Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

The following are some lessons I learned about early-stage startup marketing. Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.). I call this “marketing futures.&# You need some guidelines to make decisions.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

InfoChachkie

JUNE 9, 2014

It was a rather hapless soul who was seeking my help networking within Santa Barbara''s startup community. In the fifteen minutes that we chatted, the caller made some shocking networking mistakes. If he had spent any time reading my blog, he would have learned that I am not a fan of consultants, especially at startups.

Networking 232

Networking Santa Barbara Research Blogging 232

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

But being best-in-class at online marketing is also a sine qua non to standout from your peer group. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. Online marketing uses techniques for driving promotion and place.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

It is simply the most important way to proactively control your career development and how the market perceives you. This started as a post in which I was going to write out tips to personal branding and became in stead an essay of my own branding journey. That was fine with me – the market is the market.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2022

For some customers and many investors, a heavy focus on social networks and viral marketing may be a negative, rather than a positive. A balance of conventional and social communication and marketing is always advised. Communication and writing skills are required. Attracting key stakeholders requires sensitivity.

Social Media 126

Social Media Media Startup Platform 126

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

Most designers, at least the ones I know, hate to network and rarely do it. The key to networking in the tech world is you do not need to be the best in the world, you just need to be passionate, willing to learn and in a lot of cases be the best designer or developer that people know. Networking through social media.

Design 91

Design Networking Social Media Google 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2022

Most business advisors I know will say that writing a business plan is the first step to starting your own business, but I believe that a better first step is to do a self-analysis of your real drivers, strengths, and assumptions before committing to this lifestyle. I recommend that you look for new or emerging opportunities in new markets.

Social Media 105

Social Media Writing Ideas Resource 105

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 12, 2017

People expect blog posts, Tweets, panels, speeches. Meeting a lot of candidates to find your head of marketing is all well and good but if 3 months later you still have no one in the role you’re still down a person. Recruiting, business development, shipping product, writing blog posts, networking … it’s all the same.

Activity 297

Activity Blogging Email Startup 297

SoCal CTO

MARCH 22, 2007

skip to main | skip to sidebar SoCal CTO Thursday, March 22, 2007 Discussion Creation Among Bloggers - LinkedIn, Blogging and Discussion Groups Ive been participating in a Yahoo Group that are users of LinkedIn and who are Bloggers: [link] Its an interesting group of folks from diverse backgrounds. See Five Things Meme as an example.

Blogging 150

Blogging CTO Coach CTO Hire Southern California 150

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 23, 2010

Take AVC.com, the blog by Fred Wilson. He wrote a blog post that always stuck with me about how there are regulars on his blog who hang out there a bit like “Cheers&# just having a chat with a metaphorical beer in hand. If I’m totally honest it started as a marketing exercise. It’s true.

Blogging 301

Blogging SEO Startup Writing 301

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

One of the advantages of blogging, using social media, public speaking, etc as a VC is that you get a more nuanced view of these shifts by watching your own successes and failures. I will add to this as I write more in the coming weeks on the topic. This is true on all of the major tech blogs. Is Funding a Worthy Announcement?

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2010

Blogging has come a long way in the past few years, from a social release for narcissists, to today’s required vehicle for promoting your business and gaining valuable online exposure, ultimately bringing in more customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Make your blog your website. Anchor blog in your domain name.

Blogging 48

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Startup Writing 48

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2016

In 2008 I started VC blogging. I had blogged when I was an entrepreneur. I went to an industry event where people actually called me self-centered for writing publicly. My friends said, “I don’t need another network. That’s what happens when you join a network and have kids. Right now it’s my favorite network.

Snapchat 150

Snapchat Product Startup AMA 150

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 23, 2011

PR isn’t something that can be delegated – The other thing that tech execs often want to do is to delegate the PR to their marketing person. Obviously you should have somebody that helps you research journalists, gets you meetings, pitches stories, helps prep you for interviews & helps make sure your writing is cogent.

Startup 349

Startup Writing Press Blogging 349

SoCal CTO

MARCH 18, 2010

More Visible Networking? Vince: On the consulting side we are working with a unique social network, a new television network and some original video content businesses. In addition to we’re taking GumGum and their very cool advertising opportunities to market. this time with Vince Thompson. What’s the short version?

Startup 225

Startup Los Angeles Twiistup Social Network 225

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2023

If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. Writing, audios, and videos are all great ways to do this, since these all facilitate the one-to-many multiplier. Be creative and add value to what you offer your target market. Provide a unique point of view. Forget the old “spray and pray.”

Social Media 94

Social Media Media Ideas Writing 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

His challenge is to focus on one market, with a specific design, cost, and price. Bill was initially the idea person and technologist, while Steve had the business and marketing experience from Proctor & Gamble to close the business equation. Build your own personal brand image through blogging, industry forums, and networking.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

This is a post I’ve been dying to write for 18 months. I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. And if you are – what on earth are you reading such a boring blog as this?!?

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 11, 2010

I haven’t written a blog post in a week. And for the last few evenings I decided to get through email rather than blog. It was interesting for me to read Fred Wilson’s email bankruptcy blog post this morning. It’s not just the spammers or marketers trying to sell you products or services.

Email 265

Email Startup Writing Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2016

I’ve been online for nearly 30 years (yes, there was CompuServe and Prodigy before the www), blogging for 10 and using social media tools since the earliest days. I love to watch networks evolve, see how crowds gather and communicate and curate and share. Second, there is one big innovation that the market hasn’t talked about.

Social Media 240

Social Media Snapchat Media Blogging 240

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Then fans would be tasked with writing their own stories, submitting them to the Realms of Ruin universe by minting them as NFTs on the Solana blockchain. If the authors are inviting fans to write fan fiction about a universe they created, who owns the derivative works?

Writing 196

Writing Outsource Development Technical Review Examples 196

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

My goal in the interview overall was to capture more of the personal side of Fred since so much of his investment thesis and portfolio work already comes out in his blog. Fred has of course been a public mentor to us all with his market-defining terminology that he popularized including “freemium” and “mobile first.”

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2020

If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. Writing, audios, and videos are all great ways to do this, since these all facilitate the one-to-many multiplier. Be creative and add value to what you offer your target market. Provide a unique point of view. Forget the old “spray and pray.”

Social Media 126

Social Media Media Ideas Writing 126

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 15, 2014

” I have been weighing in slowly on the topic over the past few weeks on Twitter but have avoided writing a blog post about it until now. I first discovered him or her as a commenter on Fred Wilson’s blog. There are many things I am – but different than what I say on this blog is not one of them!

Technical Review 329

Technical Review Blogging Examples Startup 329

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Fred Wilson wrote a blog post yesterday called “Real Names” in which he talked about a commenter on his blog who preferred not to comment because he didn’t want to use his real name. All of this has become a lot more relevant lately given social networking. Social networks are like Iran. Think about it.

Social Network 329

Social Network Startup Blogging Venture Capital 329

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2019

For some customers and many investors, a heavy focus on social networks and viral marketing may be a negative, rather than a positive. A balance of conventional and social communication and marketing is always advised. Communication and writing skills are required. Attracting key stakeholders requires sensitivity.

Social Media 79

Social Media Media Invest Platform 79

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 2, 2009

On Facebook (and nearly all social networks that preceded it) the relationship was always reciprocal – if I accept your invitation to follow me then I have to follow you. Twitter, by contrast, started as an open platform where people let anybody see what they were writing. Facebook. So why is this important for businesses?

Social Network 235

Social Network Writing Tool Startup 235

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

First it was street-style photography, then came the launch of her popular fashion blog WeWoreWhat. Robertson is the founder of Influence , a networking tool for influencers that’s expected to announce its Series A financing in the coming weeks. With new followers — today her account, @weworewhat , has 2.2

Platform 170

Platform Marketing Tool Venture Capital 170

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2010

In writing anything positive about any of the companies I’m not suggesting that it means that I prefer them to any of their competitors. Also, some of the deals I write about I have actually seen as part of their fund raising process. Finally, a lot of people asking me about typos on my blog. Big market.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Capital Email Blogging 265

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

It was a great conversation and I thought it would be a good idea to do some visible networking with Aaron to get to know him better. I can be found on LinkedIn , have a blog Holocognics and my firm’s website is www.SolutionsLLP.com. You are writing about the essentials of business. and online business networking ?

Startup 150

Startup SEO Pepperdine Blogging 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2012

I’m talking about doing some real networking to test your elevator pitch, and get to know some potential investors before you ask them for money. Start writing a blog, speaking at local groups, and conversing at networking meetings about the need you see in the marketplace, before you pitch a solution. Give it to them.

Startup 96

Startup Writing Newsletter Blogging 96

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

That is, of course, as long as what you are selling is the absolute best in your market.) On the card I usually write the date, where I met the person, how I met them and what value I can bring to the table. Find events, conferences, mixers, networking groups, meet up groups who would find value in hearing your insights.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Marketing SEO 85

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

Since I answer this all the time anyway I thought it might make an interesting blog post. When I was running startups I felt like a horse with blinders on because I was super focused on the content management market and ignored many other markets. I get paid to network – I love meeting people. That’s true.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2019

You too can become an influencer through social media, videos and blogs, and people will follow you on what to buy, what causes to support, and who to vote for. Now customers judge you by your visibility to them at public forums, your writing, videos, and what other public figures say. They were influencers before they were a brand.

Customer 93

Customer Custom IBM IBM 93

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Today they say its Africa’s largest and fastest growing social networking utility with over 4,000 daily new sign-ups. They also add that LAGbook ranks #2 in the city of Yaba-Lagos, where the social network was incepted, and #37 in the city of Hirtshal, Denmark. We create a social network for students of the University of Lagos.

Social Network 100

Social Network Networking Advertising Startup 100

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

But my specific point is that while everybody is busy telling you that “kids don’t use email” or “email is dead” I have actual data from portfolio company CEO’s showing the efficacy of email as a communication and marketing channel. The key is understanding the nuance. PHONE CALLS. Enter phone calls.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 8, 2017

For some customers and many investors, a heavy focus on social networks and viral marketing may be a negative, rather than a positive. A balance of conventional and social communication and marketing is always advised. Use strong communication and writing skills. Attract key stakeholders with sensitivity.

Social Media 58

Social Media Media Platform Tool 58