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FOMO

by Ryan KulpLaunched 2016-06via The SaaS Podcast
SaaSpartnershipssubscriptionexisting-tool-frustration

FOMO is a social proof marketing tool that displays recent customer purchase notifications on e-commerce websites. Ryan Kulp acquired the original 'Notify' Shopify app in 2016 with a few hundred customers and grew it to serve over 30,000 websites and billions of notifications annually. The company was recently sold to Relay Commerce after six years of growth, with over $1M in annual revenue, driven primarily by building 104+ native integrations, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to serving 'honest entrepreneurs.'

Key Takeaways

  • Used partnerships as primary growth channel
  • Got first customer via Cold email outreach to Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce store owners
  • Most effective channel: Integrations with e-commerce platforms and complementary tools
  • Monetizes with subscription pricing

Revenue

Pricing Modelsubscription

Traction

First Customer ChannelCold email outreach to Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce store owners
Most Effective ChannelIntegrations with e-commerce platforms and complementary tools
Outreach MethodCold email with offers of extended free trials (14+ days), partnership outreach to integration platforms
Traction Patternpartnerships

Tech

Tools Used
BuiltWithGmailGoogle AnalyticsMailChimpSquareInfusionsoftConvert KitZendesk

Why They Built It

Ryan acquired the Shopify app 'Notify' in 2016 and rebranded it as FOMO to help honest entrepreneurs and small businesses demonstrate social proof through recent purchase notifications, enabling them to compete against larger competitors without relying on manipulative marketing tactics.

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