SaaS teams don't use toilet paper (as an example)
Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here.
I was laughing when I stepped into the café’s bathroom, but then I saw the toilet paper roll!
Yep, it was reversed. 😡
(cookie points if you got the John Caples reference)
Now, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I get obsessed with this kind of thing because it speaks to a much bigger issue — systems thinking (or lack thereof). It's not about the roll itself, but what it represents.
From Sam Carpenter's book Work the System:
"Since having the retrieving end of the paper on the top of the roll makes grasping the paper easier, why doesn’t everyone load the paper that way every time? Is the task of inserting the roll one way more difficult than inserting it the other way? Not at all. So, what’s up? Truth is, deciding to always do it one way or the other would require a one-time systems thinking analysis—in this case it would take just a few seconds to establish a permanent protocol—but most people don’t go that one layer deeper. They don’t spend time considering underlying processes."
It's the same story when it comes SaaS companies.
Most teams don't think about their research in terms of systems and processes.
They’ll do customer research sporadically, often in response to a problem or a gap that comes up. But there’s no clear, repeatable, and sustainable system in place. No feedback loop that strengthens product development, sales, and customer retention.
The sustainable SaaS research system:
Think of it like this: if you load the toilet paper the wrong way once, it’s not the end of the world. But if you keep doing it inconsistently, first, you piss me off, second you’ve set up friction where there shouldn’t be any. It’s a small thing, but it adds up. The same applies to research.
By creating a system for continuous research — where gathering insights from customers and the market is baked into the regular workflow — you reduce friction in product marketing, development, and sales. Here’s how it works in a cycle:
If you're not feeding insights back into your system after every launch, every customer interaction, or every market shift, you’re only getting part of the picture.
And let’s be clear, this doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. It’s more about consistency and clarity than complexity. Here’s where to start:
- Establish clear research processes: Make research a core objective alongside selling and product development. Use regular customer interviews, user testing, reviews, or surveys to gather insights. Adapt to what you have but put it in place early.
- Create a feedback loop: Every new insight should feed directly into your product and sales strategies. Ask this question often: “What insight or data can we capture from this step, and how will we use it to inform our next move?”.
- Think of it as a system, not a task: Like the toilet paper roll — it’s not a big thing on its own, but when done right (or wrong), it creates a ripple effect. Don’t let research be that forgotten piece in your process.
Research shouldn’t feel reactive — it should be continuous, repeatable, and always available to inform the next step.
Next time you're replacing the toilet paper, take that extra second to think about the small systems in your life. And how a little attention to detail now, can make all the difference down the line.
📚 Copywriting nuggets in the wild
Content of the week: The tree of talking
You might have already heard me blab on about this, but this article makes a few really good and practical examples of the idea of Tree of talking in communication. When you get this concept, it's like seeing the matrix and you'll try to use it in every conversation or piece of writing.
Trees of talking exist at all levels, from the private language of couples to the canons of literature. The smoothness of our communication and coordination with other people depends upon engaging the appropriate framework for shared understanding.
Swipe file: An effective product demo page
I stumbled on this "landing page" by the digital product management platform Kajabi as I was looking for good, simple examples of effective offers for a podcast. I say landing page in quotes because it's not a standard "tunneled" landing page.
It still has a navigation menu and feels just like any other page on their website. But it does a few things very well.
- The value prop is specific "Go from idea to income in less than 30 days".
- It presents un ungated demo video.
- It surrounds the video with the right context and information to still help persuade visitors.
- It includes one single CTA (sign up for the trial).
- And it's accessible from another landing page! (see here the CTA button at the top "See demo"). This is a great way to maximize your chances of taking visitors from one stage of awareness to the next and capture the most of them.
Great example if you want to mirror it.
✅ Don't miss it
Episode 27 of The Message-Market Fit podcast is out!
I had a great chat with Natália Tóth, Product Marketing Manager at Ranking Raccoon. Here's what you'll learn:
- How to balance strategic thinking with operational tasks in a startup
- How to position and message your startup for different user segments
- How to conduct effective user research even with little resources
- How to test messaging across different channels and adapt your tone of voice
- How to navigate the challenges of product-market fit and messaging in early-stage SaaS
- Balancing SEO and messaging goals
And way way more.
Check it out here. And if you find it valuable, would you consider subscribing and leaving a rating? 🙏
How to think and write better with AI
Last week I also posted a quick walkthrough video, where I break down how I use ChatGPT as a thought partner to refine my ideas and improve my writing process. Let me know if you want more of these, they're super fun to me.
🤔 Thought of the week
"The world is as negotiable as a flea market in Marrakesh. Only a fool doesn’t haggle. Whenever presented with rules, think of it as a game that can be changed."
Derek Sivers, Useful Not True
First know the rules, then change them. You can’t change the game unless you study it. But recognizing you could, is the first step.
Have a great weekend!
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Chris Silvestri
Founder, Conversion Alchemy
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🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)
