A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 11, 2010

Great," I always exclaim, sharing the thrill of modern software development, "so how will people find out about this brilliant website?". We're better than everyone else at SEO.". "A Does Apple win the hearts (yes, hearts ) of millions because of their obsession with design or because of their development APIs?

Software Review 261

Software Review Technical Review Viral Software Developers 261

crowdSPRING Blog

APRIL 25, 2014

The Ultimate List of Customer Development Questions – crowdspring.co/1nHT6tS. The Ultimate List of Customer Development Questions – crowdspring.co/1nHT6tS. How to Build a Billion Dollar SEO Empire – crowdspring.co/1jrrtm7. 7 Reasons You Can’t Be Friends With Your Employees – crowdspring.co/1jrrWok.

Social Media 92

Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

The Next Web

SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

When I started Shapeways, complex software needed to be built and when I first reached out to developers, a lot of them laughed and told me it was impossible. Bootstrapping can be fun, you get to iterate quickly, turn on dimes, invent new features on the fly. Don’t listen. Always push for yes! Tough, but rewarding work.

Cofounder 164

Cofounder Founder Startup Bootstrapping 164

Scalable Startup

DECEMBER 19, 2014

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the WorPress as a development platform world lately. I’m finding many business advantagesb in this world for a group of websites I am building to bootstrap a few “baby startups” in areas I’m already interested in – #travel, #classic-cars, #SaaS #Art sales, #techjobs, etc.

Early Stage 20

Early Stage Bootstrapping Agile Web Development 20

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

NOVEMBER 14, 2011

SEO is extremely powerful, but it takes time. Those higher costs make learning to write ads, manage campaigns, A/B test, and design landing pages a very expensive activity for an early stage, bootstrapping startup. Of course, I had spoken with people in developing the product. Each of those pieces merits its own book alone.

Campaign 272

Campaign Software Review Brazil Conversion 272

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Why not go further, develop more valuation, customer experience, and really, deeply validate the business? So, in Gio's situation, it is clear to me that he is able to get customers to buy. In that case, why bother wasting time trying to raise money right now? Yes, venture capital is very good for scaling businesses rapidly.

Cloud 115

Cloud Silicon Valley Incubator Finance 115

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 3, 2010

9 Step SEO Checkup Using Google Webmaster Tools – [link]. Bootstrapping is Bullshit – [link]. Mobile Development Toolkit – [link]. Legal Contracts for Software Developers Who Hate Contracts (w/free contract template tco use today) – [link]. Groupon, Cinderella and Opportunity – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

Duct Tape Marketing

JUNE 27, 2017

Brian Clark: There’s two big developments that have happened in the last six months or so. As a bootstrap company without investors we always have to use cash flow as our development and maintenance funds. Everything from strategy design, SEO, and whatnot. Tell me what’s new at Copyblogger and Rainmaker.

Community 39

Community SEO Technical Review Audience 39

ReadWriteStart

JANUARY 26, 2012

The problem, however, is that he is assuming that an investor would fund the product development. I reviewed Tim's financial assumptions, and advised him to redo them with the assumption that the team would have to bootstrap the business locally, get enough validation, etc., Investors rarely fund concepts. SustanAbin.

Jacksonville 114

Jacksonville Florida PPC Programming 114

ReadWriteStart

NOVEMBER 19, 2010

However, 1M/1M is a development economics project. The first step is to develop some reference customers, something all early-stage startups should do. And by regularly adding to their online content, restaurants will also find them organically through SEO. Telesales simply don't work without reference customers.

Silicon Valley 114

Silicon Valley Technical Review Startup Early Stage 114

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 6, 2022

Well, Steve Hoffman (02:34): First of all, I did three venture funded startups in Silicon valley and two bootstrap startups. But if you are going to have somebody who's developing a product, developing a new technology, designing, or going out into marketing and figuring out new ways to market, you really need a thinker.

San Francisco 97

San Francisco Technical Review Incubator Silicon Valley 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2012

Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars. Do basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM) yourself. Skip the IT consultants and build an entry website yourself to save $50K. Sales and marketing costs.

Cost 255

Cost Burn Rate SEM Startup 255

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 24, 2018

Unless you have some serious startup capital, chances are you’re going to want to bootstrap as much as you possibly can. Building up an organic presence is a good start, as is publishing your own educational materials for the search of influence and SEO. Figure Out Your Budget. Determine What You’re Going to Sell.

Intellectual Property 124

Intellectual Property Due Diligence Startup Social Media 124

ConversionXL

MAY 27, 2022

Bootstrapped startup Omnisend carved out a $19 million niche in an already saturated vertical. SEO-focused content can drive new traffic to your site while providing prospects with a step-by-step guide to a persistent problem. SEO should lead with intent. But the keyword below shifts the focus entirely to AR rifles.

Lead Generation 107

Lead Generation Demand Audience eCommerce 107

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JANUARY 13, 2015

Suppose the goal of this particular company is to achieve $1m in annual revenue for a two-person bootstrapped startup, with a goal to be so efficient as to never have to hire employees, and therefore produce a terrific little business that nets each of them a few million dollars over the next ten years. Bigger markets make things easier.

Business Model 120

Business Model Affiliate Startup Bootstrapping 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars. Do basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM) yourself. Skip the IT consultants and build an entry website yourself to save $50K. Sales and marketing costs.

Entrepreneur 235

Entrepreneur Burn Rate SEM Social Network 235

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 23, 2012

But all that investment in growth and sales force didn’t have a long-term payback, and the actual value of the product to small businesses wasn’t as high as claimed, even though the simplest of customer development reveals this fact (ask any restauranteur).

IPO 240

IPO Flash Bootstrapping Private Equity 240

The Next Web

NOVEMBER 16, 2013

A few years ago, this is where you would sink all your hard earned bootstrap cash – but these days our friends at Amazon have given you a bunch of free hosting and space to get your next venture launched at no cost. Developing a solid SEO strategy will also help you grow your business’s digital footprint.

Cofounder 159

Cofounder Analytics Java PHP 159

ultralightstartups.com

MAY 20, 2013

Bootstrapping. One that does not produce a lot of search results when Googled (so you won’t have to expend lots of SEO resources for your own name to show up when someone searches for it directly). Develop a 2×2 grid with Evocative-Descriptive along one axis and Memorable-Forgettable along the other. Name A Startup.

Naming 45

Naming Startup Technical Review Cofounder 45

Duct Tape Marketing

MAY 25, 2017

What’s the Difference Between Small Business and Large Enterprise SEO? It’s important to note that just because the approaches to SEO are different, this doesn’t mean that small- and large-sized businesses can’t compete in search rankings together. In Search of SEO Success. Basic rules for good SEO.

SEO 56

SEO Small Business Metadata Software Review 56

Gust

JUNE 10, 2012

Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars. Do basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM), like cohort analysis , yourself. Skip the IT consultants and build an entry website yourself to save $50K.

Cost 139

Cost Burn Rate SEM Startup 139

Hearpreneur

OCTOBER 20, 2017

Besides the general focus on customer and product development, an entrepreneur should foresee the next moves that will serve to guide him on the right path.When an entrepreneur can forecast his next moves, even his/her employees become part of the moves the business makes. 1- Converting more leads and offering more SEO packages.

Forecast 57

Forecast Artificial Inteligence Entrepreneur SEO 57

Software By Rob

MARCH 26, 2015

I decided it was time to put pen to paper and lay out what I see as a repeatable path with a higher-than-normal success rate, to bootstrapping yourself to the point of quitting your job. In my case, that meant getting good at SEO with my first project, instead of trying to learn SEO, Adwords, Facebook ads, etc. all at once.

Bootstrapping 41

Bootstrapping Technical Review SEO Revenue 41

Transformify

MARCH 9, 2017

Yes, that's correct - referred to and linked back to which also boost SEO. Moz is a well-known source of marketing and inbound sales information and trusted by most SEO experts. Expanding to 150+ countries while bootstrapping would have been a challenge if their content marketing strategy wasn't in place.

Curation 40

Curation B2B Aggregator Lead Generation 40

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars. Do basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM) yourself. Skip the IT consultants and build an entry website yourself to save $50K. Sales and marketing costs.

Burn Rate 125

Burn Rate SEM Social Network Angel Investor 125

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 14, 2010

He should then bootstrap his product development by using the consulting fees. Again, referring back to the Finisar case study I often teach on this topic , bootstrapping using services is a very effective way to build companies. Through SEO and mommy blog PR, Lee can tap into this market. This is her core market.

Bootstrapping 114

Bootstrapping Marketing Angel Investor Silicon Valley 114

Software By Rob

MARCH 26, 2015

I decided it was time to put pen to paper and lay out what I see as a repeatable path with a higher-than-normal success rate, to bootstrapping yourself to the point of quitting your job. In my case, that meant getting good at SEO with my first project, instead of trying to learn SEO, Adwords, Facebook ads, etc. all at once.

Bootstrapping 36

Bootstrapping Technical Review SEO Revenue 36

Duct Tape Marketing

DECEMBER 28, 2023

And sometimes when you get into self-development like I did, and I still enjoy a bit of self-development, you learn that what you got in life is what you deserved. Should you bootstrap? So that's why he's in between a business book and a self-development. And so he developed this single blade shaving system.

Framework 70

Framework Cofounder Early Stage IPO 70

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 6, 2017

After all, sweat equity can make up for a trim marketing budget, but it would be hard to make up for cuts in product development and customer service without sacrificing customer experience. The first place I recommend spending some time learning about SEO is YouTube. Quick action steps: Developing your own marketing resource list.

Sweat Equity 60

Sweat Equity Equity Sales PR 60

Software By Rob

MARCH 26, 2015

I decided it was time to put pen to paper and lay out what I see as a repeatable path with a higher-than-normal success rate, to bootstrapping yourself to the point of quitting your job. In my case, that meant getting good at SEO with my first project, instead of trying to learn SEO, Adwords, Facebook ads, etc. all at once.

Bootstrapping 27

Bootstrapping Technical Review SEO Revenue 27

Hearpreneur

DECEMBER 17, 2021

Having this kind of thinking opens the path towards opportunities and endless desires to little by little, achieve development and growth. Having launched my bootstrap startup earlier this year my motivation to grow the business is to get beyond the initial MVP/ POC stage. Thanks to Nick Antonopoulos, SEO Digital Chicago ! #26-

Entrepreneur 112

Entrepreneur Non-Compete Green Video 112

Hippoland

AUGUST 8, 2018

Even if you are not scaling with ads, partnerships and SEO also cost money, and your competitors or even complementary companies are all spending money on partnerships and SEO in order to drive as much traffic as they can. On one hand, I know some really successful founders actually opt for a *longer sales cycle*. (I

Founder 48

Founder Sales Cycle Affiliate Retention 48

Hippoland

AUGUST 8, 2018

Even if you are not scaling with ads, partnerships and SEO also cost money, and your competitors or even complementary companies are all spending money on partnerships and SEO in order to drive as much traffic as they can. On one hand, I know some really successful founders actually opt for a *longer sales cycle*. (I

Founder 48

Founder Sales Cycle Affiliate Retention 48

Duct Tape Marketing

JANUARY 19, 2023

And sometimes when you get into self-development, like I did, and still I still enjoy a bit of self-development. Should you bootstrap? So that's why it's in between a business book and a self-development, cuz it's about the early stages of a startup. And so he developed this single blade shaving system.

Audio 86

Audio Cofounder Framework Early Stage 86

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

What makes operations easier is knowing that subscription businesses are all about developing long-term, ongoing relationships. I bootstrapped Subbly by building an MVP (“minimum viable product”). Search engines (SEO)—link building and content development. But, with that said, you can always do more with less.

Curation 68

Curation Business Model SEO Social Media 68

Up and Running

MARCH 21, 2017

Websites would rather deal with more face-to-face problems such as SEO, sales, advertising—all channels that could be directly monitored for returns. But I never had a solid strategy in place for SEO, content marketing, and sales. Gaglers chat hoped to fix something that the market didn’t believe to be broken. Why did it fail?

Campaign 80

Campaign Startup Cloud Channel 80

Software By Rob

OCTOBER 16, 2012

The reality for most bootstrapped web startups is that you have time – but you don’t have money. I’ll be launching it in a few weeks and over the last few months I’ve been working on a bunch of traffic strategies designed to build interest, develop an audience and launch with a decent pre-launch mailing list.

SEO 78

SEO Analytics Social Media Audio 78