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37 Comments

Tuesday Edition: Daily Stand Up!

Why?

That extra nudge of accountability to achieve even a small step on your IH journey each day.

To join in:

01 Share your epic (a big chunk of work with a meaty objective) you'd like to complete by the end of April.

02 Share what you accomplished yesterday.

03 Share what you commit to accomplishing today.

04 Comment on at least one fellow hacker's progress and give them an IH Point for their check in.

Optional:

05 Share your Work In Progress to underscore your accomplishments.

Then tune in the tomorrow to share how you did on your own tasks!

#daily-stand-up

  1. 5

    By end of April:
    -Get at least 10 customers for https://SavedReplies.io
    -Improve the landing page
    -Improve the software

    Yesterday:
    -Made a few changes to the landing page of the SavedReplies
    -Tested it on multiple computers
    -Tried to get some feedback from potential customers

    Today:
    -Post on different sites to get some initial traffic and feedback before lunching on ProductHunt
    -Join multiple facebook groups related to customer support/selling/marketing and try to post about SavedReplies
    -Come up with other ways of promoting the software in the early days(I am open to suggestions)

    1. 4

      Post on different sites to get some initial traffic and feedback before lunching on ProductHunt

      Which sites? Cross checking what another IH'er may be using versus what I have used.

      1. 1

        Thank you for your response @rob_race!
        I was thinking about BetaList, some subreddits, facebook groups and forums related to customer support(I haven't started on forums yet) do you have other suggestions?

        1. 1

          I haven't really hit up Reddit as it has never seemed to be a good source of converting traffic. However, I do wonder if FB/forums may have anything. I was rejected on BetaList with no explanation and no response to an email asking why.

          1. 1

            I've posted on one big subreddit yesterday, I got some traffic and 3 or 4 comments on the post, but then my post was removed... For FB, I had some success when I've asked for feedback on the landing page, but now that I am trying to sell the MVP, not a lot of traffic from FB groups,.
            I haven't posted on BetaList yet

      2. 1

        This comment was deleted 5 years ago.

    2. 3

      Hey @MMike

      Love it!

      PH can be magical for you. I've hunted/made 6 launches so far this year. All #1 or #2. The side effects can be both amazing (and really critical as well). The amazing side effects and thoughts I can share:

      • launch on a wednesday, by far the best for traffic. While it is competitive the foot traffic is bare none.

      • when you are #1 of day you see anywhere between 5k-18k in the first 3 days of launch directly from PH. The more friction (sign up, payment, etc) the lower you will be on that scale.

      • when you are top 1-5 PH of the day you will be featured in an email newsletter send my PH... drives traffic!

      • if your traffic continues and you land PH 1-5 of the week, you will be featured across the site in a cool way and in newsletter another traffic bump.

      • don't buy upvotes. that isn;t how the algo works. (imo it's traffic to YOUR page and click of YOUR link with respect to real users) I've been 100 UV under the #2 and I would still be #1. They would run bots, my launch would be organic.

      • when you are #1 of the day your conversion rate to traffic will look somewhere along the lines of ~2.5%. While there will be customers, the number tends to be lower due to the audience type on PH. I find they are great for feedback, however not optimal customers.

      • USE calendly or a similar tool, guide people to schedule demos and do demos for people over phone / zoom. The phone call is incredibly valuable and by far the highest channel for early growth.

      • If you do a ShowHN, spend the time and write a good comment to support the release. I find that even low karma authors can keep a post up on . ShowHN for a few days if the spend that extra time.

      • Paid betalist is a good early source. A few hundred guaranteed visitors. Good for feedback.

      • I am a fan of using retargeting. While it's paid, I don't use it as a direct marketing channel. I tend to design ads that are ambiguous without buttons/call to action. This way I get more out of my spend and people in my funnel see me in so many places which keeps me top of mind.

      • Start writing an internal blog immediately. Immediately !!! Use wordpress, ghost, something that has solid content structure for SEO. Study your intent keywords, get a handle on your organics as soon as possible. Learn what makes that tick. Having strong organics is CRITICAL to growth. That is your high intent customer channel. the internal content can take 4+ weeks to show results.

      • Once your internal content strategy is locked, move to external ones. Remember the content doesn't have to be "articles". Ideas I tend to utilize for the deep links and authority:
        -- trello - make a public roadmap
        -- git - open repo for a valued utility that your ware uses
        -- codepen - components your site uses
        -- dribbble - design comps of your work

      so many ways to create quality back links and discovery channels.

      • Don't spend on PR / PR sites

      • Avoid anything that looks like a silver bullet.

      Perhaps too long. All good! hope it helps!

      1. 2

        I was blow away by your response @RyanHickman it probably took some time to write it, I see you've a lot of experience lunching products.

        About PH lunches, did you hunted them yourself or you asked somebody else? From what I've read you have a better chance to get more votes if someone more popular hunts your product instead of you, is this true?

        Yes, I am planning to start a blog very soon, but besides uses cases, maybe content related to support, do you have other suggestions to write about on the blog?

        1. 1

          Thanks!

          Blog...blog...blog...blog...blog. Please blog! Writing content trumps writing code when it comes to customer discovery.

          When you create a new idea that inspires you to go the distance and build a product, MOST of the time you are building that product to solve a problem. People go to their psychiatrist (ala google) and confess their problems in search for ways to solve the problem. The initial intent isn't to buy anything, it's to learn and educate themselves on ways the problem can be solved. Analytics, KPI's and metrics often make us think about the relationship so transactionally. We become vested in the product's metrics of success rather than the customer and their needs.

          We find ourselves forgetting the customer journey and how they get to the buying decision in the first place. When you step back from that, the content you should create/blog about should become more apparent. Write about the problem you are solving. Become strategic in your research to identify "how" people are looking to solve the problem.

          So with PH I always have someone else hunt it for me. While I can hunt it myself... I've come to realize that the initial push is critical. A hunter who has followers and is active in the community, for instance when they hunt your product their reach makes you more discoverable. Push notifications on web/app, notifications on site, etc. A hunter with reach can drive that initial push.

          1. 1

            Noted, thank you very much for your help, I really appreciate it, and if you need a free copy of SavedReplies let me know.

      2. 2

        Great post.

        Was just planning the launch of my product and missed retargeting and calendly from it.

        Have you done any paid ads on sites and newsletters to drive early traffic?

        1. 1

          Newsletter traffic that is organic is really valuable. I find that it's very high signal.

          I haven't paid for newsletter traffic as I've been lucky enough to get it organically.

          I would be curious the difference between paid and organic.

    3. 2

      Checked out the landing page --- great start! You miss an opportunity to seize the above the fold as your copy essentially explains what a saved reply is... which is already quite obvious. I'd spend real estate discussing the scenarios in which a saved reply is helpful, e.g. Searching for influencers to join your platform? Submitting a cover letter to potential employers? Etc...

      1. 2

        Thank you for the reply @Harlem and for taking the time to check out the landing page, the copy didn't included so many info and when I've asked for some feedback here (link: https://www.indiehackers.com/MMike/post/365f83ac40 ) and on some facebook groups some people didn't understood exactly what it is doing, so this is why i've tried to provide as much information as possible, even information that for some is quite obvious.

        About scenarios is which a saved reply is helpful, I think I should writing blog posts about that, what do you suggest?

  2. 4

    EPIC

    By end of 2019:

    5K MR

    By end of April:

    • Validate concept.

    YESTERDAY

    • Researched best SEO approach for experimental blog post.
    • Created skeleton of experimental blog post.
    • Started content.

    TODAY

    • Let @csallen's response marinate.
    • Respond.
    • Finish up Privacy Policy.
    • Finish up meta descriptions.
    • Finish up the experimental blog content other than algorithmic stuff.

    KUDOS: To @csallen for dropping some wisdom bombs. Check out his feedback in Sunday's Retro.

    WIP: Jeanius

    1. 3

      Wow that's good stuff! Kudos indeed!

      1. 1

        Wasn't it, though?

    2. 2

      @Harlem would LOVE to pick your brain on SEO

      1. 1

        Hit me. If I get nothing else from this experience other than the resulting knowledge from SEO deep dive... it'll be worth it. The findings were fascinating!

        1. 2

          @Harlem

          What does your timeline look like for initial traffic from an optimization effort? (i.e. you write a blog, 3 weeks later you see organic traffic.)

          Is back linking part of your strategy?

          Does google search console or google analytics give you good insight into your data or do you use another tool?

          (i have so many more questions)

          1. 1

            Initial traffic depends upon two things: Adherence to KGR/promotion on social media. The most recent post is now on page 2 and has already received a few organic clicks despite being published yesterday.

            No to back linking. Mostly due to limited bandwidth.

            I'm cheap. So I'm restricting myself to console and analytics. It's enough for now.

            (Laughing!) Questions Let me have 'em. Love geeking out about this stuff. Never knew SEO was so fascinating. Hit me back on today's stand up with the stuff you've found works well!

    3. 2

      I've just checked @csallen response and it's pretty interesting.

      About your Privacy Policy, did you used a tool to generate them or something else?

      1. 2

        (Grinning) I checked out high performing sites (read sites with income to lose) in the affiliate marketing realm and ripped of their policies. I typically combine the good parts of three different policies.

  3. 3

    IRT PullManager.com

    EPIC

    By End of April:

    Full Public Release

    By End of 2019:

    Have this product still going and growing. Some may see that as too vague, but as someone with a few failed SaaS, this would be quite the improvement.

    YESTERDAY

    Responded to any feedback from Slack after the Slack app submission is reviewed.

    TODAY

    Still responding to any feedback from Slack after the Slack app submission is reviewed. Small things here and there, but is all towards adding some polish to the app/process.

    Kudos: All y'all shipping and hacking

  4. 3

    Hey all, I'm not dead... but I am bowing out of the stand ups until May.

    A friend invited me to try basically the same thing in a small, private monthly productivity challenge and I've agreed.

    Will be back around the 10th or 11th of May!

    1. 2

      Damn. Easy come. Easy go. It was nice having you while it lasted! Look forward to your return to the IH fray!

  5. 3

    EPIC

    1. 2019
      • $50K annual revenue
    2. April
      • Get a remote sales job. 1/7 - interviews/apps
      • Do 10 customer interviews. 2/3 - interviews/requests

    YESTERDAY

    • Did a speaking gig.
    • Play catch-up w/ emails.
    • Apply for sales jobs.
    • Sleep omg I was soooooo tired & sleepy

    TODAY

    1. Job phone interview.
    2. Ask for customer interviews.
    3. Play catch-up w/ emails & PMs.
    4. Apply for sales jobs.
    5. Transcribe & organize customers objections/feedback on the sales page.

    KUDOS
    pending

    WIP Mindful

    side note - message to Helen
    I'm determined to identify a problem I'm uniquely capable and enjoy solving to help awesome people be amazingly helpful. My to-do list may seem repetitive but I refuse to be distracted to feed my ego and insecurities.

    1. 2

      Ooh. What's with the addition of sales jobs? Is this to broaden the net? Broaden skill sets? Both?

      1. 1

        Oh, I've been applying to sales positions all along. Yup, broadening skillsets, network, and bank account on top of truly learning and understanding my customers better.

  6. 3

    Forgot what beast mode feels like! RAAR

    2019 Goals for Magnus Rush

    • 50 Interactive Podcasts Created by Podcast hosts: (4/50) 8%
    • 12k MAU for the App: (31/12k)

    April Epics
    (Stats from Clubhouse.io)
    Milestone: Launch: 91% Complete

    • [Epic] Launch Marketing: 71% Complete
    • [Epic] SaaS Launch: 94% Complete
    • [Epic] Mobile App Launch: 100% Complete DONE!

    YESTERDAY

    • More bug fixes for mobile app
    • Lots of Screenshots
    • App Store description creation
    • Submitted Mobile app to App Stores
    • Created Interaction UI Editor on SaaS platform, so podcast hosts can create Interactions that can be pushed down to the listener during an episode. Example: At 124 seconds, I ask a Yes/No question, the listener sees it on their screen and can respond
    • Created queries to pull interaction results
    • Added interaction results to SaaS

    TODAY

    • SaaS Signup Page Changes
    • Client work
    • Address any feedback from iOS Submission Process
    • Email Saas Beta testers

    KUDOS
    PENDING

    WIP of the Magnus Rush podcast app and Interactive Podcast platform

    1. 3

      @Davey this is great stuff! What has been your approval times for iOS as of late?

      Have you considered distribution. I bring this up as my wife has recently recorded a few episodes of her podcast and she is actively looking for a platform that has distribution to many channels (i.e.
      spotify, etc) however it is not so large that she can't stand out on the platform.

      1. 2

        First cycle was around 20 hours for feedback, they didn’t like my IAP subscription flow. Which is way faster than days of yore. One trick I’ve learned to use is to not change version often, but rather increase the build number. Before I started doing that, my Test Flight builds could take 2-3 days.

        I am not currently doing distribution, only acting as an enhancing platform to add interactive functionality to a podcast without affecting their host. I use iTunes as a data source for feed search (or direct podcast hit), and grab the RSS feed links, done on the SaaS side. Then when a listener listens to a podcast with my mobile app, they get all the extra interactive capabilities.

        For distribution I’d say to go with Transistor.fm, which is @mijustin’s gig. They will syndicate your feed and hook you up to all the major distribution channels and know the nuances of each one. Episode numbers and what iTunes expects, etc.

        It’s very easy for me to promote a podcast in my app, but I don’t have the user base of Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, etc.

        Standing out with a podcast is more a function of audience than platform. Spotify is supposedly good at matching people with things they like, so while she’s audience building it might help. But why choose just one when transistor can give you all the big boys? Gotta be where people are listening, and that’s a lot of places these days!

        1. 2

          Thanks for the shout out Davey! 🙌

          @RyanHickman I wrote a quick guide on podcast distribution here: https://transistor.fm/how-podcast-works/

          1. 2

            Of course! I'm the same Dave Young from the Patreon supporter list BTW, so I kinda had to do it ;)

          2. 2

            I am a fan. Love this. Btw LOVE the site design and how clear the messaging is.

        2. 1

          Days of yore were brutal ESPECIALLY if it involved money. 14 days later still in review... lol!

          Thanks for this! Super valuable.

          I have a better sense now of what MR does. It's a LOT different from what I initially understood. You'll get an MAU out of me.

  7. 1

    This comment was deleted 5 years ago.

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