Francis Fischbach attended the first Sales 2.0 conference in November of 2007 and blogged about it in “Inside Sales 2.0: A Report From the Front Lines.” I just realized that we missed the 2009 version that was held this week so I am recycling two comments that were added to Francis’ original post since I […]
Customer relationship management is enabled by authentic human connection: conversation, hand crafted replies, and other person to person communication.
The Limits of Customer Relationship Management Systems Read More »
In “The Challenges of Measuring Non-Existent Markets” Scott D. Anthony outlines four principal challenges in measuring non-existent markets: Data does not yet exist. When a market doesn’t exist, there are no baseline market research reports or time-series data sets to analyze. Lack of comparable products. Without existing data, there is a natural tendency to look
Other Customer Development Models Read More »
Attracting new customers is at the heart of every business. Active participation in a community can make you more visible and allows you to demonstrate expertise.
Cultivating Communities to Get More Customers Read More »
The closing slide in our Idea to Revenue Workshop says In The Beginning…The Founders Are The Business. To Keep The Business Viable, Learn Faster Than the Competition. Successful Entrepreneurship Is a Self-Improvement Project.
In the Beginning…the Founders are the Business Read More »
What follows are some real questions I have answered either face to face or in e-mail over the last 90 days in response to the current downturn in Silicon Valley. Customer Development for a Consultants in a Downturn Q: I just completed my first two years of consulting–which were spectacular–after 20+ years of full time
Customer Development for a Consulting Practice in a Downturn Read More »
After blogging about how “User Communities are Critical for Complex Products” two days ago I thought I would offer some quick tips on how to get started: Be clear on the benefits to the members. So many social networking groups are very clear on how members bring benefit to a user site, but not very
3 Tips for Developing User Community Sites Read More »
User communities are not just a low cost way to market and support your product, they are essential to complex technology products.
User Communities Are Critical For Complex Products Read More »
I had the pleasure of attending Steve Blank’s talk on “Customer Development for Startups” on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at TiE and I wanted to offer some pointers both to content he referenced and some related information on Customer Development.
Steve Blank on Customer Development at TiE Wed-Sep-17-2008 Read More »
I have followed Herb Reiter‘s consulting career over the last five years or so: there aren’t very many business development consultants who work with EDA firms, fewer who have the mix of semiconductor and design background that Herb accumulated on the way to honing his business development expertise. He is personable, methodical, and always interested
Herb Reiter Interview on Fostering Static Timing Analysis Adoption Read More »
One of the strategies we cover in our Getting More Customers workshops is blogging. Below is a 90-plan developed by a workshop attendee last year, anonymized and presented with permission. Actual implementation took more than 90 days but he has been blogging for a little less than a year and has 60 blog posts that
90-day Plan for Blogging from “Getting More Customers” Workshop Read More »
Better is the enemy of good enough–This phrase is attributed to Sergey Gorshkov, the commander in chief of the Soviet Navy from 1956 to 1985, who managed it’s dramatic expansion during the Cold War. Perfectionists get this wrong, siding with “Better.” Entrepreneurs who prosper, for the most part, side with “Good Enough” and keep improving.
“Better” is the Enemy of “Good Enough” Read More »
Be ready when a busy customer asks you to summarize your startup in five minute. This is the normal limit for a long intro. Please practice.
You Have Five Minutes: Practice Read More »
Act like a doctor not a traditional high-pressure salesperson. Diagnose before you prescribe and always act with integrity.
You are a Doctor not a Salesperson Read More »
Adapted from a presentation on “Now What? Your Post Launch Growth Plan” at the KASE Entrepreneur Seminar on October 16, 2007.
“Now What? Your Post Launch Growth Plan” Podcast and Transcript Read More »
This article compares Paul Graham’s “Six Principles for Making New Things” with Bob Bemer’s “Do Something Small But Useful Now”, Gary Hamel’s Innovation Hacker, and Peter Drucker’s list of seven places to search systematically for opportunities.
Paul Graham’s Six Principles for Making New Things Read More »
Many entrepreneurs find themselves in the grip of an idea, captivated by it’s seeming brilliance. But success comes from understanding a prospect’s pain.
Focus On Your Prospect’s Pain Not The Brilliance of Your Product Idea Read More »
The founding team for a startup typically provides the basic intellectual capital, and frequently the initial seed capital. But a young team often has to rely on advisors for social capital–existing relationships based on mutual trust and prior shared success. These relationships act as points of departure for market exploration and social navigation to early
HP’s Early Customers Came From Fred Terman’s Social Network Read More »
I was an early fan of Steve Blank’s customer development model. This post was written when “Four Steps to the Epiphany” was only available on Cafe Press and documents the early set of principles he espoused.
Steve Blank on Customer Development Process for Startups Read More »
Software companies typically have to convince prospects to adopt new technologies based on their shared history, their service track record, and their ability to accurately predict and deliver real results that overcome the cost and friction of adopting new tools and methodologies. There are a number of lessons we draw on to help startups fostering
Fostering Technology Adoption: Early Customers & Early Revenue Read More »
