2010 Agile Channel SEM 
Startup Lessons Learned
SEPTEMBER 22, 2008
In this model, you take some fraction of the lifetime value of each customer and plow that back into paid acquisition through SEM, banner ads, PR, affiliates, etc. For example, its always nice to have someone constantly optimizing your SEM accounts, driving down your CPA. But its not really viral growth, even when its exponential.
Steve Blank
APRIL 30, 2009
SuperMac sold our graphic boards for the Macintosh through multiple distribution channels: direct sales to major accounts, national chains, independent rep firms, etc. But the computer retail channel was a large part of our sales. Or blame my MarCom department who approved it. Worry about the sales results. What did we learn?
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Startup Lessons Learned
NOVEMBER 7, 2008
Dont worry about selecting particularly good keywords, if youre new to SEM. SEM only gets at one segment of users, and for a brand new product, you presumably need some skill at marketing in general and adsense in particular to get any useful info. Tell your Startup Visa story Speaking 2010: Webstock, GDC, Web 2.0, Expo SF (May.
Startup Lessons Learned
SEPTEMBER 7, 2008
In addition to presenting the IMVU case, we tried for the first time to do an overview of a software engineering methodology that integrates practices from agile software development with Steves method of Customer Development. Ive attempted to embed the relevant slides below. What about a hardware business with some long-lead-time components?
Steve Blank
DECEMBER 7, 2010
There are few courses which teach aspiring entrepreneurs the skills (business models, customer and agile development, design thinking, etc.) If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know I believe that: 1) a product is just a part of a startup, but understanding customers, channel, pricing, etc. to optimize this search.
Startup Lessons Learned
OCTOBER 7, 2008
The App Store is a channel for customer acquisition. As the channel gets more and more crowded, just launching an app in the store is getting worse and worse as a strategy for each new entrant. On the web, we have many of these channels: SEM, SEO, world of mouth, PR and viral. Expo SF (May.
Startup Lessons Learned
MARCH 13, 2009
Again, its critical to focus your marketing launch on those publications, venues, and channels that your potential partners are paying attention to. Dont chicken out and do a closed beta; get real customers in through real renewable channels. Start with a five-dollar-a-day SEM campaign. Instead, do your product launch first.
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