I have a fantastic guest for Episode 3 of What's Working Now: Tim Whiting, who is the VP of Marketing at Label Insight. Label Insight is a product attribute data platform for CPG, and they're doing some really interesting things related to original data reports. So we're going to dive into their strategy around the reports, the results that they're seeing, and the advice that Tim has to share with SaaS companies who want to start creating original data reports or improve the strategy around their existing reports.

(5:52) Focus on listening to and meeting the needs of existing customers just as much or more than bringing in new ones.

Probably the most important for a SaaS business is the retention and expansion of existing customers. It’s very, very exciting to bring new customers in and get them going. But even more important is listening and meeting the needs of existing customers. 

(8:47) A data-driven approach enables you to get people’s attention, build trust with customers, and validate their purchase decision.

As you go through building a relationship with a potential customer, you have to establish some trust to move forward. Having a data-driven approach, with a strong methodology to back up the data, is key to building trust in any relationship. It helps folks inside the business make the business case that problems do exist that they might not be even aware of, or opportunities exist that they might not be even aware of, and feel confident that, if they move forward and evaluate the solution, business value will be derived.

(11:59) Look for the large market problems and use your unique data to better understand the problem and potential solutions.

[Data report] topics really should be driven by large market problems. What are the large market problems that are affecting their ability to grow? Then, if we're hearing a problem, how can we use our unique data to say something different, something unique, something compelling, to either further define this problem that we're hearing whispers of from our customers, or start mapping out a solution of how they might be able to take advantage of the opportunity?

(17:28) Creating good content opens up new opportunities and platforms. 

Good content takes on a life of its own. These types of data-driven reports are soundbite-rich. So we promote the really good quotes and people then share them. Interestingly, these reports themselves have almost become platforms for how we position the value of our solutions overall. We now have elements of the reports in every customer pitch. 

(23:19) Stay top-of-mind by reusing and updating data reports on a regular basis.

Even as a marketer, sometimes it's easy to get excited about the next new thing. And you forget about the great new content that maybe you're getting bored of, because you've been seeing it for a while. But certainly the market is not getting bored of it. And these types of data-driven reports lend themselves very well to a series or an index where you measure something and you come back a year later or a quarter later, and do similar analysis and see what's changed. 

(27:49) It’s important to serve customers at the micro level as well as the macro level.

At a certain point, there's an individual that's getting tasked with, go out and research some solutions, go out and figure out some new ways to drive innovation, go out and gather information. And so really, this content serves a couple different layers: the more strategic level that's organization-wide across the customers we serve, but also the needs of those individuals that are being tasked with solving the problems. 

(32:24) Partner with your sales team to understand who you are speaking to and provid