On this weblog publish, we dive into the early days of ClickUp and discover how they broke by means of the primary $20 million ARR and navigated a crowded market with unconventional progress methods on a bootstrapped price range.
Desk of contents
- Setting the stage
- Differentiate on model
- “Pure product market match is the holy grail”
- Casting a large internet
- Go laborious on content material advertising and marketing, web optimization and natural progress
- Construct one thing individuals need to use
- Construct quick, ship quick
- Make it clear why they need to choose you over the business leaders
- Conclusion
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Setting the stage
ClickUp’s success story is one that’s near my coronary heart and one I typically use as a reference in conversations concerning the energy of name differentiation. As a brand-first, content-second marketer, I imagine that robust, well-differentiated manufacturers are those who make it to the highest.
ClickUp founder, Zeb Evans, sings the same tune, and while you take heed to him speak about their success, he typically brings up their give attention to model constructing and natural content material as key components of their progress.
At present, ClickUp has handed the $4 billion valuation mark with an energetic and rising buyer base of over 10 million customers worldwide. However, like all corporations, they needed to begin from zero, they usually did so in a really saturated market with some critical competitors on a bootstrapped price range.
What can we study from their early technique and philosophy, that goes in opposition to the everyday recommendation and playbooks on the market for scaling B2b corporations?
Be aware: This breakdown will give attention to the interval main as much as their Collection A funding spherical.
Differentiate on model
To differentiate on product alone is sort of unattainable these days. Chances are you’ll construct one thing with a novel set of options, nevertheless it gained’t be lengthy earlier than somebody copies or beat you. Zeb understood this and used it to win in opposition to all odds, going straight in opposition to mainstream B2B recommendation to area of interest down.
ClickUp got down to be the all-in-one productiveness software that solves software fatigue for groups world wide, however product positioning and options got here second of their playbook.
Their success began with their model technique. They marketed themselves as a shopper model as a substitute of a B2B product . They didn’t play by the identical guidelines as everybody else within the business.
In an interview at SaaStock 2022, Zeb defined how they determined to solid a large internet to create a well-known model in your complete market, moderately than narrowing their focus to a particular area of interest. They emphasised getting their model identify on the market first, after which switched focus to the “why.”
The large lesson right here for rising corporations is to not overlook about your model. It truly is your greatest asset and the most effective methods to face out in a crowded market. ClickUp is testomony that this strategy has energy. They didn’t construct any distinctive options, they simply mixed what was on the market already and slapped a terrific model on high of it.
“Pure product market match is the holy grail”
Evans additionally had a novel perspective on attaining product-market match, which performed an important position in ClickUp’s progress. Somewhat than relying synthetic market match, Zeb believed within the energy of a “pure product-market match.” This strategy centered on making a product that was inherently beneficial and versatile sufficient to enchantment to a broad viewers.
The philosophy was that for those who construct a product with a variety of purposes, it would naturally discover its market.
This strategy nonetheless contrasts with the frequent recommendation to start out slim and develop later. As a substitute, ClickUp solid a large internet from the start, assured that their product’s versatility would entice a various person base.
The problem nonetheless, was to get their product in entrance of sufficient individuals, on a bootstrapped price range.
Slides from Zeb’s SaaStr 2021 Presentation on rising to
$20 million ARR in 2 Years
Casting a large internet
To beat that problem, they believed that with a purpose to make their model well-known and entice sufficient customers, they wanted to solid a large internet. ClickUp didn’t restrict themselves to a slim viewers section; as a substitute, they aimed to achieve as many potential customers as doable throughout completely different industries and enterprise sizes. They wished everybody and their mother to learn about them.
This technique was a daring transfer and calculated threat. Most SaaS corporations within the B2B house give attention to focusing on particular niches to keep away from spreading themselves too skinny. ClickUp, nonetheless, went in opposition to this grain. They knew that the broader their attain, the extra alternatives they needed to resonate with customers throughout numerous sectors.
To do that successfully, they centered on initiatives that will introduce as many individuals as doable to the ClickUp model and its worth proposition.
The takeaway right here is that taking part in by the principles will not be at all times the best way to go. If ClickUp performed it protected and solely went after Dev Groups, or Advertising and marketing Businesses, they might possible not be the place they’re right now. Their success is grounded within the daring transfer to be the everything-tool for everybody.
Go laborious on content material advertising and marketing, web optimization and natural progress
ClickUp’s dedication to content material advertising and marketing was an essential a part of their technique. They went all in, making a complete library of sources that not solely showcased their product but additionally supplied actual worth.
ClickUp’s workforce has constantly printed high-quality articles on an (nearly) day by day foundation for years. It began sluggish however inevitably gained momentum amongst individuals on the lookout for mission administration recommendation and options.
From blogs and tutorials to webinars and YouTube movies, ClickUp lined all bases with a stable cadence. This robust push on content material advertising and marketing not solely drove visitors to their web site but additionally constructed belief, educating potential customers, and establishing themselves as a pressure to be reckoned within the productiveness house.
Their content material was designed to unravel issues, reply questions, and information customers on the way to get probably the most out of their workday—all whereas subtly showcasing how ClickUp could possibly be the answer to unravel on a regular basis challenges for groups world wide. They topped it off with a standout model persona lit sufficient to go viral on TikTok.
Inside no time, they ranked for hundreds of key phrases and obtained hundreds of thousands of views, driving large quantities of natural visitors and making a sustainable, natural progress engine.
For growth-stage SMBs, investing in content material advertising and marketing is a no brainer. But it surely’s not nearly amount—it’s about high quality and relevance. Give attention to creating content material that addresses the ache factors of your target market, gives actual worth, and establishes your model as a trusted useful resource. The natural visitors, consciousness and psychological availability that observe might be properly definitely worth the effort.
By 2022 they had been already rating for 500k+ natural key phrases, driving round 1,000,000 guests to their website per 30 days.
Construct one thing individuals need to use
On the core of ClickUp’s progress was a easy but highly effective idea: construct a terrific product individuals really need to use. This would possibly sound apparent, however in actuality, many corporations miss the mark by focusing an excessive amount of on including options with out contemplating whether or not these options genuinely meet their customers’ wants.
ClickUp’s product improvement was pushed by person suggestions and utilization information. They continually iterated on their platform, including new options and bettering current ones primarily based on what their customers had been asking for. This user-centric strategy meant that ClickUp wasn’t simply one other mission administration software; it was a software that folks genuinely loved utilizing, whereas fixing the problems that they had with competing instruments.
Hearken to your customers. Construct options and enhancements that clear up actual issues and make your product indispensable to your prospects. A product that’s liked by its customers is one of the best progress engine you may have.
Construct quick, ship quick
ClickUp’s speedy iteration and deployment cycles had been vital to their skill to remain forward within the aggressive market. They didn’t anticipate perfection earlier than launching new options or updates. As a substitute, they adopted a mindset of constructing quick, releasing typically (generally even day by day), and iterating primarily based on person suggestions.
I nonetheless keep in mind how sluggish and damaged sure issues had been within the early days. It was a bit of annoying generally, however by no means bothered me sufficient to modify again to Asana.
This strategy allowed them to be extremely attentive to their customers’ wants, shortly addressing points and rolling out new options that stored their person base engaged, loyal and rising.
Embrace a tradition of agility and responsiveness. Don’t be afraid to launch new concepts, even when they’re not good. The suggestions you obtain will assist you to refine your product, making certain it continues to satisfy the wants of your customers. The quicker you may iterate and enhance, the extra aggressive you’ll be in the long term.
Make it clear why they need to choose you over the business leaders
Some of the placing elements of ClickUp’s technique was their fearless strategy to competitors. From day one, ClickUp was on the offense and didn’t draw back from going head-to-head with the business’s greatest gamers, like Asana and Trello. As a substitute of attempting to coexist of their shadow, ClickUp went laborious and positioned itself as a greater different, straight difficult customers to rethink their loyalty to those giants.
ClickUp’s aggressive aggressive strategy wasn’t nearly highlighting their options—it was about confidently telling potential customers why they need to choose ClickUp over the business leaders.
They freely in contrast themselves to rivals, and made daring public claims about providing extra worth, extra options, and a extra complete answer.
This strategy labored as a result of ClickUp had constructed a product that would again up their claims. They didn’t simply depend on advertising and marketing hype—they delivered on their guarantees, which gained over customers who had been pissed off with the constraints of different instruments.
The freemium, product-led mannequin allowed them to lure customers in an let their product do the remaining. Stealing an enormous chunk of market share in just a few years.
As a rising firm or challenger, don’t be afraid to tackle the massive names in your business. In the event you imagine your product gives one thing higher, talk that confidently to your viewers. Be clear about what units you aside and why switching to your answer is price it. In any case, the business leaders are at all times your greatest competitors.
Conclusion
ClickUp’s unimaginable David vs Goliath journey gives beneficial classes for any advertising and marketing workforce at a scaling firm. Their success wasn’t nearly having a terrific product—it was about constructing a powerful model, casting a large internet and leveraging the facility of natural content material advertising and marketing whereas staying relentlessly centered on delivering worth for his or her customers.
ClickUp serves as a reminder that you simply don’t at all times want large budgets to construct one thing nice, and that you simply don’t at all times should play by the e book.
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An authority-led publication centered on serving to advertising and marketing groups at progress/growth stage corporations overcome progress challenges, crush their competitors, and stand out out there.
// @pawel 2023.05.08
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The publish The street to $200 million ARR: How ClickUp bootstrapped its option to $20 million ARR and conquered a crowded market with unconventional progress methods. appeared first on CXL.