Resources
Additional resources for learning and community, and up-to-date information on topics that change frequently.
Low Touch Funnel Rules of Thumb
These are based on a self-serve funnel with starting price points at $10-$50/month. These numbers will vary based on the industry and customer you serve and the problem you are solving for them.
If you are inside or above these ranges, congratulations! Your funnel is reasonably healthy. If you are below these ranges, that often indicates that part of your funnel has an issue that can be optimized.
Note I use “visitor,” not “visit,” to ensure we’re looking at unique humans who visit in a given month. Also, this is for traffic to your marketing website. Traffic to your blog, which often contains top-of-funnel content, will convert at much lower rates than below.
Trial Requires a Credit Card
Visitor to trial 0.5%-2%
Trial to paid 40-60%
Trial Does Not Require a Credit Card
Visitor to trial 5-10%
Trial to paid 10-20%
Job Boards
Where to Find Qualified Candidates
Communities
MicroConf is a community of tens of thousands of ambitious SaaS founders. It offers both online and in-person events, a free online community, mastermind matching, and more.
Indie Hackers is a community of developers launching side projects and building them into full-time incomes and beyond.
The Dynamite Circle is a community focused on digital nomads and those looking to build incredible lifestyles through their businesses. They offer a paid online community, in-person events, mastermind matching, and more.
Rhodium is a community of digital entrepreneurs and investors. They offer an online community, facilitated masterminds, and in-person events for entrepreneurs running content, e-commerce, SaaS, and productized service businesses.
Podcasts and YouTube Channels
Startups for the Rest of Us is a 30-minute podcast I’ve shipped weekly since 2010. It covers many topics in this book, including all aspects of building, launching, and growing SaaS companies.
Bootstrapped Web, with Brian Casel and Jordan Gal, is a long-running conversation between two SaaS founders who talk week-to-week about building their companies.
Lenny’s Podcast, with Lenny Rachitsky, is an interview show focusing on building and growing great products.
Software Social, with Michele Hansen & Colleen Schnettler, is a chat between two SaaS founders—one in the early stage and one with a more established business.
In Demand, with Asia Orangio, breaks down marketing myths and lays the foundation for both bootstrapped and funded SaaS founders to grow their businesses with strategies and tactics that work.
MicroConf’s YouTube Channel is where we publish weekly videos, 10 to 15 minutes long, focused on tactical SaaS-related topics, from ideas to validation to launching and growing.
Books
Marketing
Traction, by Gabriel Weinberg.
Hacking Growth, by Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown.
The 1-Page Marketing Plan, by Allan Dib.
SALES
Product Demos That Sell: How to Deliver Winning SaaS Demos, by Steli Efti.
Demand-Side Sales, by Bob Moesta and Greg Engle.
The Ultimate Sales Machine, by Chet Holmes, with Amanda Holmes.
Founding Sales, by Pete Kazanjy.
Positioning and Branding
Obviously Awesome!, by April Dunford.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, by Donald Miller.
Mindset
The Zen Founder Guide to Founder Retreats, by Sherry Walling.
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Sh*t Together, by Sherry Walling, with Rob Walling.
M&A
The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning Strategies & Secret Hacks for Exiting on Top, by John Warrillow.
Before The Exit: Thought Experiments For Entrepreneurs: A Short Guide For Founders Planning to Sell Their Business, by Dan Andrews.
Customer Research
The Jobs To Be Done Playbook: Align Your Markets, Organization, and Strategy Around Customer Needs, by Jim Kalbach.
Deploy Empathy: A Practical Guide to Interviewing Customers, by Michele Hansen.
The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers & Learn If Your Business Is a Good Idea When Everyone Is Lying to You, by Rob Fitzpatrick.