused on speed. That decision made all the difference.

While other apps expanded sideways, Gopuff went deep on one clear offer:

Fast, reliable delivery of everyday essentials.

It’s not a large niche. But it’s one that people use over and over again. That’s how Gopuff created its lane and avoided head-to-head competition with the giants.

How did Gopuff pull this off?

Behind the Magic:

Building a Cannot-Copy Brand

So, how did Gopuff turn a basic idea into a billion-dollar business?

They didn’t just move quickly.

They built a system that let them move quickly, on purpose.

1. They built their mini-warehouses

Instead of working with stores or restaurants like other delivery apps, Gopuff took complete control of the supply chain.

They rented small buildings in each city, stocked them with high-demand products, and used them as mini-warehouses.

They called these micro-fulfillment centers.

This model had a few advantages:

• They always knew what was in stock

• They didn’t have to wait on store workers to pack orders

• They could control how products were stored, packed, and delivered

That made delivery fast and reliable.

Most startups avoid owning inventory because it’s expensive. But for Gopuff, owning it gave them speed and consistency.

And that was the very thing they were promising customers.

2. They focused on one kind of shopping behavior

Gopuff didn’t try to sell everything. They focused on impulse buys and daily needs - the kind of stuff people usually grab from convenience stores:

• Chips, candy, soda

• Cold medicine, allergy meds

• Diapers, wipes, paper towels

• Alcohol (where regulations allowed)

And these are all the categories they currently serve:

These items are:

• Frequently needed

• Easy to store in bulk

• Low cost but high repeat value

Because the product list was tight, they didn’t need giant warehouses.

They didn’t have to manage thousands of suppliers.

That made the business easier to run and scale.

And since people often reorder these items, Gopuff could build habits. When customers needed toothpaste again, they didn’t think twice but opened the app.

This repeat behavior helped them reduce acquisition costs and increase customer lifetime value without needing loyalty programs or deep discounts.

3. They made delivery speed part of their identity

While other apps marketed fast delivery as their unique feature, Gopuff committed to a promise - 30 minutes or less. That wasn’t just marketing.

It became the standard that shaped the entire business model.

It influenced:

• Where they opened warehouses

• How far each driver could travel

• Which products they stocked

• How they routed deliveries

And by setting that 30-minute target, they created a strong mental anchor in the user’s mind. When people wanted something now, Gopuff was the obvious choice.

It’s a simple but powerful move.

They turned a feature (speed) into a brand-defining promise.

The result was customers didn’t compare them to DoorDash or Uber Eats. Gopuff lived in a separate category, the emergency convenience app.

4. They launched in cities where people would use it often

Gopuff didn’t start in major cities like New York or San Francisco.

They began in college towns. That's because college students are:

• Always awake

• Often out of essentials

• Less likely to own a car

• Agree to pay a small fee to avoid the trip

These are all the locations Gopuff is in right now:

That gave Gopuff a reliable customer base that ordered often, at all hours.

And with the data they collected, they fine-tuned their product list and improved delivery zones before expanding to larger markets.

Too many founders go after large markets first. But Gopuff showed the value of starting small, learning fast, and expanding... with confidence.

5. They built the backend to match the promise

Gopuff didn’t just make a promise. They built systems to keep it.

They invested early in logistics tech. These are tools that could:

• Track demand in real time

• Predict which items needed restocking

• Assign the fastest drivers to each delivery

• Optimize routes based on traffic and warehouse location

They designed their warehouses like mini Amazon centers.
They are efficient, organized, and fast to pack.

This behind-the-scenes work made the 30-minute delivery possible.
It’s not flashy, but that's why customers trust the app again and again.

They built their systems so good that they had to rethink about their promise:

Founders often spend time on the product’s front end, like design, marketing. Gopuff’s edge came from what users didn’t see: a quiet system that just worked.

All these moves, like owning the inventory, narrowing the focus, launching in the precise cities, and investing in logistics, made Gopuff hard to copy.

Competitors could build similar apps. But they would also have to build a full warehouse network, hire staff, and run 24/7 operations.

That’s a huge barrier.

And that’s where Gopuff turned a simple idea into a serious advantage.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

You don’t need warehouses or delivery vans to apply Gopuff’s thinking.

What you do need is clarity, focus, and one strong promise.

Here’s how to build that into your marketing:

Steps to Grow Your Startup

Step 1:
Pick a narrow niche, not a wide market

Instead of saying they deliver everything, Gopuff promised to deliver convenience store stuff fast. That narrow focus is what made people remember them.

Do this now:

Write down the one thing your product helps people do better than anyone else. Make it painfully specific. Avoid vague stuff like helps businesses grow or saves time.

Examples:

• Book one-on-one client calls in 15 seconds

• “Create invoices in 3 clicks, no templates needed

• Turn your blog posts into LinkedIn carousels in under a minute

That line becomes your hook.

Use it on your website, social media, and cold emails - like everywhere possible.

Step 2:
Turn your value into a time-based promise

Gopuff didn’t say Fast delivery. They specifically said 30 minutes or less.

That number made all the difference.

Now do this:

Put a number to your promise.

It could be about time saved, results delivered, or actions reduced.

Examples:

• Get your SEO report in under 10 seconds

• Launch a landing page in 2 minutes

• Send your first email campaign in 5 clicks

When people see numbers, they trust you more and remember you longer.

Step 3:
Start with repeat-use customers, not just big markets

Gopuff went after college students, people who ordered again and again.

You want the same: customers who need you often, not just once.

Do this:

Find a group of users who:

• Feel the pain often

• Are willing to pay to avoid the hassle

• Will talk about your tool if it helps

Then focus your content, outreach, and features on them. Forget the mass market. Serve one small circle so well, and let them spread the word.

Step 4:
Build one small system that makes your promise real

Gopuff didn’t rely on stores. They built their warehouses to control delivery speed. You can do the same by creating a tiny system around your core value.

Examples:

• If you promise invoices in 3 clicks,
  create a shortcut feature that makes that true

• If you promise landing pages in 2 minutes,
  have a smart template auto-fill fields

• If you promise“SEO audit in 10 seconds,
  auto-generate it with a clean dashboard

The system can be simple, but it has to back your promise. Once it works, market it like this: Other tools make you do 10 steps. We built our tool to do it in 2.

Step 5:
Market the system, not just the product

Gopuff sold a whole experience - the ease, the speed, the reliability.

They weren’t just another delivery app. They owned the full journey.

You can do the same, even with a tiny team.

Instead of saying: We are a note-taking app for busy people. How about: No messy folders. No setup. Just write and hit save. Everything else is handled.

Sell the system. Show how your product removes steps and reduces effort.

Because, that’s what people really want.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• How to create a business that works for you

• How to find a niche market for your business

• 16 proven tactics to improve your customer lifetime value

YT Video: The key to finding a profitable market

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Hey,

Big news from the Marketer Club team 🤓

We just launched GrowthRoles on Product Hunt!

If you have been following along, you know GrowthRoles is a curated job board made just for marketers.

Today’s a big day for us, and if you have found Marketer Club even slightly useful, I would love your support. You can help us by:

• Upvoting us on Product Hunt

• Leaving a comment if you have thoughts or feedback

• Sharing the launch with any marketer friends hunting for jobs

Every bit counts, and it would really mean a lot.

Let’s make the job hunt easier — together 🤝

With gratitude,
Angad Singi.
Founder, GrowthRoles & Marketer Club

Most startups think they need ads to grow.

But some of the most popular tools didn’t start with big ad budgets.

Take Notion, for example.

It became a $10B productivity brand without spending much on traditional marketing. Instead of chasing clicks, they focused on community building.

And it worked like magic.

The Big Idea:

Notion’s Growth Playbook

If you have ever used Notion, you know it’s more than a notes app.
It’s more than a doc, a calendar, or a task list. It’s a tool people build inside of.

But here’s the thing most people don’t talk about:
Notion didn’t grow by shouting louder than others.

It grew because other people shouted for them.

And not just by accident.
Notion built a system that helped users do exactly that.

Let me explain what that means.

Most startups focus on product features, pricing, or paid ads.

They try to convince you to use the tool.

Notion flipped that.

Instead of selling to you, they gave you reasons to share the product because it helped you look wise or generous in front of others.

This approach is called community-led growth, but it’s not just about Discord groups or branded swag. The real power is this:

Let people become teachers, builders, and leaders around your product.

When that happens, your growth isn’t tied to how many ads you buy.

It’s tied to how many people want to share their designs and products with you. Notion turned regular users into two things:

1. Champions who told others how and why to use it

2. Builders who used the product to create and share it

This idea works well for a tool like Notion. It's also a smart playbook.

Growth becomes automatic when your product helps others get attention, solve problems, or look good online. That’s the core idea.

And that's one of the reasons Notion grew into a $10B company, while still feeling like a tiny startup that listens to its users.

But did Notion make all this happen?

Behind the Magic:

Executing The Unexplored Path

Notion’s playbook might look so small but not many brands take that path. It’s either because they do not see any value in it or fear not executing properly.

But here’s how Notion made it all happen.

1. The Free Ambassador Program

Most ambassador programs feel like marketing campaigns.

But Notion’s felt like a movement.

They didn’t chase “influencers” with large followings but went after people who loved the product and wanted to teach others.

Notion gave these folks early access to features, occasional swag, and a direct line to the team. But what made it work was how much freedom they gave.

Ambassadors could:

• Host Notion workshops in local coffee shops

• Create tutorials in their native language

• Start Discord groups or Notion-specific communities

There were no scripts. No pressure. No content calendars.

That made ambassadors feel like product collaborators, not promoters.

They had skin in the game. Notion also made it very easy to join the program.

Check out this YT video:

And look at how these Notion experts grew:

Click Here

It wasn’t exclusive. You didn’t need 10K followers.

All people joining as ambassadors wanted was passion. That open-door policy attracted students, creators, educators, and startup folks.

And this is where it all hit.

As more people from different industries at different experience levels joined, it became easier for the product team to reach more people.

And since these ambassadors were already using Notion in their daily work, sharing came naturally. Focusing on the ambassador program worked for Notion because it:

• Built genuine trust and belonging

• Created local and online networks that grew organically

• Gave Notion “boots on the ground” in global markets without hiring teams

This model helped Notion quietly expand across countries without spending money on traditional international marketing.

2. Templates Turned Users Into Distributors

Notion didn’t just let people use the tool. They gave them the power to build inside the tool and share those builds with the world.

The magic wasn’t the product itself. It was what users could do with it.

Templates became a massive growth channel. Right now, if I want to create a template of my own, I can not only design and build it but also sell it to other people.

Here’s Notion’s template marketplace:

Click Here

Here’s what made it work so well:

• Users could create any system they wanted (calendars, trackers, wikis, CRMs)

• Notion gave them one-click duplication and public links.

• People shared these on platforms where other builders hung out: Twitter, Reddit, Indie Hackers, Gumroad, and personal blogs.

Templates solved real-world problems.

So when someone shared a “content planning board” or “job application tracker,” others found them helpful and signed up to try.

Check this X post, for example:

Twitter tweet

It was user-generated content and product onboarding in one.

To support this, Notion launched an official Template Gallery.

It became a central hub where users could:

• Browse use cases

• Discover tools they didn’t know they needed

• See how others were using Notion creatively

And it kept the product fresh because new templates appeared every day.

This strategy worked because it:

• Created infinite ways to market the same product

• Gave users pride and visibility (some even monetized their templates)

• Encouraged exploration and stickiness inside the product

Over time, templates became the fastest way for people to find Notion, try Notion, and stay with Notion.

Together, these two strategies, formed a self-reinforcing growth loop:

• A power user created a helpful template

• Someone found it, tried Notion, and became a fan

• That person joined the community, learned more, and eventually shared their template.

• And the cycle continued.

There were no paid ads. No discounts or viral hacks. Just a thoughtful system that gave users tools to teach, build, and share on their terms.

And that’s how Notion grew into a $10B brand with community at the core.

Wait…

Before you scroll away —

Head over to Product Hunt today and take 5 minutes to explore what’s launching.

But… Don’t look at it like a user. Look at it like a founder.

Ask yourself:

• Would I share this if I wasn’t the maker?

• What part of this product makes people want to tell others about it?

• Is it built to be shared? Or does it just hope to be?

That’s what today’s Notion case study is all about.

Notion didn’t grow because it was useful.
It grew because it made people look useful when they shared it.

So the next time you scroll through Product Hunt, don’t just ask “Is this cool?”
Ask “Would this go viral without a team pushing it?”

That’s the real test.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

If you are building a SaaS product, a marketplace, or even a side project, this isn’t just a Notion thing. The idea of turning users into your biggest growth engine can work anywhere, as long as you know where to look.

Community-driven marketing strategy

1.
If your product helps people organize, manage, or track something… You are in a great spot to copy Notion’s template strategy.

Ask yourself:

• Are users building workflows or systems inside your tool?

• Could one user’s setup be helpful for another person?

If yes, build in two features:

• A simple “Share” button for public templates

• A library where users can browse what others are sharing

This is perfect if you build tools like CRMs, finance trackers, content planning tools, project management software, and productivity dashboards because templates also act like mini-ads for your product.

And users are giving you free distribution when they share them.

2.
If your product helps people express, teach, or inspire… Then a community-led ambassador strategy might work well.

But don’t think of it like a formal ambassador program.

Instead, think of it like this: Who are my happiest users and how can I help them talk about us more often?

Start by identifying users who:

• Already talk about your product online

• Answer questions in your support chats or forums

• Teach others how to use it (even in small ways)

Then, create lightweight ways for them to host events, share knowledge, get early access, and feel like insiders. You don’t need a big budget.

You need to create a space where your best users feel valued and seen.

This works great if your product is in spaces like design, no code, developer tools, creator economy, and learning/education.

The goal is to turn support into ownership.

Not just "thanks for using us" but "you are part of what we are building."

3.
If you are just starting, and don’t have many users yet… You can still plant the seeds now.

Here’s how:

• Talk to your first 10 users and ask: “What did you build with this?”

• If they created anything helpful, ask if they are okay with sharing it

• Publish a few examples on your site or in public

Then, highlight them in your newsletter, share them on social, and create a “Built With [Your Product]” gallery.

This strategy works even with 100 users because users start doing the work with you by setting up systems.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• How to start a brand ambassador program from scratch

• Strategizing your “place” in the marketing mix

YT Video: How I brought my first product to market - Idea to launch

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Would you hand your car keys to a total stranger?

Most people wouldn’t. Cars are expensive. They can get stolen, damaged, or trashed.

So when Turo launched as a peer-to-peer car rental platform, where regular people rent their cars to others, it faced one big problem: trust.

Why would anyone trust a random person with their car?
And why would a renter feel safe taking a car from a stranger?

If Turo couldn’t solve this, it wouldn’t survive.

People needed to feel secure before they would list or rent a car.

Fast forward to today, and Turo is a billion-dollar business with millions of users.

They cracked the trust code.

And in this post, we will dive into how they did it.

The Big Idea:

Why Trust Was Turo’s Biggest Problem

Turo's concept was pretty new. It was so different from Hertz or Enterprise.

Instead of renting from a well-known brand, people had to trust each other.

And that’s where the problem started.

For car owners, the risk was massive:

• What if my car gets stolen?

• What if the renter crashes it?

• What if they treat it like garbage?

Most people didn’t want to take that chance. After all, a rental company has hundreds of cars and can afford a few bad rentals.

For renters, the risk was just as bad:

• What if the car isn’t what they promised?

• What if it’s unsafe?

• What if the owner blames me for the damage I didn’t cause?

At the core, this wasn’t just a car rental problem. It was a trust problem.

Without trust, no one would list their car. No one would rent.

And Turo would fail before it even got started.

So, how did they turn this around?

Behind the Magic:

How Turo Built Trust from the Ground Up

Turo couldn’t just tell people to trust each other. Even if they did, that wouldn't work. They needed real systems to make car owners and renters feel safe.

So, they focused on three major things:

1. Insurance That Made Owners Feel Safe

The biggest fear for car owners was damage, theft, or accidents.

No one wanted to risk losing their car for a few extra dollars. Turo knew this.

So they made insurance a core part of their platform. Here’s what they did:

• Up to $750,000 in liability coverage for owners

• Protection against damage, theft, and vandalism

• Multiple insurance plans based on risk appetite

That was a game-changer. It reassured owners that their car was safe, no matter what happened. But Turo didn’t stop at just offering insurance.

They made it easy to understand and built it into the rental process.

Details on Turo Website’s Footer Section

Instead of expecting users to read through policies, they simplified it.

Owners could choose a protection plan with clear benefits before listing a car. Renters also saw what coverage they had and reduced uncertainty.

This approach gave the entire platform credibility.

A robust insurance policy reassured first-time users, helping Turo grow faster.

2. Trustworthy Reviews & Verification

When people book a car with Hertz or Enterprise, they trust the brand. But with Turo, they weren’t renting from a company but from a person.

That meant trust had to come from the community itself. Turo built multiple layers of verification into its platform to ensure safety:

• Every renter had to upload a valid driver’s license before booking.

• The platform conducted background checks to catch high-risk users.

• After every rental, the car owner and the renter left reviews for each other.

Review system on Turo’s website

These features changed the game. New renters felt comfortable booking if a car owner had dozens of five-star reviews. If a renter had negative reviews for returning cars dirty or late, they could be flagged or banned.

Trust isn’t just about having policies but showing people why they should believe in the system. Turo gave users the tools to judge trustworthiness for themselves.

3. Seamless User Experience = Higher Trust

A complicated or clunky platform makes people question if it’s worth the risk. Turo understood that a smooth user experience directly impacted credibility.

They focused on making their app feel as professional as a traditional rental company. That meant:

• Instant bookings for reliable hosts

• Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

• Fast customer support to handle disputes

It wasn’t just about convenience. It eliminated friction. Turo designed every step in the process to feel seamless, from searching for a car to finalizing a booking.

That made users more confident in their choices and reassured them that Turo was a reliable service. Another key detail? Turo invested more in mobile.

Many people searching for a rental car were on the go.

So they made the Turo app fast, responsive, and easy to navigate. They reduced hesitation and increased bookings by making the entire process feel seamless.

Turo’s Website

Trust isn’t something you ask for.

It’s something you build into your product and marketing.

Turo didn’t just hope people would trust them. They:

• Removed risk with strong insurance and guarantees.

• Created community-driven accountability with reviews and verification.

• Made trust their main marketing message, not an afterthought.

• Used content to remove doubts before users even signed up.

If your business requires users to trust each other, this playbook works.

Where It Fits:

Making It Work For You

Turo engineered trust into their marketing and growth strategy.

If you are building a marketplace or any trust-dependent business, here’s a step-by-step marketing strategy inspired by Turo’s playbook.

Trust-building marketing strategies

Step 1: 
Solve the Biggest Fear First

Before acquiring users, identify the #1 reason they might hesitate to use your platform. Turo’s biggest challenge? Losing cars was the owner's problem and getting scammed was the renter's issue.

• Conduct surveys/interviews to find the biggest user concerns.

• Let trust be your marketing focus. Don't assume people will figure it out.

• Give risk-reversing guarantees (like insurance, refunds, or fraud protection).

• Use testimonials and case studies to show how real users feel safe.

Example Headline Formula:

What Happens If Your [ASSET] Gets [BIG FEAR]? Here’s Why It’s Not a Problem With [YOUR BRAND].

• Turo’s Execution: They built marketing campaigns around their insurance coverage. They also showed owners that their cars were safe under insurance even if the worst happened.

Step 2:
Make Your First 1,000 Users Feel Exclusive

Turo didn’t try to compete with Hertz from Day 1. Instead, they focused on early adopters who loved unique cars.

• Find a niche segment of users who will try your product first (luxury travelers, Tesla owners, etc.).

• Build an invite-only launch or VIP program to make it feel exclusive.

• Encourage power users (hosts, super users) to become early advocates.

• Position your product as something big companies can’t offer.

Example Niche Angle:

The Only Place to Rent a Tesla Without Dealing With a Rental Company.

• Turo’s Execution: Instead of marketing to general travelers, they focused on car lovers, exotic rentals, and people frustrated with traditional car rentals.

Step 3:
Use Content to Answer Trust-Based Questions

Users won’t trust you if they don’t understand how your platform works. Turo used content marketing to answer questions about safety, insurance, and pricing.

• Create a Trust Hub on your website answering FAQs with real examples.

• Write blog posts that target high-intent search queries like: Is [YOUR PLATFORM] safe? What happens if my [ASSET] gets damaged? How does [YOUR PLATFORM] compare to [BIG COMPETITOR]?

• Feature real customer success stories showing people using the platform successfully.

Example Blog Title Formula:

Everything You Need to Know About [RISK] Before You Use [YOUR BRAND].

• Turo’s Execution: They built an entire Help Center and blog answering every possible question to friction for new users.

Step 4:
Incentivize Users to Build Trust for You

Turo’s review system was a core part of its growth. The more users reviewed each other, the more new users trusted the platform.

• Get two-way reviews (users rate each other, like Uber/Airbnb).

• Offer rewards for leaving honest reviews (discounts, credits).

• Encourage power users to refer others by giving them perks.

• Build a status system (ex: "Superhost" on Airbnb, "Power Host" on Turo).

Example Referral Strategy:

Get $50 Off Your Next Booking When You Refer a Friend Who Completes a Trip.

• Turo’s Execution: They rewarded high-quality hosts and encouraged renters and owners to leave detailed, verified reviews.

Step 5: 
Scale With Paid Ads, But Only After Trust Is Proven

Turo didn’t dump money into ads before solving the trust problem. Once they had a strong base of reviews, safety measures, and testimonials, they scaled fast with paid marketing.

• Don’t run paid ads until you have social proof (testimonials, reviews).

• Focus on retargeting users who visited but didn’t convert (trust barrier).

• Use video ads showing real people using your platform safely.

• Run hyper-local ads in cities where you already have supply/demand.

Example Ad Formula:

Over [X] People Have Rented A Car With [YOUR BRAND] - Here’s Why They Love It.

• Turo’s Execution: Once they had enough users, they scaled ads strategically, targeting cities where supply was strong.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blogs

• Paid advertising 101: A beginner's guide

• How to build a strong customer referral program

• How to leverage UGC in email campaigns

YT Video: Master The Art Of Referrals - How One Referral Made Me $50 Million

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Most businesses struggle with getting customers. They try running ads, cold emails, and sales calls, but it often feels like shouting into the void.

People ignore ads, mark emails as spam, and avoid sales pitches like the plague.

But what if I told you there’s a way to get clients without chasing them?

That’s just what HubSpot did.

Instead of fighting for attention, Hubspot made customers come to them.

They turned inbound marketing into a system.

And it completely changed how B2B companies sold.

So, how did they do it?

The Big Idea:

The Rise of Inbound Marketing

Before HubSpot, most businesses relied on outbound marketing strategies like cold calls, paid ads, and mass email blasts.

It worked, but it had a big problem: People hate being sold to.

HubSpot saw this and flipped the script. Instead of interrupting people, they gave them value first.

• They built free tools like a CRM and Website Grader.

• They created blog posts that ranked on Google.

• They nurtured leads through email before asking for a sale.

The result was that businesses started using HubSpot before they even became customers. And when they were ready to buy, HubSpot was the obvious choice.

Inbound marketing wasn’t just a buzzword. It became a movement.

Today, companies worldwide follow HubSpot’s playbook to attract leads, build trust, and grow without relying on paid ads.

So, how did HubSpot pull this off?

Let’s break it down.

Behind the Magic:

HubSpot’s Playbook for Inbound Success

HubSpot built its business around inbound marketing.

Every strategy they used had one goal: To attract leads without chasing them.

Here are the three biggest moves that made HubSpot a category leader.

1. Giving Away Value for Free (Before Asking for Anything)

Most businesses ask for something before they give. HubSpot did the opposite.

Instead of pushing people into sales funnels, they created free tools that businesses needed. One of the most successful was the Website Grader.

It analyzes website performance, SEO, and mobile-friendliness. Within minutes, businesses can see their website’s strengths and weaknesses.

Website Grader by Hubspot

And when they realized they needed better marketing tools to improve their scores, Hubspot provided those.

Then came the free CRM, and that disrupted the sales software market. While competitors charged hefty fees for basic CRM, HubSpot made it free forever.

Free CRM by Hubspot

That move attracted small and large companies to consider HubSpot when they outgrew the free version. Their approach wasn’t just about giving away products.

It was about building trust first. When people saw how useful HubSpot’s free tools were, they assumed the paid products were even better.

And these are the free tools by Hubspot to attract people:

Free Tools by Hubspot

This method of delivering immediate value before asking for a sale changed how B2B companies approach lead generation.

2. Becoming a Content Powerhouse (Without Selling Hard)

When HubSpot started talking about inbound marketing, most businesses were still in the traditional sales cycle. Instead of relying on cold outreach, HubSpot educated the market on why inbound marketing was the future.

Their blog became the go-to resource for marketers, covering topics like SEO, lead generation, and email marketing.

But what set them apart wasn’t just volume. It was depth and usability.

Rather than publishing generic articles like 10 Marketing Tips, they published step-by-step guides, real-world case studies, and data-backed insights.

If someone wanted to learn about email automation, HubSpot didn’t just explain it. They provided exact email sequences, templates, and best practices.

Another key factor was SEO-driven content strategy. HubSpot identified high-intent search terms, wrote in-depth articles, and dominated Google rankings.

For example, look at the results Google gave for my search query:

Click Here

It means that whenever a business owner searches for marketing advice, they land on HubSpot’s site. Today, the blog alone brings Hubspot millions of free monthly visitors.

Hubspot’s Monthly Visitors

More importantly, HubSpot didn’t just use content for traffic.

They turned it into a conversion engine.

Every blog post had a relevant lead magnet, a free ebook, a webinar, or a template that got emails and brought people into their ecosystem.

This way, the content wasn’t just attracting visitors.

It was building long-term relationships.

3. Building a Lead Nurturing Engine (Without Annoying)

Getting leads is only half the battle. Converting them is where most businesses struggle.

HubSpot mastered this by turning lead nurturing into a science. People enter an email sequence when they download a free guide or use their free tools.

But instead of bombarding them with sales pitches, HubSpot played the long game. Their emails focused on education over promotion.

If someone downloaded an SEO guide, they didn’t immediately get an email pushing HubSpot’s SEO tools. Instead, they received follow-up emails breaking down SEO tactics, examples, and additional free resources.

Each email answered objections and subtly positioned HubSpot as the best solution. So, when the time came to invest in marketing tools, choosing HubSpot felt natural.

And here are their newsletters if you manually want to get into their email list:

Click Here

Another critical aspect was behavior-based automation.

If a lead clicked on an email about social media marketing, they got more content on that topic rather than generic marketing emails.

This personalization kept engagement high and ensured that leads stayed connected with HubSpot’s ecosystem.

This approach eliminated the need for aggressive sales tactics.

By consistently delivering value, HubSpot ensured that when businesses were finally ready to buy, they didn’t need convincing because they already trusted the brand.

HubSpot’s inbound strategy wasn’t an overnight success, but it followed a formula:

1. Give value first: Provide something genuinely useful before asking for anything in return.

2. Become the authority: Create content people trust and want to return to.

3. Nurture with intent: Build relationships through helpful, behavior-driven email sequences.

This approach isn’t just for big companies.

Whether you are an indie hacker, SaaS founder, or consultant, inbound marketing can help you build a predictable and sustainable customer acquisition system.

Start implementing these steps today, and you will see how powerful inbound marketing can be in just a few months.

Your customers are already searching for solutions - ensure they find yours first.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

This is a step-by-step inbound marketing playbook you can apply to your business, whether you are a SaaS founder, indie hacker, or consultant.

Inbound Marketing Cycle

Step 1:
Create a High-Value Free Tool or Resource

• Identify a major pain point your audience faces. Then, build a simple but helpful free tool, template, or resource that solves it.

• Example: If you run a marketing SaaS, offer an AI-powered email subject line generator or a free landing page audit tool. Then, promote it on your website, social media, and communities where your audience hangs out.

Step 2:
Build an SEO-Optimized Content Engine

• Find the top 20 questions your audience is searching for on Google. Then, create in-depth, actionable blog posts that answer these questions better than any on Google.

• Optimize your content for search (use keywords naturally, include visuals, and structure posts well). And end each post with a lead magnet - a free resource that captures emails.

Step 3:
Capture Leads with a Simple Lead Magnet

• Offer a free checklist, playbook, or template in exchange for an email. Ensure it's directly related to the blog topic (Example: A social media ad template for a blog about paid ads).

• Then, set up a landing page with a strong CTA to get emails.

Step 4:
Set Up an Email Nurture Sequence

Send a 5-email sequence over 2 weeks:

1. Deliver the lead magnet + Quick win tip.

2. Share a case study on how someone got results using your approach.

3. Provide a detailed how-to guide.

4. Address common objections or FAQs.

5. Soft sell your product/service + Offer a demo or trial

Use behavior-based triggers (e.g., if they click on an SEO email, send more SEO content).

Step 5:
Convert Leads Without Being Pushy

• Use retargeting ads for leads who engaged with your content but didn’t convert. Then, offer a low-friction way to take the next step (free trial, demo, webinar).

• Also, create comparison pages showing why your solution is the best.

Step 6:
Keep the Loop Going with Community & Social Proof

• Share customer wins on social media. Also, build a community (Slack, Discord, or newsletter) where leads keep engaging with your brand.

• Continue creating high-value content to attract more leads.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blogs:

• What is inbound marketing?

• How to create effective inbound marketing campaigns

• Create and edit email sequences

YT Video:

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

A decade ago, if you had a video call, you Skyped.

That was just the way things were.

Skype was the giant. Microsoft owned it. Everyone knew it.

But then, within an overnight, Zoom took over.

By 2020, no one was saying, Let’s Skype. It was all Let’s Zoom.

How did a newer, smaller company crush an industry leader?

It wasn’t an accident. Zoom won because it was more reliable and built for growth.

Let’s break this down.

The Big Idea:

Why Zoom Took Over

For years, Skype was the go-to app for video calls. It had the brand name, the massive user base, and Microsoft’s backing. But despite all that, it struggled.

Ask anyone who used Skype regularly, and they will tell you the same story:

• Calls would drop for no reason.

• The app would freeze mid-meeting.

• It took forever to load.

• Updates would randomly interrupt calls.

People put up with it because there wasn’t a better option.

Then, Zoom came in and made video calls effortless.

It was a night-and-day difference.

And here’s what made Zoom even deadlier: it spread like wildfire.

• It was free to start (with a time limit).

• Everyone in the network had to try it, even if one person used it.

• Businesses could adopt it without much effort, and once a few teams used it, entire companies made the switch.

Meanwhile, Skype was still in its old ways: slow, clunky, and confusing.

That’s why Zoom didn’t just compete but dominated.

Behind the Magic:

Beating Skype Strategically

1. Zoom Made Video Calls Effortless

Skype wasn’t just a video call app. It was a complete communication platform with chat, file sharing, and even landline calling.

While this might be good, many features made Skype clunky and complicated.

Also, people had to download the app, create an account, and manually add contacts to make a call. Even then, it was a gamble. Would the call actually work?

Zoom flipped that by focusing on just one thing: video calls.

• No bloated features.

• No unnecessary buttons.

• No software confusion.

Just click a link, and you are in. That was a game-changer.

And I think Reddit has better answers. Check out this Reddit post:

It removed friction and made video calls as simple as opening a webpage. Even non-tech-savvy users could start a Zoom call without needing help.

Another key difference is that Zoom worked reliably.

• It used cloud-based architecture to handle traffic spikes better than Skype’s peer-to-peer model.

• It compressed data efficiently, so calls were smoother even on weak connections.

• It allowed users to adjust video quality on the fly to prevent call drops.

Skype often failed at the one thing people needed it for.

Zoom didn’t. That’s why users flocked to it.

2. The Freemium Model That Hooked Users

In the early days, Skype charged for premium features like group video calls.

That meant users had to pay before seeing the product's full value. So, Zoom took a better approach: give people just enough for free to get them hooked.

• Anyone could host meetings for free but with a 40-minute limit.

• You had to upgrade to a paid plan if you needed longer meetings.

• Free users still got a full-featured experience with HD video, screen sharing, and integrations.

That was brilliant.

The 40-minute limit was just long enough for people to see the value but short enough for the product to push them toward upgrading.

And because Zoom calls spread through invitations, each free user became an organic growth engine. For example, look at all the options they have:

If one person used Zoom, they introduced it to their team, clients, or friends.

That expanded Zoom’s user base without the brand spending on ads. And as brands realized they relied on Zoom, they had no choice but to pay.

This approach wasn’t just about offering a free version. It was about creating a natural upgrade path that felt like a no-brainer.

3. Zoom’s Viral Growth Strategy

One of the biggest reasons Zoom exploded was its viral nature. Whenever someone used Zoom, they had to invite others to a meeting.

That created an unstoppable growth loop:

1. A single person tried Zoom.

2. They sent invites to multiple people.

3. Those people experienced Zoom and started using it, too.

4. The cycle repeated, spreading Zoom across companies, schools, and social groups.

It worked because Zoom made it more easy for people to join a call.

And this is how the interface looks, even now:

You do not need to:

• Download an app (you could join from a browser).

• Create an account (you could enter your name and join).

• Add contacts manually (every meeting had a shareable link).

Compare this to Skype.

You had to sign up, download software, and manually add contacts before making a call. Zoom eliminated these, making it effortless for users to invite others.

And here’s where it got even more interesting:

• The free version had spread the product for them.

• Every new user was a potential paying customer down the line.

• The more people who used Zoom, the harder it was for companies to use anything else.

Zoom had already won the market before competitors realized what was happening.

4. Zoom’s Smart Enterprise Play

Most startups start with individuals and slowly work up to selling to businesses. Zoom did the opposite.

It targeted enterprises from the beginning.

It knew that if big companies adopted Zoom, they would:

• Buy large-scale plans for entire teams.

• Stay loyal because switching tools is a hassle.

• Encourage employees to use Zoom for personal calls, too.

But getting businesses on board is challenging.

So Zoom made enterprise adoption frictionless:

• It lets any employee start using the free version on their own.

• Once a few teams depended on Zoom, entire companies had to upgrade.

• It built corporate-friendly features like admin controls, security compliance, and integrations with tools like Slack and Google Calendar.

This bottom-up strategy was brilliant.

• Instead of convincing IT departments to roll out Zoom, employees brought it in themselves.

• Instead of forcing adoption from the top down, Zoom lets companies naturally grow into paying customers.

By 2020, Zoom saw very large growth.

It had over 470,000+ customers and made $2.65 billion.

While Skype focused on individuals and casual users, Zoom quietly became the standard for business communication.

Zoom didn’t win because it had more features. It won because it had:

• A simpler, smoother experience. No downloads, no signups, no headaches.

• A smart freemium model. Free users converted into paying customers.

• A viral growth engine. Every meeting spread Zoom to new users.

• A strong business strategy. Enterprise adoption locked in long-term revenue.

This wasn’t just a tech win. It was a lead example in strategy.

Skype had the name. Zoom had the execution.

And execution wins every time.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

Zoom’s strategy is a goldmine of marketing lessons if you build a SaaS product. Here's how you can replicate their success with a step-by-step strategy:

Zoom's Marketing Success Pyramid

» Create a Frictionless User Experience

• Make onboarding instant: Let users experience the product without signing up.

• Reduce the number of steps: No one should need a guide to start using your product.

• Ensure reliability: Users won’t stick around if your product is slow or buggy.

Example Implementation:

• Offer a one-click trial with a temporary user session.

• Let users skip registration until they reach a feature that requires it.

• Optimize performance – speed and ease always win.

» Use a Freemium Model That Converts

• Give users enough free access to experience the product’s value.

• Set a natural upgrade trigger (e.g., Zoom’s 40-minute meeting limit).

• The free version should drive viral adoption - not just sit there.

Example Implementation:

• Offer a free plan but limit key features (usage caps, time limits, team size).

• Create an aha moment that nudges upgrades (e.g., hit a limit mid-task).

• Show upgrade benefits inside the product, not just on pricing pages.

» Engineer a Viral Growth Loop

• Make every user an invitation source (e.g., Zoom’s meeting links).

• Design the product so that users naturally bring in others.

• Remove all barriers - joining should take seconds.

Example Implementation:

• Build referral-driven sharing into core workflows (Canva’s shared design links).

• Let users invite others with a simple link - no signups or downloads.

• Incentivize sharing. Give bonuses for inviting teammates or customers.

» Target Businesses Early & Expand From There

• Make it easy for individual employees to adopt your product first.

• Once teams rely on your tool, the company will pay for a full plan.

• Add business-friendly features to justify enterprise pricing.

Example Implementation:

• Offer a team-friendly free plan (like Slack’s free tier).

• Integrate with business tools (Google Workspace, Notion, Asana, etc.).

• Add enterprise security & admin controls to attract corporate buyers.

» Own a Specific Use Case & Dominate It

• Don’t try to be an all-in-one tool from the start.

• Pick one high-value use case and nail it before expanding.

• Once you dominate a niche, expand slowly and strategically.

Example Implementation:

• If launching a project management tool, first own freelancer project tracking.

• If launching an email tool, dominate cold email automation before adding more features.

• Expand only after proving product-market fit.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blogs:

• Unlocking viral marketing: strategies for explosive growth

• What is UX? A comprehensive guide to user experience

• Payment methods: which one's right for your business

YT Video: 10x Your Profit. 10x Your Pricing. 10x Your Business. [Here's how]

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Most SaaS companies do the same.

They run ads, send cold emails, and hope for the best. But the problem is ads are expensive, inboxes are always full, and buyers are tired of being sold to.

Yet, some companies cut through the noise very easily.

They don’t just sell but attract. People don’t ignore them. Instead, they want to follow them, engage with them, and even share their content.

That’s what Gong did.

Instead of fighting for attention the old way, Gong turned LinkedIn into a lead-generating machine. They built a brand so strong that when people thought about sales insights, they better couldn't think of anything but Gong.

The best part?

They did it without spending millions on ads. They used content, thought leadership and social selling to turn LinkedIn into their biggest growth channel.

The Big Idea:

Turning LinkedIn Into a Growth Engine

In 2015, Gong was just another B2B SaaS startup. They had a problem-solving product, an AI-powered revenue intelligence tool.

But so did plenty of others. The market was so occupied, and getting noticed wasn’t easy. But Gong didn’t just compete. They took over.

Instead of spending millions on ads, they built a brand by dominating LinkedIn.

When others posted content, Gong owned the conversation around sales and revenue. If you were in sales, you saw Gong’s content everywhere.

And because they shared insights that helped people, their audience grew fast.

That was Gong's playbook.

The result was a $7 billion SaaS giant with a massive fan base. That's without relying on traditional marketing tactics. So, how did they do it?

Let’s break it down.

Behind the Magic:

Gong’s Social Selling Playbook

Gong didn’t just post random content on LinkedIn. Instead, they created a clear strategy that made them the go-to brand for sales insights.

1. They Created a Category, Not Just a Product

Most SaaS companies struggle to stand out because they compete in an existing category. Gong avoided this by creating a new one: Revenue Intelligence.

Click Here

Sales teams relied on traditional CRM data before, which often had human error. Gong positioned itself as the AI-powered solution that removed guesswork.

But instead of just marketing their product, they marketed a new way of thinking about sales performance. They educated their audience on why CRM data was outdated and how sales leaders needed real conversation insights.

That shifted everything. They took people from Which sales analytics tool should I buy? to How do I implement Revenue Intelligence? And Gong was the only answer.

This wasn’t just about branding. It was about controlling the conversation. By defining the category, Gong became the default leader.

Many SaaS companies fail because they market features, not new ways of thinking. Gong proved that when you own the conversation, you own the market.

2. They Used LinkedIn Like a Media Company

Most brands treat LinkedIn as a secondary channel.

They only posted generic updates, expecting engagement. But Gong treated it like a primary marketing channel, driving millions in revenue.

Instead of promoting product features, Gong focused on sales insights that made professionals stop scrolling. Their content strategy followed a few key principles:

• Contrarian takes that sparked debate: Why most sales reps ruin their deals in the first 5 minutes.

• Data-backed insights that provided unique value: Sales reps who wait 24+ hours to follow up lose 46% of deals. For example:

Click Here

• Bite-sized frameworks that were easy to implement: Use this 3-step cold email formula to get 2x more replies.

It wasn’t just about engagement but about trust. Gong understood that people don’t buy from brands. They buy from experts they trust.

And that’s why they never forced the sale in their posts. Instead of pushing demos, they focused on making sales professionals better. So when these professionals wanted a sales tool, Gong was already at the top of their minds.

Gong turned their LinkedIn page into a lead-generation machine without selling. That’s the power of trust-based marketing.

3. They Made Their Employees Thought Leaders

Most B2B companies rely on their brand page for content. But Gong knew personal accounts get more reach and engagement than company pages.

So, they turned their employees into LinkedIn influencers, starting with their CMO, Udi Ledergor. He didn’t post corporate jargon. He shared personal insights, behind-the-scenes strategies, and lessons from Gong’s journey.

His tone was conversational, his content was valuable, and his audience grew fast.

Here’s a post, for example. Look at that insane engagement:

Click Here

But Gong didn’t stop at leadership. They encouraged their entire sales team to build their own LinkedIn presence. Reps shared personal sales experiences, success stories, and Gong’s data-backed insights. All in their voice.

This expanded Gong’s reach far beyond the company page.

By leveraging their team, Gong ensured their message wasn’t just coming from a brand but from real people, which made it far more credible.

This approach turned LinkedIn into their biggest sales funnel.

Sales reps usually do cold messaging, but in Gong's case, they were getting inbound leads because prospects already trusted them.

4. They Used Their Data as a Competitive Advantage

Most SaaS companies recycle the same generic advice. Gong had something no one else did, data from millions of sales conversations.

They used this to publish insights that weren’t based on opinions but actual numbers. And because these insights were exclusive to Gong, they became an authority.

For example, instead of saying to follow up quickly after a sales call, Gong posted: Deals are 46% more likely to close when reps follow up within 24 hours. Here’s how you can make your follow-ups better…

See the difference? One is just an advice. The other is undeniable proof.

Check out this post, for example:

Click Here

This made their content irresistible because salespeople were getting winning strategies backed by data, unlike those posts that only talked about tips.

And every time they used Gong’s insights, they saw better results.

That’s how Gong built an audience that didn’t just follow them but relied on them.

Gong didn’t succeed because they had the best product.

They succeeded because they built the best audience.

They created demand before pitching their product.

They became the most trusted voice in sales before ever asking for a sale. And when their audience needed a solution, Gong was already the obvious choice.

If you are building a SaaS company, you can do the same.

But it starts with owning the conversation in your industry. Because if you are not shaping how your audience thinks, someone else will.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

If you want to build thought leadership, attract inbound leads, and drive demand for your product, here’s a step-by-step LinkedIn marketing strategy based on what made Gong a $7B SaaS giant.

LinkedIn Marketing Strategy for Thought Leadership

Phase 1: 
Define Your Category (Weeks 1–2)

Most brands compete in existing areas. The fastest-growing ones create their own.

1. Clarify your unique positioning: What’s the new way of thinking that your product introduces? (e.g., Gong introduced Revenue Intelligence)

2. Coin a category term: Create a term that represents your unique value. If you can name it, you can own it.

3. Publish a Category Creation post: Write a LinkedIn post explaining why the old way is broken and why your approach is the future.

Your example post could be: The biggest mistake [your industry] professionals make? Relying on outdated [existing category]. Here’s why that’s killing your results…

Phase 2: 
Build a High-Engagement Content Engine (Weeks 3–6)

Now that your category is defined, it’s time to dominate LinkedIn. Gong’s success came from posting shareable, insightful content. You will do the same.

Some content formats that work the best are:

• Contrarian takes: Challenge common industry advice with data or experience.

• Bite-sized frameworks: Give people an easy-to-use process (e.g., a 3-step playbook).

• Data-driven insights: Share unique findings or stats (if you have internal data, even better).

• Personal stories: People trust people, not brands. Share founder insights and lessons.

• Industry trends: Comment on what’s changing in your space.

And your posting schedule (4x per week) could be something like:

Your example post could be: I used to think [common belief]. But after analyzing 100+ [your industry] trends, I realized this is completely wrong. Here’s what actually works…

Phase 3:
Activate Employee Thought Leadership (Weeks 6–8)

Your LinkedIn page alone won’t drive massive reach. The real power comes when your team members start posting.

1. Identify 5–10 employees or team members who can post regularly.

2. Give them content ideas: They don’t need to start from scratch. Share a Notion doc with post templates.

3. Encourage a mix of personal + professional posts: People engage more with personal stories and behind-the-scenes insights.

One of those post templates could be: Had a sales call today that completely changed how I think about [problem]. Here’s what I learned…

Phase 4:
Capture Leads Without Selling (Ongoing)

Gong never hard-sold in their LinkedIn content. Instead, they created demand by making sales professionals rely on their insights.

• Create a free resource (Lead Magnet): It could be a Notion template, checklist, or PDF with exclusive insights.

• Pin a high-performing post that links to the free resource.

• Add a CTA at the bottom of your posts: e.g., Want more insights like this? Grab my free [resource] here.

• DM everyone who engages: Start conversations, not sales pitches.

The example CTA could be: I put together a full [industry] playbook with everything I’ve learned—drop a ‘📩’ in the comments if you want it.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• The beginner's guide to LinkedIn Marketing & networking

• How to effectively use a content calendar [template included]

• How to grow your brand's organic following on LinkedIn

YT Video: How to build a profitable personal brand (in just 7 steps)

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

If you are launching a startup, what’s the challenging part?

Getting people to care.

You build something great, put it into the world, and… crickets.

No one shows up. No one buys. That is what happened to Airbnb in its early days.

Today, it’s a billion-dollar company, but back then?

They were struggling to get their first users. No one trusted a random website that let strangers sleep in their homes.

So, instead of sitting quiet, Airbnb went where the customers already were.

And that’s how they pulled off one of the best growth hacks in startup history:

They hijacked Craigslist.

The Big Idea:

The Craigslist Play That Changed Everything

In 2007, Airbnb’s founders were running out of cash.

They had a small handful of listings, but bookings were painfully slow. They knew that the success of their platform depended on demand.

More people booking stays meant more hosts would want to list their homes.

But where could they find people who were already looking for short-term rentals?

Craigslist.

At the time, Craigslist was the go-to place for finding temporary housing.

Millions used it every day. Airbnb could get a steady stream of users if they tapped into that demand. That’s just what they did.

Instead of relying on expensive ads or traditional marketing, they built a system that funneled Craigslist users onto Airbnb.

But here’s the crazy part…

Craigslist didn’t have an official way to do this. Airbnb reverse-engineered it.

This single move skyrocketed Airbnb’s early growth, bringing in thousands of users without spending a fortune on marketing.

Behind the Magic:

Fueling Airbnb’s Growth on Craigslist

Airbnb’s Craigslist hack was a calculated and technical growth strategy.

They understood one key principle: If you want more customers, don’t wait for them. Go where they already are.

Instead of hoping people would randomly discover Airbnb, they injected themselves into the biggest rental marketplace at the time, Craigslist.

Here’s how they did it, step by step.

Step 1:
Cross-Posting Airbnb Listings on Craigslist

Airbnb needed more eyeballs on its listings.

So, they created an option for hosts to Post to Craigslist with a single click. However, Craigslist didn’t have an official API (a way for third-party sites to connect with it).

That meant there was no easy way to automate posting. To overcome that, Airbnb reverse-engineered how Craigslist’s forms worked.

They built a system that:

• Auto-filled Craigslist’s listing form with Airbnb details

• Bypassed CAPTCHAs and verification steps

• Inserted a link back to Airbnb at the bottom of the Craigslist post

And soon, every new Airbnb listing automatically got extra visibility for free on Craigslist. People searching for short-term rentals saw these posts, clicked the links, and booked through Airbnb instead of staying on Craigslist.

Step 2:
Scraping Craigslist for Leads

Getting more traffic was great, but Airbnb also needed demand - travelers actively looking for places to stay. So, they built a tool that:

1. Scanned Craigslist for people posting Looking for a place to stay ads

2. Extracted their email addresses

3. Sent them personalized messages directing them to Airbnb

Here’s what these messages might have looked like:

Hey, I saw your post looking for a short-term rental in NYC. I have a great place that’s available on Airbnb. You can check it out here: [Airbnb link].

This directly funneled Craigslist users to Airbnb without letting them realize they were part of a growth hack.

Step 3:
Making It Look Natural

Airbnb didn’t just spam Craigslist with links. They designed their posts and messages to feel authentic.

• Listings looked like regular Craigslist ads, just with an Airbnb link at the bottom

• Outreach messages were personalized, avoiding a copy-paste spammy vibe

• They didn’t publicly announce this strategy, keeping it under the radar

By making their presence blend in naturally, they avoided Craigslist shutting them down for years, long enough to scale their platform.

This growth strategy is so brilliant because most startups pay for traffic. They run ads, do SEO, or grind away at content marketing.

Airbnb engineered traffic by:

• Finding a free traffic source (Craigslist)

• Reverse-engineering how to inject themselves into that traffic

• Creating an easier bridge that moved users from Craigslist to Airbnb

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Strategy For You

If Airbnb could hijack Craigslist traffic, you can do the same in today’s digital world. Here’s a step-by-step growth hacking strategy you can apply right away:

Growth hacking strategy

Step 1: Identify Your Craigslist

Your audience is already searching for solutions. You only need to meet them where they are. Find platforms with built-in demand:

• Reddit. People ask for recommendations & solutions in niche subreddits

• Facebook Groups. Community discussions around industry pain points

• Twitter (X) & LinkedIn Comments. Engaged conversations where you can drop value

• Quora & Product Hunt Discussions. People actively seeking answers

• Niche Forums & Slack/Discord Groups. Unfiltered discussions in your industry

For example, if you are selling an AI writing tool, your audience is on Reddit, LinkedIn, and Twitter discussing content struggles.

Step 2: Engineer Your Insertion Point

Once you find where your audience hangs out, your goal is to insert your product into conversations without sounding promotional. Some tactics are:

• Answer Reddit and Quora questions with in-depth, valuable responses, including your product as a solution.

• Engage in LinkedIn/Twitter threads, adding insights that organically lead to your product.

• Create authority posts that subtly direct people to your offer (ex: “How I Automated My Client Outreach in 3 Steps” with a CTA).

• DM engaged users who need a solution (not cold spamming, but personalized messages).

For example, a project management SaaS can answer Quora questions like What’s the best free tool for small teams? and mention their product as a better alternative.

Step 3: Automate & Scale Your Traffic Pipeline

Once you find what works, systemize it. Here's how you can automate and scale:

• Use Zapier or Make.com to monitor forums & discussions for specific keywords (e.g., “best email tool” or “how to automate cold emails”).

• Create pre-written response templates for different use cases, so you’re ready to engage fast.

• Set up a team or VA to comment and reply consistently.

• Use AI tools like ChatGPT to help you with responses.

A sales automation SaaS, for example, can track LinkedIn posts mentioning how I can automate cold outreach. And jump into the conversation before competitors.

Step 4: Optimize & Convert Traffic Into Paying Users

Getting traffic is half the game. Now you need to convert them. Some conversion hacks are:

• Landing page funnel: Don’t just drop your homepage. Send them to a landing page optimized for their specific problem.

• Lead magnet: Offer a freebie (guide, tool, or template) in exchange for an email so you can nurture leads.

• Retargeting ads: Once they visit your site, retarget them with FB/Google ads to bring them back.

• Exclusive invite-only access: Make it feel exclusive, just like Airbnb did in the early days!

For example, if you drive Reddit traffic to your AI writing tool, send them to a landing page with a free trial + a case study.

Step 5: Keep Testing & Doubling Down on What Works

Growth hacking is about iteration. Track where you get the best traction and double down on those platforms. And measure what matters:

• Where do users engage the most?

• Which messages get the highest response rate?

• What’s the conversion rate from each channel?

For example, if LinkedIn comments drive 5x more signups than Reddit, go all-in on LinkedIn engagement.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog

• 10 proven strategies to boost your LinkedIn strategies

• The ultimate guide to Reddit marketing

• How to get more engagement on X

• LinkedIn - The art of commenting

YT Video: How to build a profitable personal brand

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Hey,

Did you know that most marketing jobs are never posted on LinkedIn or Indeed?

I know job hunting is exhausting.

You refresh LinkedIn. Nothing new.
You check Indeed. Same listings as yesterday.
You scroll through job boards. Dead ends.

That’s because companies list most marketing jobs directly on their career pages.

Unless you manually check hundreds of websites daily, you are missing out on top opportunities.

That’s why we built GrowthRoles.com. It is a job portal just for marketers.

Most job boards only show listings from companies that pay to post.

That means:

❌ You are competing for the same jobs as thousands of others
❌ Many jobs never even get listed on traditional job boards
❌ You waste hours scrolling through outdated or irrelevant listings

At GrowthRoles, we do things differently.

We collect marketing jobs straight from company career pages.

Which means:

✅ Fresh job listings updated daily
✅ Your resume and application directly reaches decision makers
✅ More opportunities, including roles you won’t find anywhere else
✅ A dedicated section for remote marketing jobs

You get direct access to high-quality marketing jobs straight from career pages.

No outdated listings, no endless scrolling - just real opportunities waiting for you.

If you are looking for your next marketing job, whether remote, hybrid, or in-office, this is where your search should start.

And if you know someone struggling to find a job in any marketing domian, forward this email. It might just help them land their next role.

Now, let’s get you GrowthRolling into your next big role!

See you inside,
Angad Singi 😃

A few years ago, Chipotle had a problem.

Customers loved the food, but they weren’t coming back as often.
Sales were slipping, and the excitement around the brand was fading.

In one word, Chipotle was at risk of losing its market positioning.

But then, Chipotle leaned into digital transformation. They made their app the core of their business and depended on influencer marketing for viral moments.

The result?

A loyalty-driven comeback that turned occasional buyers into repeat customers.

The Big Idea:

Why Chipotle Needed a Digital Strategy

Let’s rewind a bit.

Chipotle was already a strong brand but didn't have a proper customer retention strategy. People would stop by for a burrito and nobody came back again.

(Not that the food was bad but there was no reason for them to come back)

Unlike Starbucks or McDonald’s, there was no rewards program, no personalized deals, and no direct connection with customers beyond the store visit.

On top of that, digital ordering was taking over.

Competitors like Domino’s and Starbucks had already built powerful mobile apps that made ordering easy, seamless, and rewarding.

However, Chipotle still relied on traditional in-store visits.

The challenge for the brand to overcome was clear:

• Customers needed a reason to return more often.

• Chipotle needed to make ordering easier.

• The brand needed to stay relevant in a digital-first world.

So, they took a bold step in building a digital ecosystem that made their app the center of everything.

It included a loyalty program that rewarded repeat customers and an influencer marketing push that made Chipotle go viral on social media.

So, how did they pull this off?

Behind the Magic:

Winning Back Customers Digitally

Chipotle didn’t just roll out a basic loyalty program and hope for the best.

They built a complete digital ecosystem that made ordering easier, rewarded customers, and used social media to create viral moments. They did this by:

1. Making The App the Core of the Customer Experience

Before this shift, Chipotle’s digital presence was weak. Customers had to order in-store, and there was no easy way to stay connected with the brand.

That changed when they turned their app into a full-fledged digital storefront.

With the new Chipotle app, customers could:

• Order ahead and skip the in-store line

• Earn points with every purchase

• Get personalized deals based on their order history

• Receive push notifications for discounts and new menu drops

Watch this video to see how easier the entire process became:

It wasn’t just about convenience but habit formation. Once a customer started using the app, they had a reason to keep coming back.

Every visit earned them points, every order was faster than before, and they even got reminders about new deals at the right moment.

Even more importantly, the app collected valuable customer data.

The team could now see what people ordered, how often they returned, and what promotions worked best. That helped them fine-tune their offers, which led to higher retention and increased spending per customer.

Competitors like McDonald's and Starbucks proved that the best app experience could drive sales, and Chipotle executed it precisely.

2. Creating a Loyalty Program That Drives Revenue

They designed Chipotle Rewards to keep customers engaged over time.

Many brands create loyalty programs that feel complicated or slow to pay off.

Customers lose interest when they feel like they must spend hundreds of dollars to see any benefit. Chipotle avoided this by making their program:

• Uncomplicated: Customers got 10 points per $1 spent, and at 1,250 points, they got a free entrée. The goal was clear and reachable within a few visits.

• Personalized: Customers got bonus points for trying new menu items or making purchases at certain times. That encouraged new behaviors instead of just repeating old ones.

• Gamified: Chipotle introduced Extra Points Days and surprise offers, making the experience more interactive and fun rather than just transactional.

The results were massive. Over 33 million members joined Chipotle Rewards, and loyalty members spent twice as much as non-members.

By keeping all this rewarding without being complicated, Chipotle turned casual visitors into repeat buyers who felt they were getting real value.

3. Using Influencer Marketing to Stay Relevant

Chipotle didn’t just rely on ads. They turned customers into marketers by creating viral social media moments. This strategy worked because they understood where their audience spent time (on TikTok and Instagram).

Instead of forcing traditional ads, they focused on organic, shareable content.

• The Chipotle Lid Flip Challenge

They partnered with TikTok creators to start a trend: flipping the lid of a Chipotle bowl in one smooth motion. This challenge exploded, getting millions of views in just a few weeks. While that was fun, it was free advertising, the other side.

Here’s the YouTuber, David Dobrik, doing the challenge:

Every video reminded viewers of Chipotle, and many wanted to try it themselves, which led to increased orders.

• The Boorito Halloween Campaign

Chipotle modernized an old tradition (discounted burritos on Halloween) for social media. They encouraged customers to dress up, post a video on TikTok, and get a discount. This simple tweak turned a simple promotion into a viral event.

Here’s one Burrito Halloween Costume, for example:

• Celebrity and Creator Menu Hacks

Instead of just launching new menu items, Chipotle let influencers create their signature orders. When YouTuber David Dobrik promoted his go-to order, sales spiked, and Chipotle kept using this strategy with other influencers.

By focusing on entertainment first and sales second, Chipotle was able to get millions of impressions without spending millions on ads.

4. They Used Data to Personalize Offers

Chipotle’s loyalty program wasn’t just a point system. It was a data-driven marketing engine. By tracking when and what customers ordered, Chipotle sent relevant offers.

For example:

• If you loved burritos, you might get bonus points for ordering one again.

• If you haven’t ordered in a while, you could get a special discount to bring you back.

• If you usually order on Fridays, you might get a push notification reminding you about a weekend deal.

This approach made every interaction feel personal and timely. Beyond individual offers, Chipotle also used data to refine its overall marketing strategy.

They could see which promotions worked, what times people ordered most, and even which influencers drove sales.

So, in a world where generic marketing overwhelms customers, personalization is an added advantage. And Chipotle used it masterfully.

Chipotle’s success wasn’t just about launching an app or a rewards program. It was about creating a customer experience that kept people coming back.

They made ordering easy, loyalty fun, and the brand feel fresh and exciting through influencer marketing.

The result?

• More than $3 billion in digital sales

• Loyalty members spend 2x more than non-members

• Chipotle is now one of the most digitally advanced restaurant brands

Now, let’s talk about how you can apply this to your own business.

Where It Fits:

Making It Work For You

Chipotle won because they made customers feel valued, entertained, and engaged, not just sold to. You can do the same by:

• Removing friction from the buying process

• Rewarding loyalty in meaningful ways

• Creating moments that people want to share

• Using data to make marketing feel personal

Even if you are a small brand, these principles work. Start small, test what clicks with your audience, and double down on what works!

Here’s how you can do it step by step:

Step 1: 
Build an Effortless Digital Hub (Website or App)

• Your customers should be able to buy, book, or sign up in seconds.

• Offer a frictionless experience - no long forms, no clunky checkout.

• If you sell physical or digital products, consider launching an app to make repeat purchases seamless.

Example:

If you run an online course business, create an app where students can:

• Track their progress

• Get exclusive discounts for new courses

• Receive personalized lesson recommendations

Step 2:
Create a Simple Yet Addictive Rewards Program

• Don’t overcomplicate it. Make sure people see the value within 1-3 interactions.

• Reward customers not just for spending money, but for engaging (sharing content, referrals, reviews).

• Introduce gamification - badges, surprise bonuses, and VIP perks.

Example:

If you run a SaaS business, offer:

• Loyalty points for renewing subscriptions early

• Exclusive feature access for active users

• Referrals that unlock free months

Step 3: 
Leverage Influencer-Generated Content

• Find micro-influencers in your niche who genuinely love your product.

• Get them to create challenges, how-to videos, or unboxing content.

• Run UGC contests and reward the best videos or posts.

Example:

If you have a DTC brand, send free products to small TikTok creators and challenge them to make a fun video using your product.

Step 4:
Automate Customer Re-Engagement

• Track what customers buy, watch, or engage with. Then personalize promotions.

• Use email and push notifications strategically (not spammy, but well-timed).

• Trigger offers based on inactivity. If a customer hasn’t purchased in a while, send an exclusive deal.

Example:

If you run a newsletter, segment your subscribers based on:

• Topics they engage with most

• How often do they open emails

• Their past purchases (if you sell templates/courses)

• Then, send targeted recommendations or special perks for your most engaged readers.

Step 5:
Use Social Media Challenges For Viral Engagement

• Instead of running boring “ads,” create interactive trends.

• Start a challenge related to your brand (something fun and shareable).

• Give participants discounts, free products, or shoutouts.

Example:

If you run a fitness brand, launch a "7-Day Transformation Challenge" where customers share progress using your products.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• How to create a loyalty program: The ultimate guide

• Reward programs vs loyalty programs

• The ultimate guide to influencer marketing

YT Video: Turning $6,500 Into A $244 Million A Year Business

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

Buying glasses used to be a pain. You walked into a store, looked at the crazy-high prices, and wondered, Why does this tiny piece of plastic cost so much?

If you wanted something stylish, you had to pay hundreds of dollars.

If you wanted something cheap, you got boring frames that looked like they belonged in a science lab.

Then Warby Parker showed up and changed the game.

Out of nowhere, glasses were fun, stylish, and affordable. People wanted to wear them not just because they needed to see better but because they looked good.

So, how did Warby Parker do it? They made buying glasses feel different.

Let’s break it down.

The Big Idea:

How Warby Parker Made Glasses Fun to Buy?

Before Warby Parker, buying glasses felt like a chore.

You either spent more money on fancy brands or got stuck with cheap frames that didn’t look great. There was no middle ground.

Warby Parker saw this problem and fixed it.

They made stylish, high-quality glasses that cost way less than designer brands. But the real magic is how they positioned buying glasses at the same price as before.

Because of these moves, Warby Parker created a whole new way of shopping.

People shared photos, told their friends, and made Warby Parker a brand everyone talked about.

So, how did they pull all this off?

Behind the Magic:

Warby Parker’s Smart Moves

Warby Parker changed people's views about buying glasses. They turned an expensive, boring purchase into something fun, stylish, and affordable.

So, how did they do it?

They focused on three key strategies:

1. Using Influencers to Make Glasses Cool

Instead of running traditional ads, Warby Parker sent free glasses to influencers with a strong personal brand.

These influencers wore and made them part of their everyday style.

• Social proof and aspirational marketing. When people see someone they admire using a product, they assume it must be good. It’s the same reason we trust restaurant reviews or buy clothes worn by celebrities.

Warby Parker didn’t target just any influencers.

They picked those who fit their brand - trendy, intellectual, and creative types who made wearing glasses look stylish.

This wasn’t about paying big-name celebrities for scripted promotions.

Instead, they gave glasses to authors, fashion bloggers, and social media personalities who had real influence over their audience.

For example, here’s one the brand recently collaborated with an influenecer:

Instagram post

Because these influencers weren’t seen as salespeople, their recommendations felt authentic. This made Warby Parker’s glasses become a fashion statement.

And the best part is that this strategy created a snowball effect.
As more influencers wore the glasses, more people wanted them. And they posted their own photos when they bought a pair, spreading the brand even further.

For example:

Twitter tweet

Twitter tweet

2. Offering a Risk-Free Trial to Remove Hesitation

Warby Parker launched a Home Try-On Program, where customers could pick five frames, get them delivered for free, try them on at home, and send back the ones they didn’t want - no pressure, no risk.

• Reducing friction and increasing trust. People hesitate to buy when there’s uncertainty. Warby Parker broke the giant barrier to purchasing glasses online by making the buying process risk-free.

Click Here

Before Warby Parker, buying glasses online felt risky. What if the frames didn’t fit? What if they looked odd? What if the quality wasn’t good?

Most people would go to a store where they could try glasses on before committing. Warby Parker knew this, so they flipped the experience.

Instead of making customers go to a store, Warby Parker brought the store to the customer. That solved uncertainty with e-shopping glasses.

But here’s where they got even smarter: this free trial wasn’t just a convenience, but it became a marketing tool.

Customers would take selfies wearing different frames and ask their friends which ones looked best. That turned into free social media exposure for Warby Parker.

People weren’t just trying on glasses. They were showing them off.

And because this try-before-you-buy system made customers feel safe, they were far more likely to buy.

Even if they sent back all five frames, the experience made them trust Warby Parker, increasing the chances they would return later to buy.

3. Positioning The Brand as Affordable Luxury

Warby Parker positioned itself as a premium brand with high-quality glasses at an affordable price without making the glasses feel CHEAP.

• Value perception and premium branding. People buy based on how a product makes them feel, not just the price. Warby Parker made their glasses feel expensive, even though they were affordable.

Most people associate low prices with low quality.

If something is too cheap, customers assume it won’t last. Warby Parker had to fight this perception while still keeping accessible prices.

So, instead of saying they sell cheap glasses, they had to say they sell high-quality glasses for less. They made it sound like customers were getting a steal.

To back this up, they paid close attention to design and branding. Everything about Warby Parker felt premium, from their website and packaging to physical stores.

Their website was sleek and minimalist.
Their stores had a boutique feel.
Their packaging looked high-end (not like a budget brand).

Check out this unboxing video:

This subtle shift in branding made people feel smart for buying Warby Parker because they got designer-quality frames at a fraction of the price.

This premium-but-affordable positioning helped Warby Parker attract two types of customers:

• People who wanted stylish glasses but didn’t want to spend $300 on designer brands.

• People who could afford expensive brands but saw Warby Parker as a smart choice.

By making affordability feel premium, Warby Parker made it easier for customers to justify their purchase.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Try & Share Strategy

This strategy combines Warby Parker’s risk-free trials and word-of-mouth marketing into a simple, actionable playbook you can use for your business.

How It Works:

1. Offer a Free (or Low-Risk) Trial: 
   Let customers experience your product before committing. If you sell digital products, offer a free version. If you sell physical products, provide a trial period or a hassle-free return policy.

2. Encourage Customers to Share Their Experience: 
   Make the trial experience fun and social. Ask customers to share photos/videos using your product and tag your brand. Incentivize this with small perks like a discount on their first purchase or entry into a giveaway.

3. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): 
   Feature the best customer posts on your website, ads, and social media. This builds trust and creates social proof, showing potential buyers that real people love your product.

Why This Works:

• It removes the fear of buying: People hesitate to buy because they don’t want to waste money. A free trial or easy return policy makes them feel safe.

• It creates organic buzz: When people share their experiences, they promote your brand for free.

• It builds trust through real users: People trust recommendations from actual customers more than ads.

Example in Action:

• DTC Brand: A skincare company offers a 7-day free trial kit and asks customers to share their “before and after” photos.

• SaaS Product: A SaaS brand can give a free 14-day trial and encourage users to tweet about their experience with a hashtag.

• E-commerce Store: A clothing brand offers a Try 3, Keep 1 program, letting customers try multiple styles and return the ones they don’t love for free.

No matter your business type, the Try & Share Strategy can lower resistance, increase conversions, and get customers marketing your brand for you.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blogs:

• 15 brand positioning examples to refine your branding strategy

• 10 Steps to create a winning free trial marketing strategy

• Influencer marketing: The ultimate guide

YT Video: Brand positioning: Make your brand stand out

That's all for today, marketers! Got feedback? 
Help us write what you need by answering the poll below and commenting.

Any requests for the next breakdown? 
Let me know by replying to this email!

People love free stuff.

And when it comes to news, they expect it to be free.

Just open Twitter, check ESPN, or scroll through Reddit, and you will find scores, updates, and expert takes without paying a dime.

So why would anyone spend money on a sports news site?

That’s what many investors thought when The Athletic launched in 2016.

A subscription-only sports website? No ads and... no free articles?

It all sounded impossible.

But a few years later, over 1 million sports fans already paid for it.

In 2022, The New York Times bought them for $550 million.

So, what did The Athletic do differently?

And how did they convince fans to pay for something they got free?

Let’s break it down.

The Big Idea:

Launching The Best News Channel for Sports

Most sports sites fight for clicks.

They pump out fast, shallow news with short updates, trade rumors, and sensational headlines because more clicks mean more ad money.

In 2016, Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann saw this mess in the sports media and wanted to do something opposite to what was happening.

So, they launched The Athletic, a premium sports-dedicated website with deep, high-quality sports journalism, stories, and sports schedules.

No ads or junk. Instead of chasing quick news, they went deep.

They wrote long-form, in-depth info that one couldn’t find anywhere else.

• Instead of a 200-word game summary, they gave a 5,000-word breakdown of why (some) teams lost.

• Instead of reposting trade rumors, they scheduled exclusive interviews with insiders.

• Instead of sensational hot takes, they gave thoughtful, data-driven insights.

In short - They wrote content so well that fans couldn't resist paying.

But content alone wasn’t enough. The real magic was how they sold it.

And that’s where things get interesting.

Behind the Magic:

Acing The Premium Content Market

So, how did The Athletic convince over 1 million sports fans to pay for content?

They didn't rely on luck. They entered the market with a clear plan and strategy to build trust, exclusivity, and long-term loyalty.

Here’s how they pulled it off.

1. They Focused on the Die-Hard Fans

Most sports websites try to cover everything for everyone.

They post quick news updates, clickbait headlines, and shallow articles that attract casual readers. But casual readers don’t pay.

They skim, move on, and forget.

The Athletic ignored the casual audience and went straight for the fans who don’t just check scores but want to dig into the game deeply.

Instead of covering every sport, they focused on teams and leagues because these had the most dedicated fans.