Tahir Akbar
@tahirakbr.bsky.social
I help SaaS & tech companies scale with AI-powered marketing and automation. My expertise lies in building growth systems that drive revenue, not just leads.
📍 Marketing | Lead Gen | AI-Powered Ops | MarTech
📍 Marketing | Lead Gen | AI-Powered Ops | MarTech
The Content Cemetery
↳ 50 blog posts.
↳ 10 webinars.
↳ Zero pipeline impact.
↳ Buried content
#ContentMarketing
↳ 50 blog posts.
↳ 10 webinars.
↳ Zero pipeline impact.
↳ Buried content
#ContentMarketing
March 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
The Content Cemetery
↳ 50 blog posts.
↳ 10 webinars.
↳ Zero pipeline impact.
↳ Buried content
#ContentMarketing
↳ 50 blog posts.
↳ 10 webinars.
↳ Zero pipeline impact.
↳ Buried content
#ContentMarketing
March 29, 2025 at 2:47 PM
7/ Key Takeaway:
If you’re underestimating your CAC, you’re scaling on false assumptions.
Your growth strategy depends on getting this number right.
Are you tracking real CAC — or just ad spend?
Let’s discuss. 👇
#SaaS #Marketing #GrowthMetrics #DemandGen
If you’re underestimating your CAC, you’re scaling on false assumptions.
Your growth strategy depends on getting this number right.
Are you tracking real CAC — or just ad spend?
Let’s discuss. 👇
#SaaS #Marketing #GrowthMetrics #DemandGen
February 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
7/ Key Takeaway:
If you’re underestimating your CAC, you’re scaling on false assumptions.
Your growth strategy depends on getting this number right.
Are you tracking real CAC — or just ad spend?
Let’s discuss. 👇
#SaaS #Marketing #GrowthMetrics #DemandGen
If you’re underestimating your CAC, you’re scaling on false assumptions.
Your growth strategy depends on getting this number right.
Are you tracking real CAC — or just ad spend?
Let’s discuss. 👇
#SaaS #Marketing #GrowthMetrics #DemandGen
6/
How to Fix It
✅ Track all costs, not just ad spend.
✅ Factor in team time, content, & software expenses.
✅ Account for onboarding & customer success costs.
✅ Treat every part of acquisition as an investment — not just paid channels.
How to Fix It
✅ Track all costs, not just ad spend.
✅ Factor in team time, content, & software expenses.
✅ Account for onboarding & customer success costs.
✅ Treat every part of acquisition as an investment — not just paid channels.
February 19, 2025 at 2:44 PM
6/
How to Fix It
✅ Track all costs, not just ad spend.
✅ Factor in team time, content, & software expenses.
✅ Account for onboarding & customer success costs.
✅ Treat every part of acquisition as an investment — not just paid channels.
How to Fix It
✅ Track all costs, not just ad spend.
✅ Factor in team time, content, & software expenses.
✅ Account for onboarding & customer success costs.
✅ Treat every part of acquisition as an investment — not just paid channels.
5/
If you think your CAC is $100 per customer, it’s likely $130-$140 when you factor everything in.
Scaling without tracking real CAC = burning cash without knowing it.
So, how do you fix it?
If you think your CAC is $100 per customer, it’s likely $130-$140 when you factor everything in.
Scaling without tracking real CAC = burning cash without knowing it.
So, how do you fix it?
February 19, 2025 at 2:44 PM
5/
If you think your CAC is $100 per customer, it’s likely $130-$140 when you factor everything in.
Scaling without tracking real CAC = burning cash without knowing it.
So, how do you fix it?
If you think your CAC is $100 per customer, it’s likely $130-$140 when you factor everything in.
Scaling without tracking real CAC = burning cash without knowing it.
So, how do you fix it?
4/
3️⃣ Customer Success & Onboarding
→ Support calls, onboarding, and retention efforts increase acquisition costs.
4️⃣ Brand & Community Building
→ Webinars, events, and social engagement fuel growth, but don’t show up in your CAC spreadsheet.
3️⃣ Customer Success & Onboarding
→ Support calls, onboarding, and retention efforts increase acquisition costs.
4️⃣ Brand & Community Building
→ Webinars, events, and social engagement fuel growth, but don’t show up in your CAC spreadsheet.
February 19, 2025 at 2:43 PM
4/
3️⃣ Customer Success & Onboarding
→ Support calls, onboarding, and retention efforts increase acquisition costs.
4️⃣ Brand & Community Building
→ Webinars, events, and social engagement fuel growth, but don’t show up in your CAC spreadsheet.
3️⃣ Customer Success & Onboarding
→ Support calls, onboarding, and retention efforts increase acquisition costs.
4️⃣ Brand & Community Building
→ Webinars, events, and social engagement fuel growth, but don’t show up in your CAC spreadsheet.
3/ Hidden Costs That Inflate Your CAC
1️⃣ Content Creation Costs
→ High-quality content takes time & resources—but rarely gets accounted for.
2️⃣ Tool Stack & Software Expenses
→ CRM, automation, analytics — critical tools, but often ignored in CAC calculations.
1️⃣ Content Creation Costs
→ High-quality content takes time & resources—but rarely gets accounted for.
2️⃣ Tool Stack & Software Expenses
→ CRM, automation, analytics — critical tools, but often ignored in CAC calculations.
February 19, 2025 at 2:43 PM
3/ Hidden Costs That Inflate Your CAC
1️⃣ Content Creation Costs
→ High-quality content takes time & resources—but rarely gets accounted for.
2️⃣ Tool Stack & Software Expenses
→ CRM, automation, analytics — critical tools, but often ignored in CAC calculations.
1️⃣ Content Creation Costs
→ High-quality content takes time & resources—but rarely gets accounted for.
2️⃣ Tool Stack & Software Expenses
→ CRM, automation, analytics — critical tools, but often ignored in CAC calculations.
2/ Most teams calculate CAC like this:
Ad Spend ÷ New Customers = CAC
❌ But that’s incomplete.
Your true CAC includes way more than just paid ads.
Here’s what you’re probably missing:
Ad Spend ÷ New Customers = CAC
❌ But that’s incomplete.
Your true CAC includes way more than just paid ads.
Here’s what you’re probably missing:
February 19, 2025 at 2:42 PM
2/ Most teams calculate CAC like this:
Ad Spend ÷ New Customers = CAC
❌ But that’s incomplete.
Your true CAC includes way more than just paid ads.
Here’s what you’re probably missing:
Ad Spend ÷ New Customers = CAC
❌ But that’s incomplete.
Your true CAC includes way more than just paid ads.
Here’s what you’re probably missing:
Notion didn’t chase users.
Users chased Notion.
PLG wasn’t just a strategy—it was an ecosystem.
Are you looking to build this kind of system for your SaaS or B2B company?
Let’s chat and build one for you. ⤵️
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Users chased Notion.
PLG wasn’t just a strategy—it was an ecosystem.
Are you looking to build this kind of system for your SaaS or B2B company?
Let’s chat and build one for you. ⤵️
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Tahir Akbar ✪ on LinkedIn: #saas #growthmarketing #productledgrowth #casestudy #notion | 17 comments
Most SaaS startups burn cash on ads. Notion didn’t.
Instead of chasing customers, they built a system where customers came to them.
Here’s how they did… | 17 comments on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com
February 18, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Notion didn’t chase users.
Users chased Notion.
PLG wasn’t just a strategy—it was an ecosystem.
Are you looking to build this kind of system for your SaaS or B2B company?
Let’s chat and build one for you. ⤵️
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Users chased Notion.
PLG wasn’t just a strategy—it was an ecosystem.
Are you looking to build this kind of system for your SaaS or B2B company?
Let’s chat and build one for you. ⤵️
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
📈 The Results?
➝ 100M+ users with minimal paid marketing
➝ Enterprise adoption without a heavy sales team
➝ A viral loop that scales without increasing CAC
Notion’s growth wasn’t luck.
It was engineered.
#SaaS #GrowthMarketing
➝ 100M+ users with minimal paid marketing
➝ Enterprise adoption without a heavy sales team
➝ A viral loop that scales without increasing CAC
Notion’s growth wasn’t luck.
It was engineered.
#SaaS #GrowthMarketing
February 18, 2025 at 2:40 PM
📈 The Results?
➝ 100M+ users with minimal paid marketing
➝ Enterprise adoption without a heavy sales team
➝ A viral loop that scales without increasing CAC
Notion’s growth wasn’t luck.
It was engineered.
#SaaS #GrowthMarketing
➝ 100M+ users with minimal paid marketing
➝ Enterprise adoption without a heavy sales team
➝ A viral loop that scales without increasing CAC
Notion’s growth wasn’t luck.
It was engineered.
#SaaS #GrowthMarketing
5️⃣ They Turned Users Into Ambassadors
Notion didn’t just build a user base. They built a movement.
➝ Notion Ambassadors
➝ Community-led events and meetups
➝ Recognition & rewards
Instead of hiring a massive marketing team, they empowered superfans to do it for them.
Notion didn’t just build a user base. They built a movement.
➝ Notion Ambassadors
➝ Community-led events and meetups
➝ Recognition & rewards
Instead of hiring a massive marketing team, they empowered superfans to do it for them.
February 18, 2025 at 2:39 PM
5️⃣ They Turned Users Into Ambassadors
Notion didn’t just build a user base. They built a movement.
➝ Notion Ambassadors
➝ Community-led events and meetups
➝ Recognition & rewards
Instead of hiring a massive marketing team, they empowered superfans to do it for them.
Notion didn’t just build a user base. They built a movement.
➝ Notion Ambassadors
➝ Community-led events and meetups
➝ Recognition & rewards
Instead of hiring a massive marketing team, they empowered superfans to do it for them.
4️⃣ They Focused on Content, Not Ads
Most SaaS companies dump money into paid marketing.
Notion let users create content that marketed itself.
➝ SEO-optimized guides
➝ User-generated templates
➝ Localized communities
Great content compounds over time. Ads don’t.
Most SaaS companies dump money into paid marketing.
Notion let users create content that marketed itself.
➝ SEO-optimized guides
➝ User-generated templates
➝ Localized communities
Great content compounds over time. Ads don’t.
February 18, 2025 at 2:38 PM
4️⃣ They Focused on Content, Not Ads
Most SaaS companies dump money into paid marketing.
Notion let users create content that marketed itself.
➝ SEO-optimized guides
➝ User-generated templates
➝ Localized communities
Great content compounds over time. Ads don’t.
Most SaaS companies dump money into paid marketing.
Notion let users create content that marketed itself.
➝ SEO-optimized guides
➝ User-generated templates
➝ Localized communities
Great content compounds over time. Ads don’t.
3️⃣ No Sales Teams. Just Seamless Adoption.
Notion removed friction. They didn’t need hard selling—just:
➝ Instant value – No sales call needed.
➝ Cross-device sync – Work anywhere, anytime.
➝ Baked-in upsells – Teams hit limits, then upgraded naturally.
It's a great PLG story!
Notion removed friction. They didn’t need hard selling—just:
➝ Instant value – No sales call needed.
➝ Cross-device sync – Work anywhere, anytime.
➝ Baked-in upsells – Teams hit limits, then upgraded naturally.
It's a great PLG story!
February 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
3️⃣ No Sales Teams. Just Seamless Adoption.
Notion removed friction. They didn’t need hard selling—just:
➝ Instant value – No sales call needed.
➝ Cross-device sync – Work anywhere, anytime.
➝ Baked-in upsells – Teams hit limits, then upgraded naturally.
It's a great PLG story!
Notion removed friction. They didn’t need hard selling—just:
➝ Instant value – No sales call needed.
➝ Cross-device sync – Work anywhere, anytime.
➝ Baked-in upsells – Teams hit limits, then upgraded naturally.
It's a great PLG story!
2️⃣ They Let Users Market the Product
Instead of pushing ads, Notion pulled users in.
➝ Users created & shared templates
➝ Ambassadors educated new users
➝ Community-led content ranked on Google
→ Free, organic traffic.
Users did the marketing. Notion just enabled it.
Instead of pushing ads, Notion pulled users in.
➝ Users created & shared templates
➝ Ambassadors educated new users
➝ Community-led content ranked on Google
→ Free, organic traffic.
Users did the marketing. Notion just enabled it.
February 18, 2025 at 2:36 PM
2️⃣ They Let Users Market the Product
Instead of pushing ads, Notion pulled users in.
➝ Users created & shared templates
➝ Ambassadors educated new users
➝ Community-led content ranked on Google
→ Free, organic traffic.
Users did the marketing. Notion just enabled it.
Instead of pushing ads, Notion pulled users in.
➝ Users created & shared templates
➝ Ambassadors educated new users
➝ Community-led content ranked on Google
→ Free, organic traffic.
Users did the marketing. Notion just enabled it.
1️⃣ The Product Was the Growth Engine
#Notion’s best marketing? The product itself.
➝ Freemium model – Users got hooked.
➝ Collaboration-first – Teams naturally invited others.
➝ Templates & sharing – Users created & distributed Notion workspaces.
This wasn’t a sales funnel — it was a viral loop.
#Notion’s best marketing? The product itself.
➝ Freemium model – Users got hooked.
➝ Collaboration-first – Teams naturally invited others.
➝ Templates & sharing – Users created & distributed Notion workspaces.
This wasn’t a sales funnel — it was a viral loop.
February 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
1️⃣ The Product Was the Growth Engine
#Notion’s best marketing? The product itself.
➝ Freemium model – Users got hooked.
➝ Collaboration-first – Teams naturally invited others.
➝ Templates & sharing – Users created & distributed Notion workspaces.
This wasn’t a sales funnel — it was a viral loop.
#Notion’s best marketing? The product itself.
➝ Freemium model – Users got hooked.
➝ Collaboration-first – Teams naturally invited others.
➝ Templates & sharing – Users created & distributed Notion workspaces.
This wasn’t a sales funnel — it was a viral loop.
In 2018, Notion was just another productivity tool in a crowded market.
Competing against Evernote, Google Docs, and Trello, they had NO chance of outspending them.
So, they built a system where users did the marketing for them.
Here’s what we can learn 👇
#Notion #SaaSGrowth #Marketing
Competing against Evernote, Google Docs, and Trello, they had NO chance of outspending them.
So, they built a system where users did the marketing for them.
Here’s what we can learn 👇
#Notion #SaaSGrowth #Marketing
February 18, 2025 at 2:26 PM
In 2018, Notion was just another productivity tool in a crowded market.
Competing against Evernote, Google Docs, and Trello, they had NO chance of outspending them.
So, they built a system where users did the marketing for them.
Here’s what we can learn 👇
#Notion #SaaSGrowth #Marketing
Competing against Evernote, Google Docs, and Trello, they had NO chance of outspending them.
So, they built a system where users did the marketing for them.
Here’s what we can learn 👇
#Notion #SaaSGrowth #Marketing
I write on marketing, AI, and building growth system for SaaS and technology companies.
Follow me here, and or LinkedIn!
www.linkedin.com/in/tahirakbar/
#Marketing #SaaS #Tech
Follow me here, and or LinkedIn!
www.linkedin.com/in/tahirakbar/
#Marketing #SaaS #Tech
February 13, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I write on marketing, AI, and building growth system for SaaS and technology companies.
Follow me here, and or LinkedIn!
www.linkedin.com/in/tahirakbar/
#Marketing #SaaS #Tech
Follow me here, and or LinkedIn!
www.linkedin.com/in/tahirakbar/
#Marketing #SaaS #Tech
Why AI-Powered Systems Win?
→ 50% less time spent on bad leads
→ 3X better engagement with a consistent pipeline
→ Lower CAC with smarter targeting
Your lead gen system shouldn’t drain your budget — it should be an automated growth engine.
#LeadGeneration #Marketing #SaaS
→ 50% less time spent on bad leads
→ 3X better engagement with a consistent pipeline
→ Lower CAC with smarter targeting
Your lead gen system shouldn’t drain your budget — it should be an automated growth engine.
#LeadGeneration #Marketing #SaaS
February 13, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Why AI-Powered Systems Win?
→ 50% less time spent on bad leads
→ 3X better engagement with a consistent pipeline
→ Lower CAC with smarter targeting
Your lead gen system shouldn’t drain your budget — it should be an automated growth engine.
#LeadGeneration #Marketing #SaaS
→ 50% less time spent on bad leads
→ 3X better engagement with a consistent pipeline
→ Lower CAC with smarter targeting
Your lead gen system shouldn’t drain your budget — it should be an automated growth engine.
#LeadGeneration #Marketing #SaaS
5️⃣ Scale with AI Analytics & Data
→ Predict high-converting leads before outreach
→ AI optimizes campaigns in real time
→ Find funnel gaps with AI-driven insights
AI helps scale faster & cut wasted spend.
#Marketing #LeadGeneration #SaaS
→ Predict high-converting leads before outreach
→ AI optimizes campaigns in real time
→ Find funnel gaps with AI-driven insights
AI helps scale faster & cut wasted spend.
#Marketing #LeadGeneration #SaaS
February 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
5️⃣ Scale with AI Analytics & Data
→ Predict high-converting leads before outreach
→ AI optimizes campaigns in real time
→ Find funnel gaps with AI-driven insights
AI helps scale faster & cut wasted spend.
#Marketing #LeadGeneration #SaaS
→ Predict high-converting leads before outreach
→ AI optimizes campaigns in real time
→ Find funnel gaps with AI-driven insights
AI helps scale faster & cut wasted spend.
#Marketing #LeadGeneration #SaaS
4️⃣ Sync Your MarTech Stack
→ Connect CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) with automation
→ Auto-update contacts with AI enrichment tools
→ AI routes leads based on scoring
Disconnected tools waste leads. AI aligns data.
#LeadGeneration #MarTech #B2BMaketing
→ Connect CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) with automation
→ Auto-update contacts with AI enrichment tools
→ AI routes leads based on scoring
Disconnected tools waste leads. AI aligns data.
#LeadGeneration #MarTech #B2BMaketing
February 13, 2025 at 2:10 PM
4️⃣ Sync Your MarTech Stack
→ Connect CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) with automation
→ Auto-update contacts with AI enrichment tools
→ AI routes leads based on scoring
Disconnected tools waste leads. AI aligns data.
#LeadGeneration #MarTech #B2BMaketing
→ Connect CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) with automation
→ Auto-update contacts with AI enrichment tools
→ AI routes leads based on scoring
Disconnected tools waste leads. AI aligns data.
#LeadGeneration #MarTech #B2BMaketing
3️⃣ Personalize Outreach with AI
→ Use AI to write hyper-personalized emails
→ Automate follow-ups across multiple channels
→ Modify messaging based on lead behavior
Generic outreach fails. AI personalizes at scale.
#LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #SaaS
→ Use AI to write hyper-personalized emails
→ Automate follow-ups across multiple channels
→ Modify messaging based on lead behavior
Generic outreach fails. AI personalizes at scale.
#LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #SaaS
February 13, 2025 at 2:09 PM
3️⃣ Personalize Outreach with AI
→ Use AI to write hyper-personalized emails
→ Automate follow-ups across multiple channels
→ Modify messaging based on lead behavior
Generic outreach fails. AI personalizes at scale.
#LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #SaaS
→ Use AI to write hyper-personalized emails
→ Automate follow-ups across multiple channels
→ Modify messaging based on lead behavior
Generic outreach fails. AI personalizes at scale.
#LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #SaaS