Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2023

A healthy business, ready to scale, has been doing this for a year or more, with an existing customer set generating a non-trivial and growing revenue stream. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Growing appreciation for the value of the solution provided. Martin Zwilling

Valuation 235

Valuation Revenue Viral Retention 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2022

This is a software distribution and pricing model in which new applications are hosted by a service provider and made available to customers over a network, rather than requiring customer hardware. Every entrepreneur needs to leverage social media for better marketing, requirements, and customer service. Gamification.

Technology 334

Technology Social Media Cloud Retention 334

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

A healthy business, ready to scale, has been doing this for a year or more, with an existing customer set generating a non-trivial and growing revenue stream. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Growing appreciation for the value of the solution provided. Martin Zwilling.

Revenue 434

Revenue Valuation Viral Retention 434

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2010

For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. They are too busy with the “crisis of the moment” to focus on follow-ups that may save a major customer, close a partner deal, or solidify a process that isn’t working well. Customer retention. Investor negotiations.

Entrepreneur 237

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Retention 237

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2021

It highlights the story of how United Airlines paid no attention to social media while Dave’s story of his crushed guitar and poor customer service went viral around the world. Customers today trust those they know and those they see others trusting. Increase customer leads and conversion. Maximize customer retention.

Social Media 355

Social Media Media Reputation Viral 355

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2012

Most then add customer service at the rollout, but very few really understand what it means to be truly customer centric, and even fewer really achieve it. Customer centricity is far more than providing excellent customer service, although that’s a step in the right direction. Focus on individual customer value.

Customer 225

Customer Startup Retention Differentiation 225

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Today’s business world has become totally customer driven, so customer-centric and people abilities really make the difference between winners and losers. I found these required attributes outlined well in the classic book, “ Customer Service the Sandler Way ,” by customer care expert Anne MacKeigan.

Startup 338

Startup Retention Analytics Matching 338

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2013

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 249

Social Media Media Customer Viral 249

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2012

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 228

Social Media Media Customer Viral 228

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Leadership 320

Leadership Retention Social Media Demand 320

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2023

These leaders not only recognize team members who have high potential, but they willingly and selflessly customize their coaching to what these special protégés really need. Great leaders provide opportunities and personal growth assignments that go far beyond conventional training programs. Marty Zwilling

Retention 236

Retention Leadership Networking Search 236

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

For example, if you have ever watched the Shark Tank show on TV, they always ask about the cost of customer acquisition. It still amazes me that some entrepreneurs seem totally at a loss on this question, or customer retention rate, or even margin expectations. Show that you have to ability to move the ball forward.

Exit Strategy 406

Exit Strategy Merger Angel Investor IPO 406

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Unfortunately, I often see goal misalignments with teams, such as marketing measured on sales volume, or sales measured on customer retention. Align accountability with organizational objectives. If key metrics and expectations rely on results from another group, then you have a conflict which prevents accountability from either group.

Metrics 331

Metrics Retention Agile Startup 331

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2021

Unfortunately the comments you don’t hear from customers, business partners, and peer leaders are the ones that do you the most damage. Don’t assume that team members and customers have the same familiarity with technical abbreviations that you do. Too much dependence on lingo and jargon. People do not agree, and ignore the message.

Retention 253

Retention Social Media Reputation Matching 253

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 4, 2020

These leaders not only recognize team members who have high potential, but they willingly and selflessly customize their coaching to what these special protégés really need. Great leaders provide opportunities and personal growth assignments that go far beyond conventional training programs. Marty Zwilling.

Retention 311

Retention Networking Search Employee 311

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2019

The canvas is a visual chart with elements describing your value proposition, structure, finances, and customers, to help companies identify and align business activities. I look for evidence of the nine major elements of the model canvas, as paraphrased here from the author’s key points and how they apply to teams: Customer segments.

Intellectual Property 250

Intellectual Property Business Model Angel Investor Channel 250

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2020

It’s easy for you to blame someone else in the organization, economic conditions outside, or even overly demanding customers, when things are not going well. Key people resort a victim mentality when things go wrong. It’s your job as a leader to be the model for accountability, and build it into your team culture through trust and rewards.

Advisory Board 283

Advisory Board Due Diligence Retention Agile 283

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Today’s business world has become totally customer driven, so customer-centric and people abilities really make the difference between winners and losers. I found these required attributes outlined well in the classic book, “ Customer Service the Sandler Way ,” by customer care expert Anne MacKeigan.

Retention 232

Retention Analytics Matching Customer 232

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2019

It highlights the story of how United Airlines paid no attention to social media while Dave’s story of his crushed guitar and poor customer service went viral around the world. Customers today trust those they know and those they see others trusting. Increase customer leads and conversion. Maximize customer retention.

Social Media 246

Social Media Media Reputation Viral 246

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

The challenge is to increase response rates and propagate a single view of the customer, by integrating customer data from multiple Web and social media interactions. Then companies can determine promotional effectiveness by narrowly defined customer segments, by location, or by delivery channel. Movie recommendations.

Analytics 248

Analytics Retention Social Media Startup 248

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2019

This is a software distribution and pricing model in which new applications are hosted by a service provider and made available to customers over a network, rather than requiring customer hardware. Every entrepreneur needs to leverage social media for better marketing, requirements, and customer service. Gamification.

Technology 216

Technology Social Media Cloud Retention 216

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2019

A recent high-profile one, Theranos , the blood-testing company, had no trouble getting customers, but promised more than their technology could deliver, Another, Shyp , an early on-demand delivery platform, blamed their demise on premature scaling. Focus on existing customer retention and repeat business.

Angel Investor 220

Angel Investor Equity Leadership Demand 220

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Leadership 237

Leadership Retention Social Media Demand 237

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Entrepreneurs have no trouble focusing on how to build a product, and the good ones know how to find and nurture those first critical customers. Sales is simply defined as income from customer purchases of goods and services, minus the cost associated with things like returned or undeliverable merchandise. Cost of customer acquisition.

Metrics 266

Metrics Retention Acquisition Salary 266

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

Obviously, it must be grounded by the characteristics of the market and customers you choose to serve, the pricing model of existing competitors, and a strategy you believe is consistent with your future products and direction. It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets. Freemium model. Value model.

Revenue 287

Revenue Startup Business Model Retention 287

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2013

You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 51 million other new websites created last year, and attract the customers you need. These are regular updates, usually monthly, via website and email that help with customer retention, and remind your customers that you are the expert in your industry.

Widget 286

Widget Marketing Curation Audio 286

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Leadership 196

Leadership Entrepreneur Retention Social Media 196

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

I’m certainly not a fan of customer rip-offs, but even non-profits have to be cash-flow positive, or have deep pockets, to help anyone for long. It’s naïve to think you can sell below costs, and make it up by attracting more customers. The challenge is to get the first million customers, before advertisers will sign up.

Revenue 166

Revenue Affiliate Advertising Retention 166

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2017

The canvas is a visual chart with elements describing your value proposition, structure, finances, and customers, to help companies identify and align business activities. I look for evidence of the nine major elements of the model canvas, as paraphrased here from the author’s key points and how they apply to teams: Customer segments.

Business Model 143

Business Model Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor 143

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2014

A healthy business, ready to scale, has been doing this for a year or more, with an existing customer set generating a non-trivial and growing revenue stream. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Growing appreciation for the value of the solution provided. Martin Zwilling First published on Entrepreneur.com on 8/1/2014.

Revenue 246

Revenue Entrepreneur Valuation Viral 246

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2017

This is a software distribution and pricing model in which new applications are hosted by a service provider and made available to customers over a network, rather than requiring customer hardware. Every entrepreneur needs to leverage social media for better marketing, requirements, and customer service. Gamification.

Startup 153

Startup Social Media Cloud Retention 153

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2013

It highlights the story of how United Airlines in 2008 paid no attention to social media as Dave’s story of his crushed guitar and poor customer service went viral around the world. Customers today trust those they know and those they see others trusting. Increase customer leads and conversion. Maximize customer retention.

Social Media 271

Social Media Media Startup Reputation 271

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2014

This is a software distribution and pricing model in which new applications are hosted by a service provider and made available to customers over a network, rather than requiring customer hardware. Every entrepreneur needs to leverage social media for better marketing, requirements, and customer service. Gamification.

Social Media 248

Social Media Cloud Retention Internet 248

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2016

A healthy business, ready to scale, has been doing this for a year or more, with an existing customer set generating a non-trivial and growing revenue stream. High customer loyalty and high team passion. Growing appreciation for the value of the solution provided. Martin Zwilling.

Revenue 145

Revenue Valuation Startup Viral 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

Obviously, it must be grounded by the characteristics of the market and customers you choose to serve, the pricing model of existing competitors, and a strategy you believe is consistent with your future products and direction. It’s great for customers, but not for startups, unless you have deep pockets. Freemium” model. Value model.

Product 290

Product Revenue Business Model Retention 290

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2022

Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate. Pick the right time and place for each message type, to maximize attention and retention. Fortunately these skills can be learned, and the barriers to communication can be overcome one by one. Information withheld.

Semantic 342

Semantic Technical Review Retention Distribution 342

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2013

This can be customer acquisition cost, revenue growth, profit, or whatever other parameters are key to your success. The depth in which connections can be made with the “audience” or “customers” is far greater than it possibly can be with any other medium. Pick the ones that fit your desired outcome. This is not trial and error.

Social Media 256

Social Media Media Product Conversion Ratio 256