Jose Gato

Marketing budgets are sometimes hard to come by. When I was client side it was a push to get every dollar we needed to get the outcome I sought. Now, on the agency side, we spend our days thinking creatively about how to stretch the budget as much as we can (while simultaneously pitching for more). Airtasker’s recent $5M equity-for-marketing deal with ARN Media is a prime example of creative thinking. By swapping shares for advertising, they aim to accelerate growth and attract more users without spending a cent upfront. At TAG, we’ve seen firsthand how innovative strategies like this can work for both parties. Thinking outside the box with your marketing budget can lead to significant gains. #innovativestrategies #innovativepartnerships https://lnkd.in/gJvhjXuq

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🎙 PSA announcement regarding pop ups… Can you please wait for your page to fully load before serving customers a pop up. When you click an Instagram ad for most fashion brands in Australia you are served a pop up to collect your email before the page has even fully loaded! ❓ As a new customer I am not sure I like your brand yet, can you give me a few seconds please before with frustration I have to find the tiny x to continue browsing. 💸 I know email is so important for cart abandonment and retention but you are leaving money on the table if you serve the pop up before the page has even properly loaded. Had the pop up been served once I had browsed the page I would have been more willing to share my details. However, since I closed it immediately, I am not going to scroll down to the bottom of your site on my own accord to provide it to you. 🙏 TIA from your target customer. Does this grate on you too when shopping online?

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Interrupting your #SXSWsydney packed feed for.....wait for it... Tips on raising money from VC's 🤑 (wow I can already hear the groans) Yep its been a hard slog for Founders this year. And this will likely continue into 2025... A couple of weeks back I attended a panel discussion with some of the best of the best in the venture world. It was an incredibly insightful session with plenty of value shared throughout the event. In particular, we talked raising money through a Sales Process lens (which of course made yours truly sit up in my chair!) and here are my key takeaways: ⏳ Firstly, don't underestimate the time and energy this is going to take. If you had a goal of landing $500k-$1m deal from a 'cold' enterprise client, you would expect a sales cycle of at least 6-12 months right? In today's market, that is what you can expect this is going to take for you to raise the same amount in VC funding (if you are fully prepared and investor ready when you start!) 💏 Just like enterprise sales, you can't expect to land the customer off the back of one meeting. This is going to be a courtship that will involve multiple touchpoints and multiple considerations such as timing (where is the fund at right now?), their mandate and more- you are selling a piece of your company. Get to know who you are selling it to. 🙅🏽‍♂️ There will be plenty of no's before you get a yes. A no is ok. A maybe is not. Don't waste your time talking to investors who you aren't the right fit for. Do your homework and make sure you are actively moving them through your 'sales process' closing the loop as much as you can. This will include actually asking them 'am I investable?' If I do X, Y & Z as you have suggested, is that when you would consider investing?' 📅 Just like enterprise sales- you want to remove as much friction as possible. Have FAQ's ready, know what the next steps look like, track your progress, follow up, be attentive and listen! 🤝 In the meetings you are having with investors, give them the license to give you feedback. Because not all will. Nods and smiles does not constitute a good meeting. You are looking for outcomes OR feedback so you can go away and do the work you need to. ❓ And finally, before you embark on this journey- be sure that you are investor ready. Are you a venture capitol investable company OR should you consider alternative avenues to funding? These are certainly questions we can help you answer! The last thing you want to do is pull resources from your business to ultimately waste your time. If you are navigating the entrepreneurial road and would like to chat about how we can help you at The Labs- feel free to message me and lets grab a coffee ☕ #entrepreneurship #startup #scaleup #raisingcapitol #VC #community #fundraisingtips #rivercitylabs #acslabs

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They say it takes 10 years to master a craft, but with the right framework, we’ve helped companies avoid vanity metrics in a fraction of the time. At REACH Australia and New Zealand, we guide startups to success by focusing on actionable insights rather than distractions. Here’s how we help them cut through the noise: ✅ Identify key performance metrics that truly matter. 📊 Analyse meaningful data to guide every decision. 💡 Make informed choices that drive real, measurable growth. 📈 Track and refine progress to stay ahead of the competition. This framework empowers companies to make faster, smarter decisions, accelerating growth in the proptech sector. Ready to make your impact? Apply to be a mentor: https://lnkd.in/gk4ZNjqe 📊💡 #RealEstateTech #DataDriven #Innovation #REACHAustralia #REACHNewZealand #reachnewheights #reachforthestars

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💚I’ve said it before (about 2 hours ago to be exact) and I’ll say it again - Pulse Check by 🚀 Overnight Success is brat. 🕶Now, what is Pulse Check? Don’t worry, I’ve got you. 💗 Pulse Check is an initiative of 🚀Overnight Success (OS - brought to you by the undeniably talented 🚀Gemma Clancy & Will Richards), powered by an amazing team of volunteer writers (“correspondents”) who have each contributed their own insights to bring you an insightful overview of what’s happening across the many corners of the 🐨 Aussie startup ecosystem. 📰Link to the August Edition (& make sure to subscribe): https://lnkd.in/gprXrgP9 Be sure to get around the stunning coverage by: 🥁Gav Parry: Covering industry highlights from Entertainment & FanTech. ⚖Preethi Mohan and 🍇 Kirstin Hunter Hunter: Powerhouses and passionate advocates on gender funding equity.  🚜Holly Clark: Covering AgriTech and pitching a new kind of angel investor. 💚Georgie Healy: Who’s AI coverage inspired my (possibly) amusing hook. 👏Berenice Chong: 🚀Accelerator Watch correspondent showcased Ochre Pre-Accelerator and Ochre Ventures. 🔥Andrew Harding: Covered Climate Tech through the lens of the Cut Through Venture's Report Q2 2024. 🌏& as for me, I shared golden advice from (now) 2x talented founder Sam Kroonenburg, inspired by his new venture, Cuttable’s recent raise! 📩If you’re an Aussie founder scaling globally or know someone I should cover, reach out!

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Can we talk about the Elephant Room... 🐘 (in the)- Dad Joke. How else are we going to grow Instant Audiences!? With this local Sydney based Agency that specialises in paid search, social media management, and email marketing, of course! Adam Sharon-Zipser & the team will not just be adding value to there clients but now they will ensures no potential customer is missed and re-targeting high-intent shoppers with Audiences! Cant wait to work closely with Elephant Room & skyrocket this partnerships! 💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘💚🐘 #ElephantRoom #InstantAudiences #DigitalMarketing #PaidSearch #SocialMedia #EmailMarketing #CustomerEngagement #RevenueGrowth #MarketingInnovation

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I've got a lot of thoughts about Witchery Australia Holdings Pty Ltd's rebrand... here's Part #1... Firstly, the fact that it's been named a "BOLD AWAKENING" campaign raises an interesting question: What does it really mean to be bold in marketing? On July 2nd, Witchery unveiled a fresh design direction, blending sophisticated styles with trendy pieces. While visually stunning (don't get me wrong, I *love* the direction), it begs the question: If something is genuinely bold, do you need to label it as such? True boldness in marketing should speak for itself. It's about making a statement through action and innovation, not just words. What do you think defines a bold campaign?

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Anyone in my network open to these roles below, HMU! [email protected] Background: Fintech client, large global campaign. 1) Digital Designer Level: Senior  Deliverables: Static OOH, static organic and paid social, EDMs, static banners, static web / app assets Software: Figma Key skills: The output themselves are not complex, but need someone who is on the ball, efficient and used to high volume production. Accustomed to working at pace and with feedback from lots of stakeholders. Dates: 30th Sept - 29th Nov (approx) 2) Motion Designer Level: Senior  Deliverables: Animated OOH / DOOH, animated organic and paid social Software: Figma (extracting masters), After Effects (motion rollout) Key skills: The output themselves are not complex, but need someone who is on the ball, efficient and used to high volume production. Accustomed to working at pace and with feedback from lots of stakeholders. Dates: 30th Sept - 29th Nov (approx) 3) Copywriter Level: Senior  Deliverables: Copywriting / localisation for above deliverables  Key skills: Knowledge of local market language (US, ANZ markets). Copy will be written for the UK but will need adapting for these markets.  Dates: 30th Sept - 29th Nov (approx - subject to change) #digitaldownunder

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In the past 2 years, we’ve engaged with 50+ agency owners - from $300k to $5M in revenue. Here are the raw truths that cut through the noise: 1. Transitioning from Founder to CEO is not just about what you do but who you are. Fundamentally it’s about identity and behaviour shifting and it’s very uncomfortable. Most agency founders started as technicians. Being a strategic leader requires a whole new set of skills and perspectives. 2. The biggest threat to your agency business isn’t the economy, it’s not market saturation or any other external reasons. It’s the founders. 3. If you want to scale past 15-25 clients you need to nail down your: → Calendar → Operational model  → Financial model  → GTM offer 4. Ruthlessly prioritise your work. When I audit founders' calendars, it’s obvious why most can’t escape operations. They’re lost in the weeds. 6. Still using last year’s pitch? You’re already irrelevant. 90% of brands already work with agencies. It’s your job to make them care about you - so rewrite your story. 6. Build a simple but effective hiring strategy. Without one you’ll be wasting a lot of time and money. 7. You really need to believe in your “thing” to the next level. You know who will try and steal your belief? The grass that is greener elsewhere (SaaS, your own DTC brand, crypto, etc). 8. Your team is a reflection of your abilities to lead. Full stop. 9. In the agency business there are essentially 2 problems that you will constantly be solving and optimising for. It’s people's problems and process problems. Learn to differentiate the two. Are you ready to face these truths head-on?

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A fairly popular Aussie Ecom brand told me last week that 87% of their online customers use their 10% off email discount code at checkout. That’s almost 9% of their total online revenue each month being lost just to collect emails. Having a good email strategy will make more than that 9% cost, but if there’s anything costing your business 9% of revenue, it REALLY need to be scrutinised. In this case - I told them to test other angles on their popup to make sure they're getting the most bang for their buck. For example,  Test any variation that saves money - $9 / $5 / 5% Test $10 instead of 10% -> if AOV is over $100 Test Free Gift with purchase The important thing is to test. For example, If they test a 5% discount instead of 10%: Worst case, email signups drop off a cliff, and they can revert back to 10% within a few days. Best case they save 4.5% of total online sales going forward without lowering email signups. 

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Last week I discussed my learnings 3 months into a pivot from a solo consultant to a Digital Commerce Agency. That one focussed on the mechanics of the pivot from a business perspective. I thought it would be useful to unpack what it's like being in the weeds of Shopify again. But first. Some context. I first started selling, solution-ing, PM-ing Shopify projects in 2016. At that time I knew f*ck all about website development (although I did a programming module at Uni which resulted in pre-school knowledge of C++). As such, my solution knowledge came from Shopify's customer support and forums. Does anybody remember HunkyBill? I would use the customer chat like my own personal solution team, logging into ask questions as I was creating an RFP response. In hindsight, actually quite a good way to increase one's Shopify knowledge. As we grew the team at We Make Websites, my granular understanding of Shopify became less. And then when I exited the business, I spent 2 years almost completely out of the game. So what's it like being on the tools again? My two cents: ........ - it's been eye-opening to see the rate of core platform development from Shopify. I knew things like the update sections capability was useful but I'm surprised at how powerful it actually is. What would have taken 5 days dev time can now be done by anybody in a brand. Mad. I suspect this will continue to accelerate and feeds into my thesis that we're seeing a bifurcation of Shopify; no/low or custom. - even though the app market has accelerated in terms of participants, the incumbents remain strong. There is a reason they're part of the 'go to' stack. - there is an inordinate amount of fluff in the ecosystem (namely Ai and things like Apple Vision). - to above point. Although there was some chatter about Ai at Pulse, I don't see brands talking about said fluff on the ground. What are they talking about? The nuts and bolts of running a brand. Colour swatches, bundles, price promotions, why isn't Markets Pro available in the UK are the common topics. Not LLMs. - to the above point, and Oliver did a good post about it the other day, Ai will be delivered through the tech they use (both front end and back end). - I was a little worried that being off the tools for so long would be a disadvantage. But I've learned two things (1) I have excellent co founders who plug my knowledge gap. (2) my understanding of the market, platforms, commerce and business (from doing my pod, newsletter and being curious) are actually a USP when we're working with clients. I describe myself as the 'commerce and business glue' that holds the project together. ........ #commerce

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There is always that moment, that point in time when you think "this could be a game changer". Right now is that moment ... the quality of fractional leaders available to NZ businesses is outstanding. CEOs, founders, boards and investors have access to world-class part-time leadership to deliver high-value, high-impact outcomes. You have heard the term Fractional, and if you want to lean about HOW this new way of working can accelerate your business then come along to this breakfast...seats are limited, it's a hot topic, just saying.....

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With over 110 companies including the likes of Canva, Linktree, Employment Hero, Zoomo, Athena & many more, in their fast-growing portfolio, having helped over 250 founders create more than 17000 jobs, Airtree as the one of the most iconic Venture Capital firms in Australia & New Zealand doesn't need an introduction. I am super excited to have joined forces with Airtree as an Angel through their Airtree Explorer initiative for Angels across ANZ. Having just relocated to Australia from Southeast Asia last year, as a part of this initiative, not only do I intend to pick up the nuances of angel investing in Australia but more importantly I am so looking forward to meeting the like-minded individuals, investors, and founders building the next generation of tech companies out of Australia. If you're a founder based in Australia, working on a game-changing idea, please do feel free to reach out for a chat. And, if you're a startup that is already getting good traction & therefore intends to scale within Australia and to larger markets like India, Southeast Asia, USA, I will be happy to share my experience and help with introductions within our network. Also open to helping Aussie founders with their tech & product development, marketing, revenue growth initiatives for the ventures across B2B Tech, AI, Cyber Security, Robotics & Automation, Sustainability, Decarbonisation & Energy Transition, Manufacturing, Carbon Accounting, etc, areas that may have synergies with any of our group companies. If you're building in Australia with a mindset of Global from Day 1, and would like to bounce of ideas, or request an introduction to the Airtree team or any of the fellow angels, I will be open to helping if it is something that aligns with the fund thesis at Airtree. Until then, let's keep the hustle on... 🚀

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✨ An exciting TMM chapter announcement! ✨ I was listening to Growth Colony's Australia’s B2B Growth Podcast this morning and they were interviewing Guy Kawasaki who said: “AI is the biggest deal that I have seen in my career… AI is bigger than personal computers, it’s bigger than social media, it’s bigger than the internet.” No shying away for this little marketer. I’m taking it on. For my clients, for my team, and for the (hopeful) future and ongoing success of The Measured Marketer. I’ve created a role that will build out a consulting offering for clients in how to best utilise AI in their marketing and integrate it into their existing #techstack. Because there’s never enough resources. There’s never enough time. And there’s never enough budget. Join us. I’m not expecting to find an expert in all the AI marketing platforms in the whole wide world. I mean, it’s kinda still new and evolving every day, so nobody’s an expert, right? But what I do want is to work with a good human who is passionate about B2B marketing, passionate about tech, passionate about building a service offering from scratch, and passionate about good quality work for our clients. Reach out via Ellen Bennett at NewyTechPeople. The job ad is here: https://lnkd.in/gs7JR5kV This post was written all by me... 😜 but I'm certainly not saying I haven't dabbled with the "rewrite with AI" feature before. #B2BMarketing #EmbracingTheFuture #WorkWithUs

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"Consumer expectations level up every year." Wise words from my friend Adam Sharon-Zipser as he kicked off a panel at Elephant Room's 10th birthday event with pretty much every incredible Australian fashion label in one room celebrating him, his business partner Matthew Ding and the team. A few more key takeaways from an incredibly experienced panel: "Your product is your best retention tool" said Shaun Greenblo from Boody. It was then interesting to hear him talk about the rise of Temu and I thought to myself, how will this not impact his best retention tool in 2024? Suzy Nicoletti talked about her time at Google where she spent her days convincing customers Google was a thing! When I look back, I feel this is not too far from those who still need convincing that AI is going to change our world as we know it. Leonie Faddy from Go-To Skincare Pty Ltd was joined with a lot of head nodding when she talked about how competition is more than 20x today what it was pre-covid and the barriers to entry are now non-existent. Discussion then turned to the future and I had two key takeaways outside of the obvious AI: 1. A consolidated single customer view across channels that is simple to use, understand and achieve ROI with is an area ripe for disruption. -> I couldn't agree more, why should you have to pay 6 figures to understand how your customer shops across channel in your business? 2. The fastest growing ecommerce businesses on Meta are run by analysts not product centric operators. -> What's the difference? Analysts are focused on unit economics and aren't tied to selling any particular product tomorrow or in the future. They are nimble and focused on being a profitable business. What do you think the future holds from ecommerce?

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Yesterday, I started my day in the Melbourne for Xero roadshow #3. Today, I’m in Cairns to do it all again. We made some rookie mistakes at our first roadshows. Seeing companies like Daniel Steinhauser/Clayton Wood from Seamlss and Lauren Crawford from Translucent nail it, gave us insight into how we could improve. What didn’t work: ❌ White shirts with a small Rechargly logo (not eye-catching) ❌ Our banner didn’t clearly explain what we do ❌ Using “millennial” language like “pick the best meme” on our contest didn’t land What we changed: ✅ Bright purple shirts with a large logo (more visible and memorable) ✅ Moved all banner copy to the top ✅ Never stand behind the table unless we’re giving a demo We had more conversations in Narre Warren than at the other two roadshows combined. Maybe the location played a part, but these tweaks made a big difference. These changes might seem obvious, but it wasn’t at the time. Have you done a trade show before? What’s something small you’ve done or seen that’s made a difference? #xeroroadshow #xero #rechargly #accountant #bookkeeper

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Record month for Aussie ecommerce client. Just a cheeky 322% YOY growth. The best bit is profitability is still extremely healthy due to ROAS still climbing. Google still drives the bulk of their sales. But Meta and TikTok have recently been added. With a heavy UGC focus. Currently expanding the top of funnel and prospecting channels on Google for them as we’re starting to get close to tapping out pmax. When I say close I still think there is another 100k per month in it. When trying to expand out I always add standard shopping (especially for zombie and products not being seen much). The. I add in Search to best selling search terms and best selling products. Dynamic search comes next to find some new keywords. Broad match with a target roas and brand excluded is doing wonders as well. Then we’re also busy adding in demand gen and YouTube. See you at $400k soon. PS. If you want me to look at your ads hit me up #googleads #ppc #sem #ecommerce #dtc #shopify

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This piece in Mumbrella by Brad Bennett is well worth a read. I have a pet theory that over the next decade we're going to see a rise in the commitment to long-term brand building corresponding with a flight to quality and durability as the underpinning of true sustainability. Right now though, things are a little sad on the advertising front and Brad explains why. #marketing #brandstrategy #advertisingeffectiveness

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It was an absolute pleasure to join Bree Johnson and Cheyenne Scott on the panel at a frank body event for Coles Group HQ earlier this week. One particular perspective that Bree shared really struck a chord with me: "Remember you're building a life, not just a career". We so often compartmentalise "work" and "life" as two separate fragments of our existence. But in reality they intersect nearly completely. It's important to ensure that both spaces bring you contentment because they constantly influence one another. In a world where perfect balance may be unattainable, it’s about supporting yourself as the pendulum of life swings between work and personal time. Ensuring that you're taking care of your mental wellbeing is essential to navigating the changes. Conversations like these are so important for shifting discussions around mental health from mere awareness into action - especially in the workplace. So this week, take a moment to take time for your mental health. Even taking five minutes for self-care - whether it's your skincare routine, a walk, gardening - can make a significant difference in how you feel. Take care of yourself, because when you feel good, everything else aligns just a little better.

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