Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

Sales and distribution channel activity will be analyzed, as well as cost of customer acquisition, to make an independent assessment of your financial projections. Traction in the marketplace. The key theme for a successful due diligence is full disclosure and no surprises before or after the commitment.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 379

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Sales and marketing strategy. This will involve an analysis of the company’s distribution channels, advertising, and pricing strategy. Investors will talk to their own experts on the size of the potential market and the expected growth rate.

Technical Review 380

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Angel Investor 380

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

The last thing you need in a startup is a false start, where you can’t deliver on a product change deadline, or a new marketing channel. Just because Google sales hit $1.5 What do I need to know before I commit to deliverables? Deliverables and the resources you have to achieve them are two sides of the same equation.

Metrics 387

Metrics Technical Review Leadership Framework 387

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

Optimize your customer feedback and listening channels. Make sure your channels are open and responsive, through social media, websites, and easy access to executives. Intel’s Andy Grove famously argued that chip technology doubled every 18 months, so he planned on replacing his products on that schedule, despite sales.

Technical Review 211

Technical Review Channel Social Media Metrics 211

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 31, 2023

While his insights have come from large organizations, I give many of the same recommendations to every startup: Channel engagement performance. Selecting the right sales channels is one of the first strategic decisions that every startup faces. Understanding culture is paramount, but measuring results is even better.

Demand 256

Demand Metrics NPV Net Present Value 256

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Openly reward employees who make the extra effort, champion cost-cutting issues, and enhance the sales process. Increase the pipeline and the conversion rate.

Startup 335

Startup Social Media Metrics Viral 335

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2010

For that, you need to implement a winning distribution channel strategy. Common channel strategies include direct to customer, distributor, and joint venture arrangements. For many markets these days, the channel owns the market. Evolve the channel strategy as you grow. Deal with channel conflict openly.

Channel 213

Channel Distribution Startup Warrant 213

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2020

While his insights have come from large organizations, I give many of the same recommendations to every startup: Channel engagement performance. Selecting the right sales channels is one of the first strategic decisions that every startup faces. Understanding culture is paramount, but measuring results is even better.

NPV 436

NPV Net Present Value Conversion Ratio Marketing 436

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

Popular revenue models today include recurring subscription charges, licensing, as well the traditional sale or lease model. Channels have to be identified through which a startup creates awareness, induces evaluation, enables purchase, and executes the delivery of the value proposition. Investors will demand clear channel definitions.

Business Model 334

Business Model Intellectual Property Angel Investor Channel 334

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2019

Too many business owners still think of “ customer support ” as an after-sale process to rectify customer problems with completed transactions. Customers expect you to provide access via their mobile devices, as well as being responsive to sales and support questions on social media and multiple Internet channels and partners at their whim.

Customer 211

Customer Social Media Metrics Technical Review 211

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2014

Of course, one sale isn’t really enough, so you need to get the first customer to recommend you to a second, and make sure the rate of sales ramps up quickly enough to keep the business alive and growing. If you lose money on every sale, it’s hard to make it up in volume. Your revenue model has to make sense. Marty Zwilling.

Business Model 248

Business Model Sales Customer Distribution 248

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2023

There is no black magic involved in predicting the future, if you use these four simple steps, with my basic rules of thumb to keep you on the right track: Determine your margin on sales. Forecast sales-volume expectations. Forecast sales-volume expectations. Per-unit cost less cost of goods sold is your gross profit or margin.

Forecast 290

Forecast Burn Rate Widget Business Plan 290

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Of course, one sale isn’t really enough, so you need to get the first customer to recommend you to a second, and make sure rate of sales ramps up quickly enough to keep the business alive and growing. If you lose money on every sale, it’s hard to make it up in volume. You need a sales channel that works, and one you can afford.

Sales 240

Sales Customer Business Model Distribution 240

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2020

Expand into key new sales and delivery channels. Today the Internet is the best example of a new sales and delivery channel that has transformed many businesses, and killed others. When was the last time you tested on of these channels? Continually update your team with new people and technology.

Customer 359

Customer Institutional Investors Channel Acquisition 359

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2022

Long-term sales. We often talk about short-term sales and long-term relationships in mutually exclusive terms. Whereas every short-term initiative is akin to a traditional campaign, the long-term sales effort is the commitment.

Marketing 319

Marketing Framework Social Media Metrics 319

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. Sales/Marketing. Be specific on sales channels and marketing initiatives. This segment should have specific demographics, and the means to buy your product. How will you reach your customers?

Business Model 256

Business Model Distribution Viral Green 256

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2020

Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Openly reward employees who make the extra effort, champion cost-cutting issues, and enhance the sales process. Increase the pipeline and the conversion rate.

Social Media 329

Social Media Metrics Viral Channel 329

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

Switch your focus from product development to sales. Explosive growth to an enterprise normally requires a scalable sales model, a well-documented process with incentives, training, and metrics for tracking and management. Isolate marketing from sales for maximum customer focus.

Merger 379

Merger Due Diligence SEC IPO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

Of course, one sale isn’t really enough, so you need to get the first customer to recommend you to a second, and make sure rate of sales ramps up quickly enough to keep the business alive and growing. If you lose money on every sale, it’s hard to make it up in volume. You need a sales channel that works, and one you can afford.

Business Model 244

Business Model Sales Customer Distribution 244

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2022

There is still infinite room for new startup sales modes and models. Online entertainment: millions of channels, billions of actors. Extend data metrics into non-traditional channels, such as email, internal social media, and customer collaboration platforms. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Startup 315

Startup Social Media Analytics Cloud 315

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2023

Use every marketing channel available. Multiple decision makers required to close a sale. Then comes a second set of longer-term obstacles to consider – things that cause customer sales to decline after an initial burst, or to stop usage after initial adoption. Getting people to change behavior can be difficult.

Cost 224

Cost Government Sales Channel 224

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2019

Nordstrom “remembers” the sizes of customers, and Chanel follows up sales with handwritten notes from associates. Often that means finding new channels or a better supply chain. Memorable personalization doesn’t always have to include fancy technology or high cost. In many cases, a thoughtful gesture is more than enough.

Customer 136

Customer Indiana Technical Review Revenue 136

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2018

This experience includes browsing your website, social media interactions, the sales process, as well as your support and follow-up. For example, you may have a product, but not a strong distribution channel. These days, customers remember the total experience with a company longer than they remember the price they paid.

Angel Investor 167

Angel Investor Dilution Software Review Distribution 167

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2010

Of course, one sale isn’t really enough, so you need to get the first customer to recommend you to a second, and make sure rate of sales ramps up quickly enough to keep the business alive and growing. If you lose money on every sale, it’s hard to make it up in volume. You need a sales channel that works, and one you can afford.

Sales 229

Sales Startup Distribution Revenue 229

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2021

Almost 40% of small businesses that sell on Facebook say it is their sole sales channel. So there is no one magic social media platform for any business, just like there has never been just one marketing channel for any business. Ignoring what your competition does is sure to limit your business longevity.

Social Media 355

Social Media Media Reputation Viral 355

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2016

Include mobile-app support and new social-media channels. Responding to all feedback from reviews is required online and all social-media channels. Make sure you website is mobile-friendly, totally user-friendly, includes a blog and provides for customers review and feedback. Word-of-mouth is an inadequate strategy.

Customer 120

Customer Marketing Social Media Technical Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

Use every marketing channel available. Multiple decision makers required to close a sale. Then comes a second set of longer-term obstacles to consider – things that cause customer sales to decline after an initial burst, or to stop usage after initial adoption. Getting people to change behavior can be difficult.

Startup 436

Startup Cost Government Sales 436

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2023

Measure progress through metrics on sales, revenue, and penetration. These start with your brand image, search visibility and process, and extend to the actual sales transaction. Seek customer feedback on ways to improve value and satisfaction. Seek to dominate your market over competitors.

Agile 229

Agile Leadership Global Distribution 229

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

There is no black magic involved in predicting the future, if you use these four simple steps, with my basic rules of thumb to keep you on the right track: Determine your margin on sales. Forecast sales-volume expectations. Forecast sales-volume expectations. Per-unit cost less cost of goods sold is your gross profit or margin.

Forecast 369

Forecast Burn Rate Startup Widget 369

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels. Re-evaluate processes as they are today and set metrics to better represent the new sales, operational, and service needs. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Social Media 357

Social Media Framework Partner Metrics 357

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2019

Popular revenue models today include recurring subscription charges, licensing, as well the traditional sale or lease model. Channels have to be identified through which a startup creates awareness, induces evaluation, enables purchase, and executes the delivery of the value proposition. Investors will demand clear channel definitions.

Intellectual Property 250

Intellectual Property Business Model Angel Investor Channel 250

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2021

I particularly liked her points on the evolution of customer service as a key part of the overall experience: Now available 24x7 via multiple channels. In the past, most companies treated customers like yesterday’s news – once they have the sale, the effort decreased. Customer service is a key part of the marketing budget.

Customer 427

Customer Social Media Public Relations Internet 427

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

One or more of the following parameters are viewed by most investors as traction indicators, but good entrepreneurs are often creative and define their own to supplement these: Start with sales to-date for a priced offering. As an investor, I would like to see one month of sales, and see how that compares to your projections.

Hockey Stick 304

Hockey Stick Early Stage Metrics Acquisition 304

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2014

The last thing you need in a startup is a false start, where you can’t deliver on a product change deadline, or a new marketing channel. Just because Google sales hit $1.5 What do I need to know before I commit to deliverables? Deliverables and the resources you have to achieve them are two sides of the same equation.

Metrics 271

Metrics Technical Review Leadership Framework 271

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 24, 2017

Mohasseb details a set of insight boosters to channel your change decisions, and using data and analytics differently are among the key ones: Commit that data and analytics will drive strategic decisions. Strategic decision makers need to see the data, in addition to marketing and sales. Ask for analysis rather than reams of data.

Analytics 149

Analytics Channel Small Business Demand 149

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

Focus on marketing and indirect channels to get the message out quickly. Organic growth (reinvesting profits only) will not allow you to build the “hockey stick” growth curve desired by premium buyers at exit, or financial analysts positioning you for public stock sale. Scaling requires leveraging outside resources.

Hockey Stick 339

Hockey Stick Intellectual Property Non-Compete Business Model 339

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2013

Sales and marketing strategy. This will involve an analysis of the company’s distribution channels, advertising, and pricing strategy. Investors will talk to their own experts on the size of the potential market and the expected growth rate.

Technical Review 242

Technical Review Due Diligence Startup Term Sheet 242