Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

On December 2nd, 2006 I wrote the blog post published later in this post when I was CEO of startup Koral about my experiences in pitching VCs. After my company was acquired by Salesforce.com I was asked to stop blogging and they took over my blog as an asset in the sale of the company. My blog was wiped out.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2013

When polled 88% of marketing professionals said they couldn’t accurately measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns and the majority said lack of ROI measurement is their single greatest frustration with social media (Forbes). Here’s a screen shot of my home page on awe.sm. End of story. Today awe.sm

Marketing 307

Marketing Technical Review Startup Tool 307

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2020

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” by the so-called godfather of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi.

Custom 127

Custom Customer Marketing Content 127

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2010

I’ve been using Chartbeat for over a month now to track performance of my blog and I find myself looking at Google Analytics much less these days. Chartbeat is a relatively young company and product. I’m only writing about the product because I’m passionate about it. Basically, it rocks! Let’s see.

Blogging 287

Blogging Google Screening Mahalo 287

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content.

Marketing 107

Marketing Invest SEM Startup 107

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2010

I guess let’s file this under sales & marketing advice. I recently wrote a piece for Mashable on how to create a company blog. Since it’s already written (and since I promised not to republish on my blog other than a summary) if you’re interested please have a read over there. What should you blog about?

Blogging 286

Blogging Startup Writing Summary 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

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 consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2019

More and more customers these days are doing their own marketing research, scanning internet reviews and feedback from friends, rather than trusting messages that you push out through advertising. Inbound marketing requires that you be where your customers are, or they won’t find you or care.

Marketing 94

Marketing Social Media Technical Review Custom 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

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 consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” by the so-called godfather of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi.

Marketing 100

Marketing Content Advertising Custom 100

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. 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.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

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 consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2021

Probably every one of you who has a business and a website have been approached through email or personal contact, and asked to spend money on paid search results (appear on the first page of search results, despite low SEO rank). If you sell widgets, and a user is searching for widgets, your ad will appear on the first page.

PPC 154

PPC SEO Paid Search Search Engine Optimization 154

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” by the so-called godfather of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi.

Content 92

Content Marketing Advertising Custom 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2021

Yet I still hear stories of companies being well down the road on products and collateral with a given name, only to find out that everything has to be changed because of a domain name conflict or availability problem. Finalizing the web site validates your product plan and sales strategy. Viral marketing needs a website.

Web 139

Web Startup Sites Design 139

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2011

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 consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 91

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Services Writing 91

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2013

These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 51 million other new websites created last year, and attract the customers you need. Win with engaging contests.

Content 114

Content Marketing Startup eBook 114

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2017

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content.

Marketing 67

Marketing SEM Startup Blogging 67

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” by the so-called godfather of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi.

Marketing 106

Marketing Startup Content Advertising 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 11, 2013

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a few years ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content.

Marketing 99

Marketing Entrepreneur Startup SEM 99

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 11, 2009

She is a go to person for me when I have questions around technology or early stage marketing and branding. And I'm looking forward to more interaction now that she's blogging. I've been President of my marketing, branding, creative and advertising firm for, yikes, 30 years. landing pages, etc. landing pages, etc.

Marketing 150

Marketing Social Media Blogging Media 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2012

These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 300 million other new websites created last year, and attract the customers you need. Win with engaging contests.

Examples 93

Examples Content Marketing Entrepreneur 93

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2015

Many people don’t post about their experiences, but still routinely check first to see what others are saying about the brand and the product online. That means your marketing must now include shopping apps, location-based services and mobile wallets. Blogs must provide value to customers. Assume that customers are all like you.

Custom 103

Custom Customer Marketing Social Media 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2012

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a few years ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content.

Marketing 95

Marketing Startup SEM Blogging 95

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2016

They thought it was like MySpace and why did I need a MySpace page? In 2008 I started VC blogging. I had blogged when I was an entrepreneur. In 2015 I opened up my Facebook page to the public. Here’s the thing: If you never try new product and new networks you’ll never learn anything. I already have Facebook.”.

Snapchat 150

Snapchat Product Startup AMA 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2011

These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 50 million other new websites created every year, and attract the customers you need. Win with engaging contests.

Content 102

Content Tips Marketing Blogging 102

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

I recommend you read Fred Wilson’s recent blog post about the need for a well articulated business strategy before pushing a particular business model. I found myself in violent agreement with Fred’s blog post(s). You need to first create a compelling product. You need product / market fit.

Startup 401

Startup Custom Customer Technical Review 401

Eric Greenspan

MAY 7, 2013

Their stamp of approval can put the spotlight on any product or service and can open doors to new markets and opportunities. Their influence is strongest in the area of child education, products aimed at children or parents, parenting, and many other family oriented industries. Social Marketing mommy bloggers Mommy blogs'

IBM 154

IBM IBM Email Research 154

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2011

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a couple of years ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content.

Marketing 90

Marketing Startup SEM Blogging 90

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

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2010

Probably every one of you who has a business and a website have been approached through email or personal contact, and asked to spend money on Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Search engine marketing is simply buying advertising for your business from Google or another search engine company. Cost per click (CPC).

SEM 90

SEM Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2014

Sponsored by VISA Business If you have a unique product or service, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start. Here are the key steps for a personal home-based business website selling your consulting service or a few products (as an alternative to eBay): Go online to reserve a website domain name.

Startup 100

Startup Commerce Sites Blogging 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

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?!? But the product is called textPlus, not textFree.

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

We had agreed to a stated internal policy that even though taking this stance would mean our product would have considerably less traffic it was an important part of what we felt our long-term brand represented. I had outlined a blog post in support of their efforts and was ready to publish it. Their PR firm was ready.

Press 336

Press Blogging Journal News 336

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Yet I still hear stories of companies being well down the road on products and collateral with a given name, only to find out that everything has to be changed because of a domain name conflict or availability problem. Finalizing the web site validates your product plan and sales strategy. Viral marketing needs a website.

Web 76

Web Startup Sites Design 76

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Sources should include local startup incubators, blog owners, and government support organizations, such as SCORE. Traditionally, business software products have been specialized and focused toward a given task, but I see a trend these days to highly functional “all-in-one” business tools. You can’t keep all these in your head.

Startup 114

Startup Tips Coach Satisfaction 114

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2015

Image via Flickr by SideWages.com These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. A good start is a classic book on content marketing, “ Accelerate! ” Search engines and people love blogs these days. Curation, the most efficient content.

Blogging 105

Blogging eBook Content Web 105