Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

As a startup advisor, I see too many entrepreneurs get distracted by technology or their favorite cause, and then wonder why they can’t find an investor, attract customers, or build a long-term business. These principles include the following: Free and ultra-low cost may no longer be competitive.

Custom 101

Custom Customer Competition Netflix 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Startup 154

Startup Training Custom Customer 154

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2022

The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. We don’t hear about the remaining several million apps that are mostly free, and garnering only trivial revenue through advertising. According to Tim Cook at Apple, there are over 34 million registered developers in 2022.

Develop 138

Develop Development Platform Mobile 138

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2021

The bad news is we have to think like a business, with all the implications of branding, finding customers, and competitors. One question I often hear from solo entrepreneurs, and she addresses directly, is “How do I set the right price for my services?” Quantify value to the client as price boundaries.

Pricing 149

Pricing Mentor Entrepreneur News 149

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 23, 2020

As a startup advisor, I see too many entrepreneurs get distracted by technology or their favorite cause, and then wonder why they can’t find an investor, attract customers, or build a long-term business. These principles include the following: Free and ultra-low cost may no longer be competitive.

Marketing 124

Marketing Custom Customer Competition 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets. Freemium” model.

Pricing 116

Pricing Product Custom Customer 116

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2019

I’m more convinced that technology merely enables disruption, and changing customer interests and needs really causes it. Many companies try to recover with more advertising and rebranding, and discover that these strategies don’t work well in today’s market. I recommend creating new services and products for existing customers.

Custom 54

Custom Customer Technical Review Design 54

Berkonomics

JULY 26, 2018

Is your product or service one that responds to a customer need, real or perceived? In general, there are three types of products or services: those a customer needs, those a customer wants, an d those a customer believes he does not want or need. Why buy it?”. Why buy MINE? . An example of how not to do it.

Sales 226

Sales Custom Customer Pricing 226

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2010

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free (like Twitter), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets.

Pricing 98

Pricing Product Startup Competition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2017

As a startup, you need to use your limited resources to excel at a few core things for your best customers, in order to stand out and get the momentum going. Your customers’ biggest need is not for more things. Your best strategy is to find more customers that fit the things you do best, rather than building more things.

Competition 65

Competition Social Media Metrics Custom 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

Truly satisfied customers are a joy to every business person. You have figured out how to undercut your competitor’s price, and still hold your margin. Love that sustainable competitive advantage. Word of mouth advertising and viral marketing cost big bucks these days so budget for it. A business model that works.

Startup 160

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. You now need more than loyalty from your customers -- they need to be your best advocates. The days of pushing new and marginal performers into customer service are gone. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

Custom 55

Custom Customer Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience continues to decline. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Custom 92

Custom Customer Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Great marketing is required to generate revenue and grow every business, especially new businesses which have no brand recognition nor loyal customer base. Yet, as a business consultant, I still find many of you business leaders relying primarily on your technology, word-of-mouth , or location to attract necessary customers.

Marketing 133

Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2022

As a startup, you need to use your limited resources to excel at a few core things for your best customers, in order to stand out and get the momentum going. Your customers’ biggest need is not for more things. Your best strategy is to find more customers that fit the things you do best, rather than building more things.

Startup 144

Startup Social Media Metrics Custom 144

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

He is very hands-on and helpful – especially for any company looking into customer acquisition. People want to invest in people they trust – once you’ve made money for someone you can always go back, and even get better pricing. o Everything is for sale but it’s the price that moves the timing. we both love Jason).

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Custom Customer 304

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2020

The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. We don’t hear about the remaining several million apps that are mostly free, and garnering only trivial revenue through advertising. According to Tim Cook at Apple, there were over 20 million registered developers in 2018.

Mobile 126

Mobile Develop Development Platform 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2023

The purest form of capitalism has always meant charging a fair price and making a fair profit. The concept of free goods and services to get you hooked, financed by deep pockets, or advertising, seems marginally ethical to many. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Understanding competitive early mover requirements.

Organization 94

Organization Invest Custom Customer 94

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Contact key vendors and existing customers. This will cover the technology, the current state of development, and customer satisfaction. If the product is in customer hands, expect some customers to be interviewed. This will involve an analysis of the company’s distribution channels, advertising, and pricing strategy.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

The purest form of capitalism has always meant charging a fair price and making a fair profit. The concept of free goods and services to get you hooked, financed by deep pockets, or advertising, seems marginally ethical to many. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Understanding competitive early mover requirements.

Organization 173

Organization Invest Custom Customer 173

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

I thing I’ve learned over the years is that technology purists hate advertising even when it is that revenue stream that truthfully drives much of our industry. He said it was better than the Yellow Pages because he would provide pricing transparency. He created GoTo.com (later renamed Overture) out of a frustration with search.

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2022

People see you as great for demanding customers and team bonding. Being reward-driven , you are driven to win money, customers, applause, and the admiration of others. These people define their roles in terms of their customers’ or employees’ or coworkers’ needs, not their own.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Organization Custom Customer 110

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

I’m certainly not a fan of customer rip-offs, but even non-profits have to be cash-flow positive, or have deep pockets, to help anyone for long. The alternatives range from giving the product away for free (revenue from ads), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing).

Pricing 66

Pricing Custom Customer Advertising 66

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

There is nothing more pure than building a product, putting it out in the world and seeing paying customers using your product and in some cases loving it. As companies get this initial customer feedback on their product they start to have to ask harder questions about unit economics: How much does it cost us to acquire a new customer?

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 286

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2012

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free (like Twitter), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets.

Pricing 112

Pricing Competition Custom Customer 112

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets. Freemium model.

Startup 114

Startup Pricing Custom Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2015

Don’t bash the competition. Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. That says you are competitive today, have a real barrier to entry, and the potential to remain ahead of the competition for a long time.

Startup 118

Startup Competition Patents Resource 118

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

The right strategy for branding these days is to create a most memorable total customer experience for customers, rather than a focus on hyping the product and the company name. Here are some key recommendations for building your branding plan: Find out who your customers are through social media.

Social Media 73

Social Media Custom Customer Mobile 73

Berkonomics

JULY 9, 2011

Is your product or service one that responds to a customer need, real or perceived? In general, there are three types of products or services: those a customer needs, those a customer wants, and those a customer believes he does not want or need. Why buy it?”. Email readers continue here. ] Why buy MINE?

Sales 222

Sales Custom Customer Pricing 222

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

However, its unique-for-the-industry monthly subscription model has helped it maintain healthy profits from its loyal customer base in 2023. Source: gumroad.com Gumroad really started to take off in 2023, smashing revenue records for three months straight, a feat that was attributed to a price hike it carried out at the start of the year.

Startup 210

Startup Generative AI Newsletter Tool 210

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2017

The bad news is we have to think like a business, with all the implications of branding, finding customers, and competitors. One question I often hear from solo entrepreneurs, and she addresses directly, is “How do I set the right price for my services?” Quantify value to the client as price boundaries.

Pricing 68

Pricing Entrepreneur Mentor News 68

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2022

Of course, growth is implied in that equation, and is also required for maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage. You might sell one of two of your widgets for $1 million each, entering profitability immediately, but then die because you can’t grow sales at that price. Design a product or service that you can sell.

Platform 118

Platform Snapchat Startup Course 118

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2014

Don’t bash the competition. Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. That says you are competitive today, have a real barrier to entry, and the potential to remain ahead of the competition for a long time.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Competition Patents Resource 110

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 22, 2011

If that bond isn’t there or if it feels like I’m in a bidding process for the highest price, I might as well be Wells Fargo. In the simplest form, new startups have a product that is INFERIOR to that offered by the competition but at a dramatically lower price with the seller opting for a very thin margin on their product.

Startup 386

Startup Pricing Marketing Product 386

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2020

People see you as great for demanding customers and team bonding. Being reward-driven , you are driven to win money, customers, applause, and the admiration of others. These people define their roles in terms of their customers’ or employees’ or coworkers’ needs, not their own.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Organization Custom Customer 126

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. Even a million users on your social media site won’t pay the bills until you sell some advertising or a premium service. Attract, train, and reward only the best leaders.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2015

The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. We don’t hear about the remaining three million apps that are mostly free, and garnering only trivial revenue through advertising. One of the quickest ways to become an entrepreneur these days is to develop and publish a smartphone app.

Startup 98

Startup Platform Pricing Netflix 98