Why 99% of Content is TRASH (And What to do Instead) | Peep Laja (CXL, Wynter)
Mar 15, 2024
auto_awesome
Peep Laja, King of CRO, discusses building brands, in-person events, and business pivots. Topics include transitioning from agency to media publishing, evolving course creation and payment models, and improving retention in e-learning. Also, the importance of message testing in website design, mastering messaging in B2B, and the Winter marketplace connecting professionals with B2B firms for feedback.
Transitioning from consulting to software can provide new challenges and opportunities for growth in a business model.
Recruiting target audience through targeted ads and cold outreach, incentivizing engagement, is essential for platform success.
Panel management is crucial in maintaining participant engagement, quality, and valuable insights for a two-sided marketplace.
Focus on clarifying messaging, strategic positioning, and organic growth before seeking external funding for a broader market platform.
Deep dives
Challenges and Solutions in Running an Agency
Running an agency presents challenges in scaling and acquiring high ticket clients. High volume of operations, efficient processes, and effective sales and customer acquisition strategies are crucial. The founder's personal brand can accelerate growth but is not essential for success.
Finding Unsolved Problems and Transitioning to Software Business
Identifying unsolved problems, such as the need for testing messaging effectiveness, led to the creation of Winter software. Transitioning from consulting to software was driven by a desire for a new challenge and a focus on building a software business.
Target Audience Recruitment for Winter
Recruitment of target audience for Winter involves targeted newsletter ads and massive cold outbound emailing to professionals in specific job roles. The approach includes offering financial incentives to participants and ensuring relevant engagement in the platform.
Addressing Spam and Managing Targeted Participants
Managing spam and filtering targeted participants among professionals is critical for Winter's success. Strategies such as banning certain IP addresses, discriminating based on location, and verification processes help combat spam and maintain the integrity of the platform.
Winter's Evolution from Message Testing to ICP Research and Panel Building
Winter initially started as a point solution for message testing but has evolved into a platform offering much more, primarily focusing on ICP research. The main use case now involves determining the pain points of target customers, their solution methods, and where they seek answers. Winter also facilitates various tests like message testing, user testing, and preference testing. The two-sided marketplace supports different types of exchanges, including arranging sales demos.
Challenges and Solutions in Managing Panels for Customer Research
Winter faces challenges in panel management, including participant churn and the need to maintain active engagement. The complexity of the marketplace model presents difficulties in retaining participants and ensuring ongoing involvement. Companies can bring their own panels, which Winter validates, offering opt-in opportunities and exclusive arrangements. The focus on maintaining panel quality and engagement underlines Winter's commitment to providing valuable insights.
Strategic Business Growth, Funding, and Market Positioning
Reflecting on growth strategies, Winter discusses the challenges of raising venture capital due to perceived niche market size. The decision to bootstrap and focus on organic growth aims to reach revenue milestones independently before seeking external funding. Winter's transition from a point solution to a broader target market insights platform necessitates clarifying messaging and strategic positioning to attract and retain customers effectively.
Is content marketing dead? Peep Laja thinks most of it’s garbage. In this episode, the founder of Wynter and CXL breaks down why today’s B2B content fails, how to create messaging that actually converts, why testing beats guessing, and how to know when it’s time to pivot your business model.
