WTF #3

WTF No Code

Look, I didn’t wake up this morning thinking I’d offer up an opinion on where the no code segment of companies fits best within conventional industry lifecycles. I’m not even sure the benchmarks that get referenced, reused and regurgitated are even applicable in a post-pandemic world or even to no code companies.

There could be a lot of incomplete ideas to follow, but I can assure you it’ll be anchored in a few universal truths:

1. We’re still riding the wave of a tidal shift in how people can work

2. Marketing budgets aren’t likely to get bigger as inflation grows and businesses correct their over-hiring

3. Workers are poised to continue their efforts to effect change that moves us away from the eight-hour day

Also, and to be clear, “work” here is offering your services and expertise in the market in exchange for money. The fundamental value exchange equations will hold true and remain constant even as other variables vary. Variables like total compensation, salary-weighting based on location, required office appearance minimums, and all those prerequisite skillsets or requirements to just land an interview.

These are all things that have impact on the tech industry at-large, but drill down into companies in the no code segment of that industry and things may start to look pretty familiar and probably average.

To prime you, here’s the typical trajectory of companies within the tech industry.

By this convention, a company is expected to burn cash early so they can acquire new business and grow profits.

Where are the no code companies right now? Many tend to oscillate between the growth and shakeout periods. 

So, something like event marketing is the perfect signal we can use to make relative sense of things. After a few years of isolation and tepid fits and starts to get face-to-face, companies and businesses were both pining to rekindle in-person events. There have been sea changes of value in companies since 2020 and human behaviour has changed just the same. So it begs the thought: why are we so keen to do things the same old way and why is one of the first things always “let’s throw a party professional networking event with announcements that should be release notes, UGC dressed up as TED talks, and awards that we just made up!”?

What I’m suggesting is that event marketing is generally most beneficial to the maturing companies behind the event and to a handful of attendees in the halo of that quick bolt of limelight.

Put differently, these no code companies are tech companies first and foremost. No code-no code companies aren’t throwing these sorts of parties.

I’ve attended conferences and galas (read: conferences held after dark with a dress code) across two very entrenched global industries and it can be fun, don’t get me wrong. Once the tire-pumping and self-adulation segments of your planned agenda is done, you finally get to unwind and seek out familiar vibes from people you may or may not already know. The thing to keep in mind is that the event you’ve likely paid to be at is likely your excuse.

The after party is your main event.

The rest is all about bottom lines – both yours and the business entity funding the frenzied corporate festival. The only difference is that the bottom line on your balance sheet is all about social capital while the business’ is still about ARR, APRA, CAC, XYZ and WTF. Your meetup got it’s once-per-year infusion of cash in exchange for a whole lot of marketing and UGC.

Their brand: 1.

Yours? Well, a tie isn’t terrible.

All this in mind, where are things at with no code companies? How are the Zapiers and the Webflows using that standard event marketing playbook? Are they simply repurposing it or are they looking to rewrite it? If you’ve attended a no code event lately, I’d love to know what you think 👇

I’m completely prepared to callout just how heady of a read this might be. There’s more speculation in this post than I’d usually like, but I’ve always wanted to pull at this “event marketing is all fluff” thread and for an industry and a movement predicated on empowering creators, no code events seems like more of the same company-first stuff we’ve already seen.

At the very least, I hope this prompts some thought about the value of your time and what you get in return as you offer it up. That’s been a huge shift in perception for me and something you learn pretty quick once you go all-in on a freelance living.

Maybe the next thing I take a crack at is value systems and the hierarchy of needs or something. Until then, I'll leave you with this:

🆗 Simple $%!#

My latest project update or feature release. That's it. That's the $%!#.

The Need

My first attempt at creating an ad booking system for Podcast Delivery was in 2019. I already had everything in Airtable to I tacked on some janky form submits and made it (mostly) possible to reserve inventory and complete payment in six painful steps.

It recently started to fall over, so I needed a streamlined ad booking system that let customers (a) get a live view into ad inventory units and their status, (b) reserve inventory AND complete payment in one fell swoop, and (c) share details and assets so I can build their ad.

The Stack

• Stripe's Payment Links

• Webflow's CMS

• Make

• Slack (for live alerts)

The Result (ELI5)

A dead simple Make scenario that catches data via webhook.

The coolest part in all of this is how straightforward to workflow is. Customers fill out a Webflow form that lets them review and select a campaign start date, a campaign plan, and complete payment. Three steps. I cut the number of steps – and opportunities to abandon the purchase – by half.

I also moved away from an awfully clunky system that had me emailing invoices to customers and hoping they'd pay for them. It's really like night and day.

The Extended Version

Moving away from that near-broken way of booking ads means i can think freely about where things go next. My goal is to strike a balance that has podcast creators promoting their work through the channels that have been carved out by Podcast Delivery. 

The simple setup means I can quickly add more affordable options for customers that don't need to target a specific date with their campaign. I'll also be adding a new type of ad to the newsletter that'll be minimal in approach – classified ads!

With all this talk about Podcast Delivery, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you to get in on the fun. Subscribe for fresh podcast recommendations in your inbox every Monday. 

Better yet – get your brand, your latest project, or your podcast in front of an engaged audience with this exclusive 15% discount on the 4-week or our 6-week advertising options if you book before the end of the year. You can even book an ad into the new year and before prices increase. 👉 Use WTF2022WRAP at checkout.

🌶 Spicy Takes

This gets your attention today but won't mean much in a few months.

If a bird shits on your head, it's good luck.

If Elon Musk shits on a bird, it's utter chaos.

At least we get to have fun as it all goes down. Here's a way to know who's paying the monthly $8 fee for a front row seat.

Full credit goes to Ketan, who is front and centre. 

🌶🌶🌶(out of 5)

🎲 Dicey Makes

Every one deserves some criticism. I'll share some unsolicited feedback in a sentence or two and I'll try to keep it constructive.

So Sharlene had this bright idea:

Please no. Please don't see this through. I can't imagine a verifiably inauthentic version of Instagram will do anyone well. My gut says if anything like this takes off, we're as likely to see The Pale Man as we are to see influencers basking in the AI-generated sun, somewhere on a sandy beach.