Nail It and Scale It

Nail It and Scale It provides practical advice for entrepreneurs on growing their businesses, focusing on areas like advertising, SEO, online reputation, scaling challenges, competitive advantages, conversion optimization, pricing strategies, agency hiring, customer acquisition costs, and marketing attribution. Authored by an experienced professional in advertising, tech, and startups.

Entrepreneurship Advertising SEO Online Reputation Scaling Competitive Strategy Conversion Optimization Pricing Strategy Hiring Agencies Customer Acquisition Marketing Attribution

The hottest Substack posts of Nail It and Scale It

And their main takeaways

Why Most Online Advertising Benchmarks Are BS (And What To Do Instead)

119 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24

Many online advertising benchmarks are unreliable because they don't account for differences in pricing and offers. This means you might be comparing apples to oranges, leading to wrong conclusions.
To get better benchmarks, focus on two key metrics: Cost-Per-Click (CPC) and Conversion Rate. These give you a clearer picture of how your ads are performing compared to others.
Joining groups or talking to industry experts can help you find more accurate conversion rates for your products. Sharing data with peers is a good way to understand what's normal in your field.

How to Create a Strong Online Reputation for Your Business

79 implied HN points • 29 Jul 24

💼 Business Marketing Reputation Online presence Social media Entrepreneurship

Having a strong Google My Business page is crucial. It helps people find your business and leaves a good first impression.
Make sure to gather positive reviews on key sites like Glassdoor and Trustpilot. These reviews can really influence potential customers and new employees.
Regularly check your online reputation and respond to any negative comments. Keeping an eye on your brand helps you maintain a good image and shows you care.

10 SEO Myths Killing Your Business

99 implied HN points • 01 Jul 24

💼 Business Marketing Digital Strategy SEO Entrepreneurship

SEO takes time and money to see real results. If you're looking for quick fixes, SEO might not be the best choice for your business.
AI can help with some parts of SEO, like on-page optimization, but it can't do everything. Good content and backlinks still require a lot of manual effort.
SEO isn’t a one-time task; it's an ongoing process. You need to keep optimizing and updating your site regularly to maintain good search rankings.

Who I Am and Why I Started This Newsletter

119 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24

💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Marketing Technology Investing

The author has over 10 years of experience in advertising, tech, and startups. This gives him a unique view on problems and solutions.
He has worked with both big companies and startups, helping them grow and succeed. Some of his clients have achieved significant milestones like IPOs and acquisitions.
The newsletter will offer practical advice for entrepreneurs on how to grow their businesses. It will cover various topics like marketing tactics, budgeting, and using AI for efficiency.

3 Essentials That Will 2x Your Landing Page Conversion Rate

59 implied HN points • 15 Jul 24

💼 Business Marketing Digital E-commerce Sales Entrepreneurship

Make sure your landing page clearly explains what you're offering right away. If visitors can't understand it quickly, they're likely to leave.
Build trust by showing strong brands you've worked with, sharing positive customer reviews, or highlighting any expert endorsements. This makes visitors feel more secure about their decision.
Keep the action simple. Have one clear button for what you want visitors to do, and ensure the page loads quickly without distractions. The easier it is, the more likely they will take action.

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Moats: How to Build a Scalable Business Competitors Can't Copy

59 implied HN points • 08 Jul 24

💼 Business Strategy Marketing Entrepreneurship Economics Management

A business moat is a special advantage that helps a company stand out and protect itself from competitors. Just like a moat around a castle keeps invaders out, a strong business moat helps companies earn big profits over time.
There are different types of moats, like network effects where the value increases as more people use a service, and cost advantages that make switching harder for customers. Companies like Uber and Walmart have used these techniques smartly.
Building a solid brand and having strong cultural values can also create powerful moats. For example, Patagonia builds loyalty by promoting environmentalism, making it harder for customers to switch to other brands.

5 Challenges of Scaling Paid Ads for Early Stage Startups

59 implied HN points • 25 Jun 24

💼 Business Startups Marketing Advertising Scaling Growth

It's hard to find out why ads aren't working. There can be many reasons, like targeting the wrong audience or having a bad website design.
Early stage startups often struggle to scale quickly due to internal issues. When they get more leads, they might need to pause ads to catch up, which can hurt their momentum.
Finding product-market fit takes time and constant testing. Just because something works now doesn't mean it will work later, so keep experimenting with different strategies.

How to Push Back on High Quotes or Pricing

59 implied HN points • 13 Jun 24

💼 Business Negotiation Pricing Marketing Consulting Sales

There are different pricing models like Cost Based Pricing, Value Based Pricing, and Competitive Pricing. Each has its own approach, and knowing these can help you negotiate better.
When facing a high quote, compare it with multiple offers to push back effectively. This gives you leverage and helps you find a fair price.
Being clear about what you're willing to pay and understanding the value of the service can help you have better negotiations without getting stuck on high quotes.

6 Red Flags When Hiring an Ad Agency

39 implied HN points • 12 Jun 24

💼 Business Marketing Entrepreneurship Advertising Client Relations Contracts

Watch out for agencies that promise unrealistic results, like a 10x return on ad spend. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
Be cautious if an agency only shares selective positive data. Reliable results should be backed by a broader range of data over time.
Make sure your goals are clear and that the agency takes accountability. If they shift focus away from your goals, that's a red flag.

Why 'What is your CAC?' is the Wrong Question to Ask

39 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24

💼 Business Growth Strategy Startup funding Market Analysis Investment Insights Entrepreneurship

When asking about customer acquisition cost (CAC), it's important to know the full story behind the number. Questions like how long the data covers and how much was spent can reveal if the figure is reliable.
Some businesses may share only their best data to look good, which can be misleading. It's smart to ask how recent and continuous the data is to get a clearer picture.
CAC shouldn’t be seen alone. Understanding what a company is trying to achieve can change how we interpret that cost, especially as they grow and scale their spending.

Online attribution is dying. Clicks are dying. What should you do about it?

1 HN point • 05 Aug 24

💼 Business Marketing Advertising Analytics Growth

Online attribution isn't dead, but it's getting trickier. You might still be able to track how your ads are performing, especially if you're spending less than $10k a month.
It's important to set up proper tracking for your marketing efforts. Tools like call tracking and unique landing pages can help you see where your customers are coming from.
When attribution is tough, consider using estimates or lift analysis. These methods can help you guess how different marketing efforts contribute to sales, even if it's not perfect.