Indie Hustle
Posts
A Form Builder Making $28K Every Month

A Form Builder Making $28K Every Month

Indie Hustle
October 07, 2023

A Form Builder Making $28K MRR, Run By A Solo Founder

What is the business and who’s behind it?

In the world of SaaS (Software as a Service), where startups and entrepreneurs seek venture capital, NotionForms stands out as a testament to the power of bootstrapping.

Founded by Julien Nahum, NotionForms is a form builder specifically designed for Notion, a popular productivity tool.

With a background in software development and a strong desire to build his own ventures, Julien decided to create a product that caters to Notion users.

NotionForms is essentially a tool that empowers Notion users to easily create forms and gather data, seamlessly integrating with their existing workflows. Julien has been the sole force driving NotionForms from its inception, making it a true one-person SaaS success story.

How was the business started?

Julien Nahum's journey into bootstrapping started when he discovered a supportive community of solo entrepreneurs and indie-hackers who were building their own companies without external funding.

While working as a Software Development Engineer at Amazon, Julien felt the strong urge to embark on his entrepreneurial journey. A combination of life events, including his girlfriend's job opportunity in Paris and changes in his job at Amazon, led Julien to take the leap and become a full-time bootstrapper.

The spark for NotionForms came when Notion, a productivity tool, released its API, enabling developers to create tools and products that seamlessly integrate with it.

Drawing inspiration from his past experiences and the usability of Airtable's form-building capabilities, Julien decided to build a product that could fill this gap. The transition from employee to full-time bootstrapper and the discovery of a valuable product idea led to the birth of NotionForms.

What are some of the marketing strategies used?

According to Julien’s article here, NotionForms' journey from an idea to a thriving SaaS business was propelled by a combination of these marketing strategies:

Social Media Outreach: Julien actively shared his journey on Twitter, engaging with the bootstrapping and indie-hacker communities. He leveraged this platform to document his progress, share development updates, and connect with like-minded individuals.
Online Communities and Forums: NotionForms leveraged existing online communities, such as Reddit and Facebook groups dedicated to Notion users, to share the product. Reddit's Notion subreddit and various Facebook groups allowed Julien to reach potential users interested in a product like NotionForms.
- Example: A Reddit post about NotionForms received more than 376 upvotes, bringing in significant user registrations. This demonstrates the power of community engagement in promoting the product.
Facebook Groups: Building on his previous experience with a marketplace project, Julien utilized Facebook groups as a powerful acquisition channel. He joined relevant groups and posted about NotionForms, gaining significant traction and early users.
Product Hunt: Julien explored Product Hunt, a platform where product makers can list their creations. While his initial Product Hunt launch did not gain much traction, the second attempt led to NotionForms becoming the Product of the Day, further elevating its visibility.
Twitter Engagement: Besides sharing progress updates, Julien interacted with influential figures in the Notion-related tools space. He formed connections with fellow entrepreneurs and aimed for partnerships with established makers, fostering a supportive network.
User-Generated Content: Users of NotionForms have created content such as blog posts and videos, sharing their experiences and insights about the product. Julien reached out to some of these content creators for potential collaboration, offering free subscriptions in exchange for content.
- Example: Encouraging users to share their experiences through user-generated content can act as powerful marketing. When shared across social media and other platforms, this content further promotes the product.
SEO and Viral Loop: NotionForms' freemium model encourages users to share their forms with the product's branding, leading to natural word-of-mouth promotion. Additionally, the presence of backlinks to the NotionForms website helps improve its search engine ranking and drives organic traffic.
- Example: The viral loop created through free product usage results in a continuous stream of new users discovering NotionForms. This organic growth is fueled by user-generated content, backlinks, and referrals.
Customer Support as a Marketing Tool: Providing exceptional customer support not only enhances user satisfaction but also acts as an effective marketing tool. Users appreciate the accessibility and responsiveness of the founder, which can lead to more positive mentions on social media and recommendations to others.
- Example: By offering multiple channels for user support, including live chat, a dedicated Facebook group, and a helpdesk, Julien ensured users could easily reach out for assistance and provide feedback. Happy customers become brand advocates.

How does the business make money?

NotionForms follows a freemium model with a free plan and two paid plans:

Pro Plan: This plan, priced at $15 per month, offers advanced features and enhancements like larger file uploads. NotionForms emphasizes transparency by not imposing usage-based limits on the free plan. Free users can create unlimited forms and receive unlimited submissions, ensuring accessibility.
Enterprise Plan: Designed for companies and teams, the Enterprise Plan costs $39 per month. It allows for unlimited user collaboration and larger file uploads, making it suitable for businesses seeking enhanced functionality and collaboration features.

In addition to the subscription-based revenue model, NotionForms offers discounts, including a 40% discount on the first month for users creating their first form and a 40% discount for NGOs, students, and academics. These discounts aim to cater to a diverse user base and promote accessibility.

Julien Nahum's journey with NotionForms is a testament to the power of bootstrapping, community engagement, and a strong focus on user satisfaction. From its humble beginnings to reaching a significant milestone of $10k MRR, NotionForms stands as a shining example of what a dedicated individual can achieve in the world of SaaS.