Letter 101: Underused tip for creating MarTech content that converts
It's actually what makes Zapier's tool comparison posts so good
If I were to market Trello — I’d also study:
Asana
Wrike
Notion
ClickUp
Airtable
I’d start with using Trello in my daily workflow. Then test these other project management software.
Know why?
Because my father once told me: try a product before you make an opinion about it.
Now, I admit: he told me that when I’d be quick to say stuff like I don’t like tomatoes in my McDonald’s kids meal burger.
But the advice really is very sane.
Try something before you reach a conclusion about it — before you say why or why you don’t like it 🙌
Now translate this to our world and we have:
Test alternate (read: competing) tools before you create content around your SaaS tool.
(Of course, the tool needs to be of the sort that you can include in your workflow).
Because really, what we currently have are fluffy claims reading:
Our tool is better than others on the market
Our tool has everything you need
Our product is so, so easy to use
All based on strategies built on info from product teams, the founder who (obviously) loves his tool, and a handful of assumptions.
Mind you: I’m not saying the way we’re doing content is wrong.
I’m only saying testing alternate tools is an effective solution for improving our content. So it:
Is more transparent
Accurately shines light on the tool’s strengths
Doesn’t shy away from sharing who the product is NOT for
And as a result: drive higher conversions 🎯
So ideally, you’ll want to take these steps:
Include your MarTech tool in your workflow — if you already haven’t
Make notes on:
How it works and where it fits in your workflow
How easy was it to start using it
What makes you love using it
What frustrates you when using it
Then, head out into the wild for a competitor analysis
Test drive alternatives to find out:
What makes each tool better than yours
How easy to set up and use each tool is
What is something you (honestly) don’t like about each
Who do you think this tool would be a good fit for (and why)
Finally, compare your learnings with those of other users
Moment of truth: in trying to find our tool’s strengths, we can all be a little biased — okay maybe quite a bit 😬
So if you can spare a little more time, head to Reddit and third-party review sites.
Review what other users are saying so you can form a clear understanding of who each tool is intented for.
Use your homework to inform your strategy & content production
All the info you gather is going to give you solid data about where your SaaS tool actually shines 👊
Use it to:
Plan your content more thoughtfully (because now you’ve a realistic picture of who you are up against)
Position your product correctly (tap into real info on competing tools’ shortcomings)
Create honest, high-converting BOFU content (comparison posts + product listicles)
In your research, if you come across bugs in the product or a need for a feature that not just you but other users are also lacking — share it with the product team.
This is yet another plus of taking this approach: you can build your relationships across teams by ‘giving info,’ not just ‘taking’ it from them 🤝
I know, all this is effort demanding.
But it’s really what makes content from industry-leading names like Zapier so fan-worthy (and results-driving, of course).