Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2023

Every one of you business owners I know periodically introduces new products and services to sustain growth, fight off competitors, or take advantage of new technologies. Customers won’t buy what they can’t find or don’t understand. Even more important than solution marketing is building your brand. Incent these early.

Product 141

Product Services Technical Review Artificial Inteligence 141

Berkonomics

JUNE 22, 2023

Ten tests for your business success: Is your market identifiable and accessible? Test yourself as to whether you can identify the size of your market niche, and whether you can overcome the many barriers to access customers within your niche. How large a total market? Can you dominate that market?

Patents 286

Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 286

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

Los Angeles-based Centerfield , a company which provides marketing and customer acquisition to the residential services, business services, and telecommunications markets, says it has launched a new product, called Insights by Scout. Pricing on the new product was not announced. READ MORE>>.

Acquisition 100

Acquisition Customer Custom Product 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

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 Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

TechEmpower

MARCH 4, 2024

Key Functions with High Impact Generative AI is revolutionizing sales by enabling dynamic pricing and personalized customer interactions, boosting conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Post-sale, AI analyzes customer data to improve service and loyalty, making it a cornerstone of modern sales methodologies.

Generative AI 295

Generative AI TechEmpower CTO Hire Outsource Development 295

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

For decades, efforts to satisfy customers have been built around demographics – capitalizing on race, ethnicity, gender, income, and other attributes. Customer personalities define customer experience, and sets what they love, and what they hate. There is no one set of exceptional experiences that will work for all customers.

Customer 158

Customer Custom Social Media Satisfaction 158

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Most experts agree that the pace of business change is increasing , and all the business owners I know are struggling to keep up, much less surpass the wealth of global competitors now entering the market. Potential customers these days rely more and more on name recognition for credibility and new brand adoption.

Marketing 116

Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

TechCrunch LA

JULY 9, 2019

Doctours , a Los Angeles-based online platform for booking trips and treatments for medical and dental care around the world, is expanding its services to 35 countries. The company also offers specialized medical tourism insurance to all of its customers, according to O’Shaughnessy. O’Shaughnessy wrote in an email.

Customer 225

Customer Custom Training Los Angeles 225

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

As a consumer, I rarely pay attention to your marketing pitch, but I certainly always remember a exceptionally positive total experience with your team, based on a memorable set of interactions from first contact to discussions with friends. Incent and reward employees who delight customers. That approach still is meaningful today.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Selling services has always been about relationships, but the challenges of building relationships with services clients have exploded. In addition, as every business becomes instantly global via the Internet, it’s virtually impossible for you to touch every customer personally. Relationships are a function of customer culture.

Services 128

Services Social Media Technical Review Media 128

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Software as a service (SaaS) is a popular business model because it facilitates the delivery of incremental value to customers, while allowing the vendor to adjust their prices over time. However, such price increases generally occur after new utility has been provided to the customers. Focus on Existing Customers.

SaaS 215

SaaS Pricing Sales Customer 215

socalTECH

MAY 28, 2013

In real life, you can just about bargain a price for anything you want to buy--a car, a house, even that new stereo from your local electronics store. Joe Marrapodi: GreenToe is a name your own price marketplace for products. It''s very similar to the Priceline.com model, where you name your price for a flight or hotel.

Pricing 273

Pricing Product Help Sales 273

Berkonomics

JULY 31, 2014

Marketing is a science devised to help drive customers to your door. There are lots of ways to define how to market well, including the four P’s of marketing (1): product, price, promotion and place. These are still the driving focus behind most marketing courses, and deserve to be so. We can go on forever.

Marketing 201

Marketing Demand Pricing Customer 201

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.

Customer 124

Customer Custom Startup Course 124

Berkonomics

JULY 23, 2011

They are: Price. Companies that compete on price rarely compete against others who emphasize service or quality. Internet resellers have a better chance to combine price and quality than those with much more fixed overhead occupying a bricks-and-mortar physical presence in the community. Innovation.

Pricing 197

Pricing Examples Class Course 197

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Now all we hear about is providing the best “customer experience.” You have to hear your customer’s dreams, goals, passions, and aspirations.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

While you all recognize that reacting to weak market signals is critical to staying in business and staying competitive, I find that many don’t have the skills and focus to trigger change decisions on a timely basis. You may be getting killed today by customer expectations you never worried about just a few years ago.

Marketing 162

Marketing Social Media Metrics Customer 162

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

The world keeps changing, and visible business strategies that worked well in the past, including being the premium brand or low price producer, simply don’t get the customer loyalty they once did. Today, customers are looking for real relationships, a memorable shopping experience, and satisfaction of a higher purpose.

Customer 133

Customer Custom Satisfaction Examples 133

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2016

San Diego-based Chatmeter , a provider of local search marketing, reputation management, and SEO services, says it has launched a new service this morning, to help companies manage customer reviews. Pricing on the new service was not announced. READ MORE>>.

SEO 100

SEO Services San Diego Pricing 100

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 27, 2021

Who knew building a vertical software as a service toolkit focused on home heating and cooling could be worth $8.3 Rowe Price, Dragoneer Investment Group, and ICONIQ Growth. In all, the new $500 million round likely sets the stage for a public offering later this year or before the end of 2022 if market conditions hold.

SaaS 292

SaaS Glendale Statistics Los Angeles 292

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2023

For decades, efforts to satisfy customers have been built around demographics – capitalizing on race, ethnicity, gender, income, and other attributes. Customer personalities define customer experience, and sets what they love, and what they hate. There is no one set of exceptional experiences that will work for all customers.

Customer 131

Customer Custom Social Media Training 131

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Netflix as a service has always prided itself on movie recommendations that are tailored specifically to you plus user ratings on the quality of films. The big price increase : 5 out of 5 stars. Some customer segments value the DVD business and these may be more price sensitive. A blog post! You need some showmanship.

Netflix 287

Netflix Customer Custom Pricing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

Every new business dreams of growing from a startup to a global market leader in a few years, like Amazon.com, but that goal is elusive. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers. Practice continuous bar-raising for your talent pool.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Tech.Co

MAY 31, 2023

Business tools — from customer relationship management ( CRM ) platforms to accounting software — help to save startups time and money by automating key processes and maximizing efficiency. Yet, with so many tools vying for the attention of business owners, navigating the over-saturated market can be overwhelming. While Hide.me

Tool 131

Tool Startup Software Review Technical Review 131

InfoChachkie

APRIL 13, 2015

Avoid a simple pricing mistake which could sink your startup. The rewards are in the form of co-marketing dollars and commission spiffs. Vendors often respond by discounting their prices at the 11th hour, in the hopes a lower price will spur a purchase. The “D” word - Discounts. I buy my cars in December.

Pricing 100

Pricing Startup Sales SaaS 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2018

For decades, efforts to satisfy customers have been built around demographics – capitalizing on race, ethnicity, gender, income, and other attributes. Customer personalities define customer experience, and sets what they love, and what they hate. There is no one set of exceptional experiences that will work for all customers.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Social Media Training 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2019

Too many business owners still think of “ customer support ” as an after-sale process to rectify customer problems with completed transactions. With the advent of instant communication and social media, customer service starts at the first hint of interest by you, and never ends for repeat customers.

Customer 84

Customer Custom Company Companies 84

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2020

Many entrepreneurs are so enamored with their product vision that they believe their own hype, and are convinced that the market for their solution is so huge that no one will ask them for independent market research data. Conduct your own customized market research. Modern libraries are still worth a visit.

Marketing 157

Marketing Statistics Research Report 157

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 28, 2020

And despite the collapse in fossil fuel energy prices, Shao said that Amply’s value proposition still makes sense. “Raw electric energy is half the price on average as fossil fuels,” Shao said. The lowest price of extracting a barrel of oil right now is $20… and then you need to add processing and distilling.”

Funding 267

Funding Pricing Los Angeles Customer 267

socalTECH

OCTOBER 9, 2015

SendGrid , the email infrastructure and delivery provider which has a big development office in Orange County, said Thursday that it has launched a new service that helps marketers send out emails to their customers, based on their activities and actions. Pricing on the new tool was not announced.

Email 100

Email Orange County Services Tool 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

With the enormous changes to our economies and financial markets?—?how how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued?

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 5, 2015

In his premier film appearance in the blaxploitation send-up “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” Chris Rock inadvertently addresses a key pricing challenge faced by most entrepreneurs. Watch this 93-second clip and see if you can identify the pricing pitfall addressed in this humorous snippet. How Much For A Rib?

Pricing 100

Pricing Product Startup Customer 100

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 21, 2019

A traveler pays Sun Country one fixed price to get them from the bus pick-up point to their final destination. A big part of our mission is to get people comfortable on buses again as a viable alternative to air travel in certain markets.”. Postmates, the popular food delivery service, raised another $225 million at a valuation of $2.4

Services 207

Services Startup Venture Capital Redpoint 207

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2022

Unfortunately, the market is changing so fast these days that any upward climb can level off quickly, as the core business growth begins to stall. I’m talking about the kind of change that moved Apple from personal computers to music distribution to consumer electronics, and Amazon from books to e-Commerce to cloud computing services.

Startup 106

Startup Pricing Cloud Computing Customer 106

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2017

Have you ever noticed that some of your business owner friends get all the bad customers, and yours all seem fairly reasonable? I’m always amazed that, in my role as a business advisor, bad customers somehow seem to gang up on certain businesses. Unwilling or too cheap to spend for good service. Or is it the other way around?

Customer 89

Customer Custom Demand Pricing 89

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2013

I recently wrote a blog post in which I pointed out that many investors & advisors discourage enterprise startups from having a professional services (PS) business and I think this is a big mistake. I think it’s important for enterprise startups to layer in professional services into your revenue stream.

Software Review 321

Software Review Software Services Company 321