$6k Sales in 15 Days: Why We Chose Facebook Groups Over AppSumo for Our LTD Launch

If you are a SaaS founder, you already know how crucial it is to get that early boost in funding and exposure.

LTD deals are supposed to provide exactly that: the much-needed initial funding for real marketing efforts, like influencer campaigns, to get the product off the ground. Without them, it can become an uphill battle to gain traction and visibility.

So, we tried to follow the same strategy for our product, TubeOnAI. We explored the option of partnering with AppSumo, the big name in the LTD space.

However, their 80% commission demand caught us off guard. With the added burden of covering significant API costs each month, the deal just didn't align with our goals.

Why We Chose Grassroots Marketing Over Big Platforms

We decided to pivot. We searched for and joined popular SaaS LTD deals Facebook groups. And quickly recognized them as potential platforms to promote TubeOnAI.

With our unique USPs in mind, we crafted personalized messages to group admins, seeking to connect and showcase our tool in the best possible way.

To our surprise, their response was overwhelmingly positive. With just a 25% affiliate commission, we saw an opportunity worth seizing.

Within a mere 10 days of launching our deals on these Facebook groups, we achieved remarkable sales figures.

Within two weeks, we generated around $6K, which was way more than we anticipated.

But It Wasn't Just About The Sales Numbers

Engaging with the community members improved our understanding of user needs and preferences. It helped us to increase the value of our product, covering more use cases and addressing what was more important and urgent for our users.

Moreover, the feedback, ideas, and suggestions collected from these group members served as invaluable insights and helped shape our product roadmap.

We gained a deeper understanding of how the users started using our product and identified the most pressing needs.

As a result, we prioritized working on features that would make the most significant impact.

For example, when our users expressed a desire for accurate podcast summaries, we listened to them. We recently launched this feature and provided our users with greater value.

Also, in direct response to user feedback, we've been hard at work on a custom prompt feature, which will allow users to fine-tune the AI-generated summaries according to their preferences.

Our journey with TubeOnAI has been guided by our users' needs and feedback every step of the way. And this recent engagement with the Facebook community members is another example of that commitment to putting our users first.

The Key Takeaway

If you are a new SaaS founder, you need to carefully calculate the ROI and consider the alternatives before committing to big-ticket promotional platforms like AppSumo. You should always research and compare all available options.

Sure, AppSumo might be the biggest player in the LTD space, but that doesn't mean it's the best fit for every product. Particularly for products like TubeOnAI, where there are API costs involved, a more equitable split, perhaps 50-50 at most, would be more reasonable.

Remember: Starting small doesn't mean sacrificing success; it means laying a sturdy foundation for growth.

Our experience with Facebook groups proved to be a game-changer. It shows the power of grassroots marketing and the willingness of communities to support innovative ventures.

So, whether you're navigating the early stages of your SaaS journey or looking to expand your reach, don't hesitate to explore unconventional methods.

Reach out to people, try to seek advice, connect with like-minded people and communities. You will find a lot more opportunities and exciting options to work with!

Deep Thoughts on LTD

Unlike many others in the SaaS industry, our goal isn't just to make a quick buck and disappear.

We're in it for the long haul, aiming to build a sustainable business that can withstand the test of time.

Selling thousands of LTDs might seem appealing at first glance, but it doesn't align with our vision for sustainability.

That's why we are planning to keep our LTD license percentage below 10%.

While selling LTDs initially helps us gather some much-needed funds, our ultimate goal is to transition away from relying on them entirely. Why? Because it's simply not worth it in the long run.

Of course, this strategy may vary from product to product.

Our approach differs significantly from that of a WordPress plugin, for example. Unlike plugins that require minimal ongoing maintenance, our product, TubeOnAI, involves ongoing server and API costs.

Summarizing various forms of media such as audio, video, podcasts, and YouTube requires utilizing API endpoints. And let's not forget about our audio feature; text-to-speech (TTS) services don't come cheap.

So, paying these ongoing API costs for LTD users can soon become unrealistic.

As our MRR grows to a sustainable level, we aim to phase out LTD deals entirely. It's about striking the right balance between short-term gains and long-term viability.

In conclusion, our journey with TubeOnAI taught us valuable lessons about the power of community engagement and the importance of aligning promotional strategies with long-term business goals.

Have you had any similar experience? What’s your take on Lifetime deals?

I’m curious to know about your thoughts and ideas. Feel free to share your insights in the comments!