Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

Unfortunately, in my role as business advisor , I don’t see the same response to more common weak signals , like the move to phone texting instead of voice, or politics invading social media. 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

AUGUST 15, 2022

Virtual living: the rise and growing dominance of social media. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. This gives rise to the personalization and customization that we all want. Data enable: use metrics and measurements. Crowdsource: putting your audience to work beyond customers.

Startup 126

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2020

Some make big mistakes, such as Webvan expanding too fast with a huge infrastructure, and Pets.com , trying to grow the business with a negative margin, under the mistaken assumption that winning customers is more important than making a profit. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Aggressively enter new markets and sales channels.

Search Engine Optimization 131

Search Engine Optimization Startup Social Media Metrics 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

Every entrepreneur’s first priority should be the alignment of interests across the range of constituents required for success – partners, investors, customers, vendors, and employees. If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels.

Social Media 143

Social Media Startup Framework Course 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. Decide early where and when money will come from, set some milestones and metrics, and work to a plan, or be caught short. Word of mouth is not adequate for marketing and sales.

Sales 165

Sales Customer Custom Social Media 165

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2021

If customers don’t know you exist, you can’t solve their problem, they won’t buy. Getting customer attention often takes more innovation today than solving the tough technical problems. Talk to real live customers in addition to marketers. You won’t need the multiple follow-ups and time to close new sales.

Technical Advisors 154

Technical Advisors Tips Marketing Case Study 154

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2019

The power and influence of paid media advertising, including print ads, TV commercials, radio, and even online digital campaigns is waning, in favor of unpaid earned and owned messaging from your website, social media, key market influencers, and existing customer word-of-mouth. Earned media. Real customers.

Media 95

Media Framework Social Media Metrics 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

For example, I’m not sure the world needs one more social media niche site, or another dating site, or yet another flavored drink alternative. Major innovation, with major payback, requires real change, addresses a major pain point, and hits a large customer segment who can pay. Communicate and market your solution to the max.

Startup 162

Startup Metrics Ideas Entrepreneur 162

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

It’s always tempting to think that more product variations will satisfy more customers and lead to new sales. Some chaos is normal in every new business, but many wait far too long before they install metrics based on “best practices,” and fail to attack obvious bottlenecks with a vengeance. Use multiple small orders at first.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2019

Virtual living: the rise and growing dominance of social media. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. This gives rise to the personalization and customization that we all want. Data enable: use metrics and measurements. Crowdsource: putting your audience to work beyond customers.

Technology 97

Technology Social Media Startup Entertainment 97

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2011

This site aggregates and filters content from thought leaders who talk about topics such as Marketing , Sales , Design , Revenue , Hiring , Social Media , Business Models , Metrics , PR , Venture Capital , Angel Investors , Bootstrapping , Incubators , Agile and many others.

Content 175

Content Startup Social Media IP 175

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2016

That’s the right place to start, but real growth and scale requires attracting customers who are not like you. Update your technology to reach new customer segments. Today’s customers want to be mobile and location sensitive. Include mobile-app support and new social-media channels.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2015

The power and influence of paid media advertising, including print ads, TV commercials, radio, and even online digital campaigns is waning, in favor of unpaid earned and owned messaging from your website, social media, key market influencers, and existing customer word-of-mouth. Earned media. Real customers.

Marketing 100

Marketing Social Media Framework Media 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

Winning business owners really listen and act on feedback from customers and advisors. Technology, competitors, and customers are changing every day, so the “ tried and trusted ” ways you do things need to be reviewed and updated regularly. Don’t be totally driven by a key customer. Listening to customers also helps.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Customer Custom Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

I like the summary of the competitive reality in a new book, “ Rethinking Competitive Advantage: New Rules for the Digital Age ,” by Ram Charan, who relates a wealth of current experience from global clients: Customers expect a personalized experience. Features, availability, and brand are just the price of entry.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

To keep you on a positive track with potential investors, I recommend the following logic principles, to balance your passion in presenting your vision of a new business: Make sure your plan includes some business metrics. For example, if you have ever watched the Shark Tank show on TV, they always ask about the cost of customer acquisition.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2017

The power and influence of paid media advertising, including print ads, TV commercials, radio, and even online digital campaigns is waning, in favor of unpaid earned and owned messaging from your website, social media, key market influencers, and existing customer word-of-mouth. Earned media. Real customers.

Advertising 66

Advertising Marketing Startup Framework 66

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2019

Don’t get me wrong, it’s always great to see that first surge of customers, but that’s just the beginning of your work. With the real data from that surge, you need to take a hard look at business model realities, cost of customer acquisition, inventory costs, and other key metrics.

Metrics 86

Metrics Startup Training Customer 86

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2013

The power and influence of paid media advertising, including print ads, TV commercials, radio, and even online digital campaigns is waning, in favor of unpaid earned and owned messaging from your website, social media, key market influencers, and existing customer word-of-mouth. Earned media. Real customers.

Media 101

Media Marketing Startup Framework 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2015

Virtual living: the rise and growing dominance of social media. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. This gives rise to the personalization and customization that we all want. Data enable: use metrics and measurements. Crowdsource: putting your audience to work beyond customers.

Startup 106

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Search Engine Optimization Summary 96

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

And NOT even because they give until death refunds if a customer is ever dissatisfied with a purchase. I am a raving fan of AppSumo because the creator of the brand, Noah Kagan , leads his company focusing on community first and sales second. He says he cares most about “focusing on customers for life”. It makes sense.

Metrics 87

Metrics Email Startup Technical Review 87

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2016

Some make big mistakes, such as Webvan expanding too fast with a huge infrastructure, and Pets.com , trying to grow the business with a negative margin, under the mistaken assumption that winning customers is more important than making a profit. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Aggressively enter new markets and sales channels.

Search Engine Optimization 57

Search Engine Optimization Startup Social Media Metrics 57

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2017

Virtual living: the rise and growing dominance of social media. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. This gives rise to the personalization and customization that we all want. Data enable: use metrics and measurements. Crowdsource: putting your audience to work beyond customers.

Startup 55

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 55

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2015

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. Decide early where and when money will come from, set some milestones and metrics, and work to a plan, or be caught short. Word of mouth is not adequate for marketing and sales.

Startup 107

Startup Sales Customer Custom 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and business owners, I rarely find someone who doesn’t proclaim that the business world is changing rapidly, with new technology, new customer expectations, and new cultures. Others still routinely have phone hold queues for customer contact that can last up to an hour, with no alternative options.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Customer Custom Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2020

For example, I used to regularly hear pitches for the next great social media site, usually focused on a special interest or niche , such as photography, cooking, healthy living, or a thousand others. Define success metrics, and measure progress regularly. Focus on communication and responsibility assignment.

Startup 123

Startup Outsource Development Entrepreneur Outsource 123

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2014

Virtual living: the rise and growing dominance of social media. There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. This gives rise to the personalization and customization that we all want. Data enable: use metrics and measurements. Crowdsource: putting your audience to work beyond customers.

Startup 99

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 99

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2011

Its primary goal is to focus on identifying what is truly driving demand, analytically, so that our customers can optimize their activities. We have a very sophisticated, analytics and software platform that over half the Fortune 50 are now using, to help guide how they invest in marketing and sales activities and investments.

Social Media 235

Social Media Demand Activity Marketing 235

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

In my experience, the key steps I look for always include the following: Testing the idea against customers who have money to spend. I suggest you use social media, blogging, crowdfunding, or documented research to quantify a real demand from people who can afford it, and don’t have a better alternative already out there.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2013

Every entrepreneur’s first priority should be the alignment of interests across the range of constituents required for success – partners, investors, customers, vendors, and employees. If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels.

Startup 94

Startup Social Media Entrepreneur Framework 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2018

The intent is to indicate that founder passion is not a substitute for real customers buying the product. The challenge is to convince investors that your business will attract real customers, before you have a revenue stream that exceeds your expenses. Pivoting early, based on real customer feedback, is always cheaper than later.

Customer 59

Customer Custom Pricing Startup 59

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2012

Every entrepreneur’s first priority should be the alignment of interests across the range of constituents required for success – partners, investors, customers, vendors, and employees. If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Framework 93

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Kathy Sierra at Business of Software 2009 - Business of Software Blog , May 4, 2010 "In the old days, getting customers was easy. Now, thanks to social media, you don't have to outspend. Putting customers first. Legendary customer support. Through advertising or direct sales, these sites harvest intent.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Startup 105

Startup Search Engine Optimization Summary Customer 105

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2017

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Search Engine Optimization 58

Search Engine Optimization Startup SEO Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Tips 93

Tips Search Engine Optimization Summary Startup 93