365: Assembly: Going from Nice to Have to Must Have SaaS Product - with Jonathan Fields
Aug 17, 2023
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Jonathan Fields, co-founder and CEO of Assembly, shares his journey of growing from a struggling recognition and rewards product to a successful company. He discusses scaling strategies, starting with a simple product and expanding into a comprehensive engagement suite, and growth strategies including Google AdWords and affiliate marketing. They also explore biased recommendations and marketing strategies, referrals and partnerships, and their obsession with automation, disrupting the real estate industry, and rolling burritos.
Assembly focused on aligning their product to provide value for both buyers and users by listening to user needs and understanding their pain points.
Assembly utilized various growth channels including Google AdWords, content marketing, and partnerships to drive customer acquisition.
Assembly differentiated itself by being a consolidated toolkit with multiple functionalities, delivering a superior user experience, and leveraging AI to provide context-specific information and answers.
Deep dives
Building Assembly at Night and on Weekends
Jonathan Fields and his co-founders bootstrapped Assembly, an employee engagement platform, while working full-time jobs. They spent three years developing the product at night and on weekends before going full-time. Initially launching with a recognition and rewards product, they struggled to find their first customers. However, they persisted and now Assembly is a multi-million dollar ARR business with over 4000 customers.
The Importance of Alignment Between Buyers and Users
Assembly faced the challenge of having buyers and users with different needs and priorities. While buyers looked for certain features and functionality, users wanted simplicity and engagement. To bridge the gap, Assembly focused on listening to the needs of the users, understanding their pain points, and aligning the product to provide value for both buyers and users.
Investing in Different Growth Channels
Assembly utilized various growth channels to drive customer acquisition. They started with Google AdWords and invested in SEM to reach potential customers effectively. They also invested in content marketing and SEO, creating blog posts and building organic traffic. Partnering with HRIS marketplaces and implementing referral programs further contributed to their growth.
Becoming an Employee Internet
Assembly evolved from being a recognition and rewards platform to becoming an employee experience platform. By providing features like pushing information, finding information, and engaging employees, Assembly aimed to create a comprehensive employee internet. They focused on being the best in each category by improving engagement, integrating with other tools, and utilizing AI to enhance the user experience.
Navigating Competition and Creating Differentiation
Assembly faced competition in various categories, which made differentiation challenging. To stand out, they emphasized being a consolidated toolkit that offers multiple functionalities, consolidating and replacing the need for multiple tools. They also focused on delivering a superior user experience, improving engagement, and leveraging AI to provide context-specific information and answers.