Justin Meats

CPG Service providers: Things need to change. This is not Armageddon, but it’s a tight environment for CPG: -The cost of money is high. -The availability of money is low. -Retailers are driving hard into PL. -The cost of materials is historically high. -The availability of materials is often scarce. Yet services have made few adjustments. Where is the innovation in our service offerings? In our pricing models? In the length of our agreements? Brands need more if we’re going to make this work. We need to be providing more: -> *Quality* low-cost alternatives. -> Energy and focus into EXECUTION over sales. -> Fast responses to panicked calls and emails. -> Honesty when a desired outcome is unlikely. -> Honesty when we’re not the right solution. -> Quick-assists for brands that can’t afford us. -> Rethinking of predatory long-term agreements. -> Doing things outside of our agreement when it’s possible. -> Sticking with brands when money and options run out. We as solution providers…. need to solve problems. It is NOT on brands to shoulder rising costs AND Industry changes AND consumer caution. This isn’t a virtue signal. Some of these things are not easy for me. Agency life is a relentless grind. I can’t force people do it for free. We all have unique pressures no one else understands. This is the time for service providers to get outside of the box. But this is the time for Industry INNOVATION. We need to start thinking like we are trying to move the same ball across the same finish line. #cpg #ecommerce #retailmedia #instacart #retailgrowth #shoppermarketing #serviceproviders #retailvelocity

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Building your own quality commenting experience from scratch is painstaking and can take a ton of time away from your dev team. Time that could be better used building on your product's core competency... BUT Luckily there is Velt SDK! At Velt (YC) we have spent years refining the best commenting experiences, so that you don't have to. All you need to do is add a few lines of code to integrate our SDK's full stack components!

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A great case study on "Content Pruning" - Deleting 847 Blog posts! Read out the below post to learn the approach and results. Content Pruning becomes essential when a large chunk of your pages do not bring traffic.

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If this metric is lagging in your studio... It can have major ripple effects. What’s the metric? >>Conversion Rate<< Studios often think they have a “marketing problem.” In reality...they have a “conversion problem.” Here’s what I mean… Conversion Rate Impact: → Imagine increasing CR from 15% to 40% → For every (100) intro packs sold → That's (40) new members  → Instead of (15) new members Cost Per Acquisition: → With a higher CR… → Your investment per new members plummets. → Instead of casting a wide net for minimal returns... → You're strategically investing in targeted conversions. → Making your marketing dollars are MORE effective. → (Bringing in more members for less) The Revenue Reality: → This is where the difference is felt → With an average monthly membership of $150 → At a conversion rate of 15% → You’re making $2,250/month With a conversion rate of 40%? You’re making $6,000/month. Annually, that's the difference between… $27,000 and $72,000. Yes, you read that right. So do you have a marketing problem? Or a conversion problem? #boutiquefitness #fitness #fitnessindustry #fitnesstrends #innovation #digitalmarketing

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I've just re-posted my in-depth analysis of Product Hunt recent changes on Medium: https://lnkd.in/e8UXjP7W Product Hunt isn't indie hacker-friendly anymore. If you are a founder looking to launch a tool try Indie Hacker instead. I will post a guide on the topic once I have enough data to share. #ProductHunt #ProductHuntLaunch

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Poorly timed automations are a BFCM killer. If you have flows that normally send email/SMS/push to users for on-site actions like Abandoned Checkout, Browse Abandonment and Added to Cart Abandonment (a.k.a. basically every ecommerce store out there...), you know the type of headache sale periods create for turning ON/OFF your more "evergreen" content + your sale-specific content. Midnight flips, forgetting your standard Abandoned Checkout flow has been offer for weeks, users getting conflicting discount messaging, etc. It's a fairly long list of issues that happen -- both operationally and customer-facing. If you're a user of the platform, one Klaviyo feature has just completely erased the need for such madness. It's been out for a few weeks, but I'm gaining more and more appreciation for it everyday as we start taking advantage more. The feature? Scheduling flow status. Users now have the ability to change the status of an entire flow (to Live, Draft Manual) on a timed schedule. That schedule can have multiple steps. For example, turn off your evergreen welcome flow prior to Black Friday > turn back on when the sale period is over. This is a HUGE thing, not just for BFCM, but anytime where there is a need to activate or turn off something on a specific date or during a certain time period. As an email marketer with many clients on Klaviyo, I'm celebrating.

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Monkeys on pedestals! 🐒🔥 One of my favorite frameworks for quickly assessing the viability of any project - whether it’s launching a new product, starting a company, or testing a go-to-market motion - is Monkeys on Pedestals. I first came across it through Annie Duke, who learned it from Astro Teller (CEO of X, Google’s innovation hub), and it’s a concept I regularly share with founders I work with. Here’s how it works: Imagine you’re trying to teach a monkey to juggle flaming torches while standing on a pedestal in the town square. Two tasks compete for your time and resources: 1️⃣ Training the monkey. 2️⃣ Building the pedestal. Now ask yourself, what’s the hard part? Spoiler: it’s not the pedestal. The bottleneck - the critical challenge - is getting the monkey to juggle. Building the pedestal might feel like progress, but it’s irrelevant if you can’t solve the monkey problem first. This framework tells us to tackle the hardest, most uncertain task first. If the monkey can’t juggle, the project stops there, saving you time, money, and effort. It’s the opposite of the “low-hanging fruit” mindset. Tackling low-hanging fruit often feels good - it’s familiar and easy - but it offers the illusion of progress, not actual results. Pedestal building is just busywork if you can’t solve for the monkey. So next time you’re evaluating an idea or project, remember: Always tackle the monkey first! 🐒 😉 #monkeyfirst #startups #gtm #annieduke

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I have been seeing a lot of AI-enabled products with sub $300k in ARR but 75-100x revenue valuation multiples. Obviously there is a lot of promise for many of these tools, but a question I keep wondering about is which line item in a prospective buyer's budget many of these software licenses is going to come from and if revenue growth is going to be a lot slower than valuation because buyers haven't yet adjusted their FP & A process to include allocation for AI tools that don't neatly fit in any historic software category. Tricky question. TIA Ventures

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If you think customers ought to love the feature, but they don’t use it, either… 1. You’re wrong 2. You haven’t made it intuitive It’s usually (1). If so, don’t just remove the feature; figure out what your incorrect assumptions are, so you don’t repeat the error.

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Here’s the next installment in our review of landing pages (LPs). Folks liked the last review, so I hope this one is informative as well. As a reminder, a programmatic landing page is the front door, the first chance to make the best impression. Bad LPs are unintuitive, unattractive, and lack key information viewers want . Even worse, a bad landing page can send a good prospect back to her Google search. Purdue Global’s LP hits most of the high notes. The imagery is a bit generic, but shows a healthcare-related program. It’s impossible to miss the call to action in a huge bar bisecting the page, and the information adults most want to see at a glance is all there: - Cost per credit-would be useful to show the required # of credits - Time to complete the degree-I love having an actual completion date - Link to a chat function-looks AI generated, which isn't ideal A more diverse group of models would boost inclusivity, and the imagery is more healthcare than specifically nursing, but I give this landing page a solid B+ grade. Nice going, Purdue Global!

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WSJ just dropped an article, "Googling Is for Old People. That’s a Problem for Google." And honestly? Called it. I flagged this trend when GPTs first started blowing up. Not too worried about Google itself—they’ll survive. But businesses? That’s a whole different story. Losing the visibility that search and ads provide could hit them hard. I even wrote an article about this—breaking down what GPT dominance means for product and service businesses. The illustration here? It’s from that piece. If you’re into data, infographics, and actionable insights, check it out: https://lnkd.in/ezzdPfuM. But here’s the kicker: if GPTs keep eating into search’s turf, businesses will have to rethink how they reach customers. Search ads? Not an option in GPT-land (yet). 🟢 My advice? Stay ahead of the curve. If you’re a business wondering how to keep growing your customer base while the ground shifts under your feet, let’s talk. Visibility is the name of the game, and we’ve got ideas to help you win it—even if GPTs rewrite the rules. DM me, let’s figure it out together. #AdaptAndThrive

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PMF isn't forever. How to make sure you keep it ↓ I dug deep into Product/Market Fit. And made a surprising discovery 🥲 Even though it can be REALLY HARD to reach it. Once you have it you're not safe ❌ >> You can still lose your PMF << This is what happened to Nokia ☎️ While Nokia's marketing was running 'focus groups'. And asking people to rank potential features. Apple was at work... Their team dived deep into human needs. And understood what prevented people from using smartphones. The rest is history. Apple's strategy resulted in a lasting success. And Nokia lost its PMF in the 'tech-savvy' buyer market.   Another example happened during COVID 😷 Lockdowns changed people's behaviors. They couldn’t head to a physical office. And so Virtual Office apps became very popular. Very quickly. Once lockdowns were lifted, things changed. Many who had adopted these systems would drop them. As they could go back into the office for real. Virtual Office apps reached PMF then lost it - within a few months 🤯 If you’ve built a product & reached PMF, congrats 🎉 This is a pretty big deal. But don’t forget: The world is changing fast. And markets too. PMF is not eternal. To make it last, we need to keep our customers front & center. What am I missing? Take care 💜 Enzo #pmf #twowaydoor

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The biggest mistake DTC brands make? Setting up random cross-sells just because "everyone does it." Don't guess what products work well together. Your customers are already showing you. Most brands set up random product recommendations without looking at the data. But your Shopify analytics already tell you exactly what products customers buy together. Here's what 99% of brands are missing: The Power of Natural Product Pairings Your customers are already creating perfect cross-sell combinations - you just need to pay attention. How to find these hidden opportunities: 1. Check Your Shopify Analytics - Look at "Frequently Bought Together" data - Analyze recent order patterns - Focus on your top sellers first 2. Use AI for Deeper Analysis - Export your order data - Let AI identify purchase patterns - Spot combinations you might have missed 3. Implementation Strategy - Start with your highest-volume products - Test these natural pairings as cross-sells 4. Monitor performance closely This matters because... - Lower CAC through increased AOV - Higher conversion rates on cross-sells - Better user experience with relevant recommendations The biggest mistake? Setting up random cross-sells just because "everyone does it." Let the data guide your strategy instead. What's been your experience with cross-sell optimization? Share below 👇 P.S. Remember, this isn't about adding more cross-sells. It's about adding the RIGHT ones.

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After working with $3.5B ARR brands, here's the truth: Noobs and experts tackle CRO very differently. Here are some key contrasts: 1. Beginner: "Let's change the button color to boost conversions." Expert: "What user behavior data supports this change?" 2. Beginner: "More pop-ups will capture more leads." Expert: "How can we add value without disrupting the user experience?" 3. Beginner: "Our conversion rate is low. We need a complete redesign." Expert: "Let's analyze the data to identify specific pain points first." 4. Beginner: "Mobile optimization isn't crucial for our B2B audience." Expert: "Let's ensure a seamless experience across all devices and contexts." 5. Beginner: "Our test didn't work. CRO doesn't work for our business." Expert: "What insights can we gain from this test to inform our next hypothesis?" The key takeaway? Expert CRO is about asking the right questions, not jumping to quick fixes. It's about: - Testing methodically - Understanding user behavior - Continuously improving based on data Where do you fall on this spectrum? Are you taking a beginner or expert approach to CRO? Share your thoughts below! 👇 - - - Want more expert CRO insights? I've compiled our top 446-point CRO checklist to increase conversion fast based on 2,500 A/B tests 1. Like and repost this post 2. Comment "CRO TIPS" and I'll DM you the full list. (Follow me first)

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Enterprise software buying is broken. Vendors pay $100k (and in some cases $1m+ to attend) events like Shoptalk, a Vegas larger-than-life speed-dating affair that tries to match buyers and vendors. If you're a vendor who doesn't attend, it’s going to be hard to find out what buyers need and when they need it. And good luck relying on cold emails or cold calling to get in front of the right decision-maker at the right time with the right solution. Nearly impossible. Spending 12 years building CB Insights taught me a thing or two about enterprise buyers. And convinced me there should be a better way to facilitate buyer-vendor matches. Imagine: — Getting matched with a buyer who actually wants what you have to offer, now — Hopping on a virtual meeting from your home or office — Being so well prepared you're able to speak to exactly how your solution addresses their current pain points Sound too good to be true? Well, it isn't. At least not anymore. I founded Alium to solve that exact problem. Which is why I couldn't be more excited to announce the launch of Buyer Introductions on our platform. Here's how it works: — You signal intent to connect with a buyer — If the buyer’s interested in what you have to offer, you're matched — You receive proprietary intel about what the buyer is looking for — The two of you hop on a call to talk shop Boom. Massive win-win without the huge amounts of time and money spent on in-person events and cold hail-mary, spray-and-pray campaigns. If that sounds interesting to you, my DMs are open. P.S. Zero disrespect to Shoptalk, by the way. It’s a great event and I’ll be there next year and the year after that… P.P.S. Some of the buyers we already have on the platform (and we’re adding more all the time): Tourneau, Lowes, Zoom, Finish Line, Omni Hotels, Bloomberg, Subway, and LG Electronics.

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The #1 problem I see why SaaS products fail: "Having too many features" In the case of a SaaS: LESS IS MORE. I often see founders trying to include every feature to ramp up the product functionality. And it's a terrible strategy because of it: ↳ requires extra explanations ↳ complicates USP communication ↳ leads to more effort from the user's end ↳ increases the risk of the user making wrong choices The more features you add → more distracted you get from understanding the core needs of the users. Not only that but your users also get overwhelmed when they are presented with too many options (a.k.a. choice overload).  What happens? They bail. Look at what happened with Dropbox. Dropbox started as a basic file storage app and turned into a document scanning, password management, and collaboration tool, which became too complicated for users. People started turning to Google Drive. There's a simple, almost obvious solution to this problem. Focus on 1 use case that solves 1 problem. ↳Stripe ↳Notion ↳Calendly All of these are loved because they solved ONLY one use case extremely well and slowly compounded features over time. Don't bombard your users with pointless options. At Expandi, my cofounder, Glenn Miseroy and I have been obsessed with avoiding this mistake as we grow our company. Bottom line: Fewer features mean quicker, easier decisions for users. --------------------- That's a wrap! If this post resonates with you, share ♻️ this post and follow me for more insights on entrepreneurship, SaaS, & business.

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Exploring "unlimited time" solutions with agencies using AI to scale. Key questions we're asking: 1. What do clients want but can't afford? 2. What do clients need at scale but was impossible before? 3. What personalized methods could be automated? Silicon Valley says, "Do things that don't scale." What would you love to offer clients? AI might make it more possible than you think.

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Just did a full gap analysis for an enterprise client and found a total of $300,000 in additional revenue we're going to add from only 5 keywords. We've already reached 4M visits per month but we wanted to get real clarity on *what we're actually trying to build* and where to focus our resources. Here's what I did: 1. Took all the data they had across different platforms: GSC, Ahrefs, PPC data, connected to revenue data. I could see LTV, organic and paid conversion rates, clicks, impressions, avg CTR across positions, current position. 2. Not all keywords had LTV data but I had either LTV through organic or PPC conversion data. 3. Normalized all the data points on a scale from 1-100. 4. Built a computing model that gave each metric a weight, and calculated a prioritization score to know what the most valuable keywords are for opportunity. 5. Manually reviewed to ensure the top keywords were most aligned with the product and audience, and whittled it down to the top 5 keywords we want to rank in the top 3 positions—because those will drive the most revenue. 6. Analyzed each keyword's SERP and the page tied to it in mega depth. Built a plan for what exactly needs to be done and how feasible it is to rank in the top 3 for these keywords. This is also what drives the rest of the content plan. 7. We know the resources we need and how to prioritize it. Now we have revenue potential (calculated based on avg CTR by position and impressions as a predictor of TAM—what would it look like if we moved these keywords up?) And we know the gap. We have clarity on what we need to do and why we need to do it, and it's much easier to get stakeholder and executive buy-in for what we need—because there is an end goal. We're not just blindly "doing SEO". Too many strategies and audits are vague and built around a goal of "better SEO", but still most people tell me they don't really get the "why" or the "what they're building". They're just "doing", even if doing well, according to best practices. Really excited about rolling this plan out with this client and doing similar work for our other clients! #seo #searchengineoptimization

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