In March 2015, Autopilot re-launched with a brand new product and zero customers. Despite entering a crowded marketing automation scene, Autopilot rapidly grew to 3,500 paying customers over the next 2 years. In this case study, learn the playbook behind Autopilot's journey including the community and content strategies, nurturing tactics, and partner integrations that have driven growth – and how you can do the same. Try Autopilot out for free: https://autopilothq.com/free-trial.html

1. GUY MARION
CMO & Head of Growth

2. Guy Marion
CMO & Head of Growth
@GUY_MARION

3. How do you grow from 0 to 3,500
customers in 2 years?
StrategiesGrowth Engine Team
@GUY_MARION

4. Why does Autopilot exist?
Empowering marketers to create remarkable customer experiences
@GUY_MARION

5. @GUY_MARION
Apr-15 Jun-15 Aug-15 Oct-15 Dec Feb-16 Apr-16 Jun-15 Aug-16 Oct-16 Dec-16 Feb-17 Apr-17
This is how we’re growing…
21% MoM revenue growth
40,000+ trials
3,500+ customers

6. Growth Marketing Engine
@GUY_MARION

7. Anonymous
Nurture Grow
Proactive Headsup
GotoWebinar Registration
Eventbrite RSVP
G2Crowd Demo Request
Free Trial
Contact Sales
Demo Request
Flight School
Content Download
List Import (Event/Show)
Imports / CRM Added
Inbound Phone Line
Outbound (not nurtured)
Ads & Demand Gen
Search Display
Paid Social
Organic
SEO/Blog Content
Social Referrals
Video
Partners & Community
Integrations &
App
Directories
Outbound
Non-Trial MQL
Trial MQL
Education
Course Series
Customer
MQL
Raw Lead
Lifecycle
Nurture
Major
Communications
Meetups &
Workshops
Direct
Review Sites
Webinars Tradeshows
Press & Thought Leadership
Media
Influencers &
Bloggers
Podcasts
Guest
Speaking
Partner Mktg Startup Plan
Synced Forms (external)
Known
Acquire
Onsite Lead Capture
Contact / Demo
Proactive HU
Scored Nurture Lead
Online
Velocity
Mid-Market
Blog Subscribe
Community Forms
Qualified Lead
Nurture
Onboarding
Online
Assisted
Post-trial
Nurture
Customer
Personal
Network
Targeted
Accounts
Product Updates (Monthly)
Community Updates (Monthly)
Lost
Customer
Nurture
Predictive Fit
Scoring
Scored Trials
A,B, C Leads
Non-MQL &
“D” Leads
Raw Lead
Churn
Buys
Legend
Lead Forms
DirectSales
@GUY_MARION

8. Customer Journey Automation
Subscription Billing Predictive Scoring + AttributionCRM
Events & Product Data Usage Funnel & Analytics
Content & CRO
Forms & Lead Capture Email, In-app, SMS, Slack
Tech Stack
@GUY_MARION

9. Growth Strategies
@GUY_MARION

10. Growth Strategy #1: Generate Pre-Launch Buzz
@GUY_MARION
• Nurture your database
• Host an interactive Q&A
• Attract industry attention with
controversial research
• Get sign ups on Twitter I want to try the Autopilot Beta
so bad they made me tweet
about it #LaunchAutopilot

11. Growth Strategy #2: SEO Content throughout the lifecycle
PR
Blog
Resources
Flight School
Website
Product
Help Center
Review Sites
Communities
Directories
“customer
journey”
“marketing
automation”
“lead nurturing”
“email
marketing”
@GUY_MARION
Guest Blogs
“multi-channel
marketing”
“marketing
personalization”

12. Content distribution
Email #1: Here's your copy: 2016 State of
Customer Journey Marketing Report
Email #2: Drool-worthy
customer journeys
@GUY_MARION
2508 downloads
214 free trial signups
34 new customers
bit.ly/cjm-2016
Organic
• Website
• Announcement journey
• Infographic
• Blog
Paid
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Google Adwords
• Retargeting
• LinkedIn Publishing
• PR - 17 hits!
• Social strategy
• Communities & forums

13. Growth Strategy #3: Grow & nurture your database
@GUY_MARION
Variation A: 3-tier, curated content approach
Variation B: 1-tier, popular content approach with lead score-based accelerators
WINNER!
5.6% nurture conversion rate
17% win conversion rate
4.7% nurture conversion rate
15% win conversion rate

14. Lead nurturing has resulted in…
@GUY_MARION
• 3x higher trial conversion rates
• 1.4x higher ASPs
• 75% increase in reactivation pipeline
in 6 months
• $70,000+ ARR won revenue
Data enrichment
nurture email
example

15. Growth Strategy #4: Develop “swim lanes” to align CAC & ASP
@GUY_MARION
Online Mid Market
57% of trials
23% of New MRR
13% of trials
35% of New MRR
Velocity
30% of trials
42% of New MRR
Trials

16. Growth Strategy #5: Predictive lead scoring
@GUY_MARION
A Leads convert at 2.1x the average conversion
rate and 14.6x more often than D leads.

17. Growth Strategy #6: Activate trialists based on usage
@GUY_MARION
TrialConversionRate
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Overall If published journey If added code
35%
21%
9%
Impact of Product Usage on Trial Conversion Rate

18. Growth Strategy #7: Step-function growth with integrations
@GUY_MARION
Slack notifications for marketers
Press coverage
Co-webinar App directory

19. Growth Strategy #8: Host practitioner-oriented events
@GUY_MARION
Launch parties
Sponsored by Twilio,
GoodData, InsideView
User workshops
Co-hosted with Instapage
Expert talks
Fireside chat with Co-
founder of Zapier
Exclusive events
Growth executive
breakfast

20. Growth Team
@GUY_MARION

21. Marketing &
Acquisition
Demand
& Content
PMM &
Ecosystem
Brand &
Design
Ops &
Analytics
Sales &
Success
Product
Engagement
Product
DesignOnline
Engineering
Data
Science
Velocity
Mid-
Market
SaaSy Growth Team
@GUY_MARION

22. @GUY_MARION
How do you go from 0 to 3,500 customers in 2 years?
Build personal & contextual
“acquire, nurture, grow” journeys
Design a growth marketing
engine with the best technologies
Journey-centric marketing that
doesn’t feel like marketing

23. Guy Marion
CMO & Head of Growth
@guy_marion
@autopilotus
autopilothq.com
blog.autopilothq.com
Get in touch