Janna Bastow talks about her experience starting a product management tool called ProdPad in 2010. After initial traction, growth plateaued in 2015. She realized the solution was to focus intensely on improving a key metric - increasing the trial-to-paid conversion rate. Through targeted experiments like shortening trials and personalizing emails, the conversion rate increased from 0% to 15%, leading to skyrocketing growth, increased revenue, happier customers, and a better company culture. The lesson is that focusing intently on crucial product metrics can power significant business success.

1. The Power of
Product Focus
@simplybastow // Turing Festival, Aug 2016

2. Hello!
I’m Janna Bastow
You can talk to me about product,
or say hi at @simplybastow

3. (really nice product management tool)

4. 2010
Idea + hack project
@simplybastow

5. 2010 2011
@simplybastow

6. 2010 2011 2012
Quit jobs
@simplybastow

7. 2010 2011 2012
Launch product
2013
@simplybastow

8. 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Traction!
@simplybastow

9. Swoosh!
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
@simplybastow

10. 2015: The year of faffing about
Hiring (and unhiring)
Some outside help
Let’s try advertising!
Events and outings
Founder “hobbies”
Should we raise money?
Bonus: New product version
@simplybastow

11. @simplybastow
Uh oh…
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

12. @simplybastow
Plateau of Doom
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

13. https://unicornfree.com/2013/help-my-saas-isnt-growing

14. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

15. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

16. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

17. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

18. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer

19. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
3. More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

20. Revelation:
Just the process of thinking about funding was
enough to prove we didn’t need it.
@simplybastow

21. Idea:
FOCUS on the product metrics that matter.
@simplybastow

22. Our goal is to
increase the trial-to-paid rate
from 0% to 15%.
@simplybastow

23. Our goal is to
increase the trial-to-paid rate
from 0% to 15%.
That’s it.
@simplybastow

24. Experiment #1:
Shorten trial time.
@simplybastow

25. 30

26. 30
14

27. 30
14
7

28. Experiment #2:
Gamify the trial.
@simplybastow

29. Experiment #3:
Persona-specific emails.
@simplybastow

31. “Thank you for finding these
edge cases!”
Ian, Support at Drip

32. Experiment #4:
Masterclass.
@simplybastow

33. @simplybastow
Wee!
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

34. But what about the money?
@simplybastow

35. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
✔ More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

36. Ways to get rich
1. More traffic
2. More free trials
✔ More trial users signing up to pay
4. Get users to buy bigger packages
5. Get users to stick around longer
@simplybastow

37. Bonus experiment:
Play with pricing.
@simplybastow

38. Results
Sky rocketing growth
@simplybastow

39. Results
@simplybastow
Cash in the bank

40. Results
@simplybastow
Lots of customer love

41. Results
@simplybastow
Better company culture

42. That’s
the Power of
Product Focus.
@simplybastow

43. Thank you!
Let’s go for a and talk about product.
Drop me a line at janna@prodpad.com or say hi at @simplybastow
Weeeeee!