Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

Having paying “Customers” is what makes the cash register roar. An entrepreneur having low self worth is the number one deterrent for a potential customer not buying into what you are selling. An entrepreneur having low self worth is the number one deterrent for a potential customer not buying into what you are selling.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Marketing SEO 85

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

We all see reports of venture capitalists who invest millions in new businesses, but be assured that these investments come only after you have a proven base business, and have a case for scaling it quickly. Pick a name, location, and marketing strategy early. Test your plan to get feedback from real customers.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2014

After their recent PR they reported back to my that candidate inflow has gone up dramatically. Enterprise Sales – The very first thing a potential customer does when you email or call to set up a meeting is Google you. So does the enemy who is fighting for the customer to choose another vendor. Ironic, of course.

Press 415

Press Google Course Writing 415

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2019

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. You can repurpose your posts into articles, books and reports. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 88

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 88

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Too many of you business owners think success only means being the next Amazon, or you stress yourself out trying to be everything to every customer. Understand and write down every expense, and budget for required costs, especially initial inventory and accounts receivable delays. Meticulously manage cash inflow and outflow.

Customer 125

Customer Custom Tool Writing 125

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2021

It pays only if a customer clicks through AND takes a further action (conversion), such as buying a product or filling out a web form. Campaign setup and ad copy writing. Tracking and performance reporting. For sites displaying the ads, this is called pay per click (PPC). Cost per action (CPA).

PPC 154

PPC SEO Paid Search Search Engine Optimization 154

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2021

The Valley has obsessed with a quick up-and-to-right momentum story because we were thought to live in “winner take most” markets. But markets have changed and I think investors, founders and experienced executives who want to join later-stage startups can all benefit from playing the long game. It literally drove FOMO.

Venture Capital 363

Venture Capital Capital Funding Startup 363

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2010

How to Interpret Analyst Reports. The stats are often quoted from the latest reports. I’m writing this post to make sure you’re all on that same playing field. I was in the midst of sizing the mobile handset markets in 3 regions: US, Europe and Asia. Stats sell. People throw them around at cocktail parties.

Statistics 415

Statistics Startup Report Research 415

socalTECH

AUGUST 27, 2014

We spoke with one of those companies-- El Segundo-based ConsumerTrack (www.consumertrack.com)--which is a $30M, bootstrapped an online marketing company which is driving millions of customers to big name, financial customers. Brett Rossman: ConsumerTrack is a performance-based, online marketing company.

Startup 239

Startup El Segundo Marketing Media 239

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 12, 2017

And then there are investors who want updates, calls, reports, check-ins. 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. We’re expected to be at conferences, events, sales meetings and be publicly visible.

Activity 297

Activity Blogging Email Startup 297

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

So I know I’m getting myself into a bit of trouble by writing this. They will often run all of the daily reports into them covering off for finance, sales, marketing, biz dev & HR. Of course they “need&# the title to convince customers, biz dev partners and VCs that they’re to be taken seriously.

Startup 325

Startup Technical Review Sales Report 325

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. Campaign setup and ad copy writing.

SEM 90

SEM Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization 90

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 17, 2019

Welcome back to Transportation Weekly; I’m your host Kirsten Korosec, senior transportation reporter at TechCrunch. This is where investigative reporting, enterprise pieces and analysis on transportation lives. This investment would give Uber ATG a valuation of between $5 billion and $10 billion, WSJ reported.

San Fernando 217

San Fernando Los Angeles Commerce News 217

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

As your organization grows and you hire senior staff where you are no longer managing every employee directly the issue of how to manage people that are not your “direct&# reports arises. Dipping: As a decision maker you rely on information being passed to you by the people who report to you. Skipping is insidious.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. You can repurpose your posts into articles, books and reports. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

With nearly 25 million customers using Netflix it’s clear that everyone will have an opinion on this. In my opinion it’s the most natural fit and it would give Netflix a very strong presence in Los Angeles and in TV (obviously subject to getting the right writes from the studios). Indeed, my Twitter stream tells me so.

Netflix 329

Netflix Evite Pricing Hulu 329

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I’m sitting at my computer now at 9.00pm writing this – which is an hour earlier than I normally write (there are about 8 women at my kitchen table having a book club (aka excuse to drink wine & gossip so I’m locked in another room writing. They don’t have market power. I enjoy that.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2017

Given enough performance over time any number of random people will be proven “right” about a market and if you look back in time you can believe that they had a method to their outcomes. Thus when I read “ A Random Walk Down Wall Street ” in my early 20’s it reinforced my belief about how people are fooled by data.

Venture Capital 182

Venture Capital Statistics Writing Report 182

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. You can repurpose your posts into articles, books and reports. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Without taking a dime of outside capital, the company has achieved impressive success in a competitive, SaaS market segment, landing companies such as Nike, Intuit, NASA, AutoDesk and PBS. Most companies have a roadmap describing what they’re planning to build, deliver or market. That causes friction internally.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

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. They outline the problems that exist in markets, their approach to the solutions, they update me on competitors and they show me their economic models. Maybe 10-15%.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2014

Small groups of consultants have now become groups of specialists – CFO Services, Marketing Services, or Management Services. Another mistake many consultants make is to charge by the hour, and customers lose track and lose confidence as things change. Report within the organizational structure. Charge by task or fixed-rate.

Startup 102

Startup Slides Email Customer 102

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2009

I’m not going to cover in this post the obvious post-show marketing tasks such as following up on all those business cards you grabbed, communicating with all those people who registered at your site and leveraging your new found fame to score venture capital. Goldman release a report on us. We were hot. Until we weren’t.

Startup 310

Startup Press Venture Capital Journal 310

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. You can repurpose your posts into articles, books and reports. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

by Michael Woolf that is worth any startup founder reading to get a sense of perspective on the reality warp that is startup world during a frothy market such as 1997-1999, 2005-2007 or 2012-2014. We’re going to start aggressively spend money on marketing our product. (it is also the title of a fabulous book from Internet 1.0

Startup 383

Startup Company Companies .Net 383

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2015

According to many reports , about half of startups fail in the first five years. Investors, customers and partners follow entrepreneurs who are honest and caring. Here are some key elements to look for and plan to capitalize on for the next iteration: A deeper level of understanding of the market.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Metrics Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2012

How about talking to some real customers to see if they are as excited about your idea as you are? 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. Comment on other people’s blogs, as well as writing your own.

Startup 96

Startup Writing Newsletter Blogging 96

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2011

Microsoft Office ended up beating its competitors because it was able to read and write to file formats other than its own. The important lesson in order to gain market share was that in order for new users to try Microsoft Excel, they had to be able to work with the files their coworkers were creating. Marketing materials.

Software Review 285

Software Review Software Blogging Startup 285

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

File this under both Startup Adivce and Sales & Marketing Advice. Journalists don’t know enough about your company before the show, don’t have time for proper research, and you will be competing for their time afterward with 49+ other companies that want them to write about you. - Many other great companies are not. -

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Eric Greenspan

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

First Data of Santa Barbara has offered to extend below market rates to current accredited businesses like yours – again, just like they did for your BBB. He told me this was a service the BBB provided to its customers since they saved so much money on the same service. This amounts to more than $4000.00

Santa Barbara 265

Santa Barbara Technical Advisors Email Technical Review 265

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2011

Small groups of consultants have now become groups of specialists – CFO Services, Marketing Services, or Management Services. Another mistake many consultants make is to charge by the hour, and customers lose track and lose confidence as things change. Report within the organizational structure. Charge by task or fixed-rate.

Startup 93

Startup Customer Custom Slides 93

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2011

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. You can repurpose your posts into articles, books and reports. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 91

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Services Writing 91

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Our profile this morning is with Network Automation , a Los Angeles company competing in the IT automation market. What we do is provide an automation solution to the market at large. Our marquis customers are companies like Citibank and Lowe's Corporation, along with many others. You mentioned the big players in this market.

Networking 214

Networking IBM IBM Pacific Palisades 214

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2010

And how do you think the next person who’s thinking about writing you a check going to feel about that sort of cavalier attitude with their money? Define a market problem that you believe you can solve. Research this market by doing market sizing, looking at existing products, talking to customers and deciding how you will make money.

Startup 308

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 308

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2017

That means that you need to overtly market yourself, rather than wait and hope that the right people or customers will find you. Of course, she assumes that you are confident and courageous, and willing to capitalize on all your strengths and opportunities to market yourself. You will learn more by listening rather than talking.

Startup 55

Startup Organization Newsletter Content 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2012

Small groups of consultants have now become groups of specialists – CFO Services, Marketing Services, or Management Services. Another mistake many consultants make is to charge by the hour, and customers lose track and lose confidence as things change. Report within the organizational structure. Charge by task or fixed-rate.

Startup 85

Startup Slides Email Customer 85

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

I finally got around to writing it having read Fred Wilson’s post about what a CEO does. Once you’ve been around for a few years, attracted some great people, landed real, paying customers and raised venture capital you’ve likely got a talented team around you. Both are basically people businesses.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319