Steve Blank

JULY 22, 2010

Startup CEO’s can’t delegate sales and expect it to happen. Here’s an example in a direct sales channel. He talked about how his business model would make money and how the prospects he talked to seem to agree with his assumptions. Sales Process. Next, he took me through his sales process.

Forecast 270

Forecast Sales Customer Customer Development 270

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2011

Using your data, here are the basic elements of the projection process, which are measurable by milestones, and can be tracked to show when a re-forecast is required: Start with sizing per-unit profitability. Otherwise, sales, marketing, and operational costs will kill you. Next comes sales volume by channel.

Forecast 230

Forecast Burn Rate Startup .Net 230

Duct Tape Marketing

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

The rising importance of predictive AI-driven analytics became clear, hinting at a future where forecasts will shape decisions. He's a former VP of sales at HubSpot, and currently specializes in helping companies grow by implementing sales and marketing excellence. This is John Jantsch, and my guest today is Peter Caputa.

Metrics 75

Metrics Analytics Forecast Software Review 75

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 29, 2024

Designing Your Business Model Crafting a business model is like building a blueprint for your venture. Revenue streams are another critical component of your business model. Will you opt for direct sales, subscriptions, or a freemium model? However, do so with caution and strategic planning.

Intellectual Property 132

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Business Model Bootstrapping 132

Up and Running

MAY 1, 2014

If there are multiple market segments for your business, this is where you flesh out the details. Marketing and Sales Plan. What marketing and sales tactics will you be using? If you’ve accomplished some key milestones in the process of building your business, detail them here. If your business model (i.e., “how

Business Plan 163

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Distribution 163

Up and Running

JUNE 25, 2020

And while generating new business and growing your customer base is necessary to succeed, it doesn’t happen overnight. If your sales have recently hit a plateau, check out these 10 proven methods to continue growing your business. Growing your customer base and growing your sales typically means growing your team.

Small Business 180

Small Business Hosting Social Media Community 180

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 31, 2017

Managing innovation can be seen as a type of forecasting. SMS, video conferencing, and file sharing on the cloud can keep different locations or traveling sales and management in sync in essentially real time. A Digital Model. Adapting and even thriving on disruption should be at the core of every small business model.

Small Business 100

Small Business SMS Bandwidth Cloud 100

Up and Running

MAY 23, 2016

The one-page pitch format is also more suitable for SaaS businesses that are constantly testing new ideas. Your pitch is going to cover your strategy (what you’re going to do), your tactics (how you’re going to do it), your business model (how you will make money), and your schedule (who is doing what and when).

Software Review 74

Software Review Software Delaware Forecast 74

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 14, 2015

Heightened competition in PC markets, particularly from HP and Dell, has driven Lenovo’s PC ASPs down 6% from 2Q14, taking with it gross and operating profit that it intended to reinvest into sales and marketing initiatives for its mobile segment outside China and foster enterprise growth in the U.S. and Europe.

Revenue 100

Revenue Technical Review Lean Mobile 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2010

Otherwise, sales, marketing, and operational costs will kill you. Next comes sales volume by channel. This forecast is really their commitment. Initial forecasts should be aggressive for credibility, but don’t shoot for the moon. But a solid financial forecast is a required cornerstone for any business plan.

Forecast 151

Forecast Startup Burn Rate .Net 151

The Next Web

AUGUST 19, 2013

His passions are business process automation, surfing, and his new baby girl Maya. ?. Sales are the bloodstream for most businesses, and tech startups are no exception. This post is about choosing the right sales strategy and channels for your startup from the start. Step 2: Choose your sales channels.

Belarus 137

Belarus Viral Channel Startup 137

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 7, 2014

More brands will begin taking advantage of user-generated content as it builds loyalty and generates sales. Ads have come to dominate some of the larger social media channels. They will look to sites that do not have established business models and are free from annoying ads. Word-of-Mouth Marketing. The Smartphone.

Social Media 187

Social Media Forecast Media Channel 187

Up and Running

JANUARY 15, 2018

Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to start a small web design firm, you’ll need to develop a host of skills to help you run a successful business, including time management, sales and promotional strategies, and client acquisition. Create a Lean Business Plan. Promote your services. Cultivating relationships.

Web 86

Web Design Software Review Elevator Pitch 86

Up and Running

OCTOBER 22, 2014

So, you’ve been asked to write a business plan. It’s likely that your mind is filling with images of long documents, bad memories of writing term papers, and worries about doing market research and creating financial forecasts. Focusing on “everyone” is not a sound business strategy. Take a deep breath. Are you selling online?

Business Plan 130

Business Plan Elevator Pitch Forecast Partner 130

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Assuming you have tested the product and have some users, it would be a good idea to review your channels to market and how effective they are. There are two types of business architectures: High Volume, Low Margin which is a volume-based business and High Margin, Low Volume which is a complex business model.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Architecture Revenue Channel 157

Steve Blank

MARCH 5, 2012

One of the confusing things to entrepreneurs, investors and educators is the relationship between customer development and business model design and business planning and execution. When does a new venture focus on customer development and business models ? Here’s an attempt to put this all in context.

Search 320

Search Business Model Customer Development Agile 320

Up and Running

JANUARY 29, 2019

you can still reach out to those with similar business and revenue models. From there, do an actual sales forecast to model the revenue you think you’ll be able to bring in. Sales channels and strategies. How the business will be funded. Problem worth solving. Competition. Team and key roles.

Lean 64

Lean Business Plan Revenue Forecast 64

ConversionXL

APRIL 3, 2019

Go beyond standard sources of voice of customer data ; better options are: Interview founders (the original “customers”); Thank-you page surveys; Usertesting.com; Mine sales calls; Mine support tickets; Mine Facebook comments ; Mine online reviews. Or absolutely awful? Have the interview on video and record it (with permission).

Artificial Inteligence 114

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Metrics SEO 114

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

They made other assumptions about the type of sales channel, partnerships and revenue model they would need. And they rolled all of this up into a set of financial forecasts with a “size of market” forecast from brand name management consulting firms that said they’d have 42 million customers by 2002.

Business Plan 335

Business Plan Customer Business Model Customer Development 335

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

How does your business model make money? Good causes such as feeding the world’s hungry may help your marketing but may not sustain a business. The business model has to clearly define who is your customer, market penetration expected, how much customers pay versus total costs and the investment required to sustain cash flow.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Advisory Board Liquidity Event Startup 120

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 7, 2010

Business schools teach aspiring executives a variety of courses around the execution of known business models, (accounting, organizational behavior, managerial skills, marketing, operations, etc.). In contrast, startups search for a business model. (Or to optimize this search. to optimize this search.

Wiki 311

Wiki Lean Management Business Model 311

Gust

JANUARY 4, 2012

Most investors will assume that if the business plan is solid and a large market opportunity exists, there will be vigorous competition from other players. Financial, technical and operational plans and forecasts of all kinds (trade secret). Large companies] win by locking competitors out of their sales channels.

Intellectual Property 143

Intellectual Property IP Startup United States 143

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

then you may want to consider potential sponsorships or advertising opportunities with that business or venue. Channel incentives or rewards. Leave tips where your contacts go (maybe similar to what History Channel does on Foursquare). entrepreneur B2B startup smartphones location-based services business' Marty Zwilling.

B2B 210

B2B Angel Investor Forecast Global 210

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. Marketing, sales, and partners.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

How the solution and business model work to fund the business. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections.

Product 120

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Burn Rate 120

YoungUpstarts

MAY 26, 2017

Use a Bottom-Up Model. A common mistake is using a top-down model to forecast financials. This model tends to be way too optimistic, and ultimately unrealistic. Using the bottom-down model, you use your current situation and capabilities to see where you can reasonably go from there. Slide 6: Marketing & Sales.

Cofounder 185

Cofounder Silicon Valley Forecast Business Plan 185

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. Marketing, sales, and partners.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

What models of eCommerce fulfillment are available? eCommerce fulfillment is available in 3 different business models—self-fulfillment, 3PL fulfillment, and dropshipping. And just as we established in our discussion above, customer service is no longer restricted to only the post-sales efforts you put in. Dropshipping.

eCommerce 110

eCommerce Customer Retention Reputation 110

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 10, 2015

The sales channels you will use to reach your target customers. Your business model (or how you will make money). In the Bcast we discuss the latest trends in marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship. We also regularly interview business experts to help you get the most out of it. The problem you are solving.

Curation 60

Curation Lean Software Review Finder 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2012

Leave tips where your contacts go (maybe similar to what History Channel does on Foursquare ), or create a society in Whrrl (check out USA Today’s society). LBS data can not only give you information to drive the relationship, but you can also use it to identify your sales reps with similar interests and partner them with the prospect.

B2B 206

B2B Angel Investor Mobile Forecast 206

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2011

Internet marketers see it as a better way to target consumers, and even retarget them to close a sale. But entrepreneurs need to look more broadly than this to tracking, navigation solutions, safety, security, local business search, and payments. All you need to add is an innovative idea and viable business model.

B2B 227

B2B Startup Angel Investor Forecast 227

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

ROI per Marketing Channel. It’s crucial to keep a handle of ROI per marketing channel in order to optimize marketing spending. After all, a sustainable business model requires repeat customers! Keeping track of gross margin assures you know the value of each additional sale. Gross Margin.

Metrics 146

Metrics Burn Rate Entrepreneur Forecast 146

Seeing Both Sides

AUGUST 16, 2012

TripAdvisor may be one of the most fascinating companies I know and so I was excited to dig into their business model as part of my series on scaling. TripAdvisor is more of a classic consumer Internet success story, but with even more powerful network effects and an amazing business model. Henry Harteveldt, Forrester.

Part-Time VPE 54

Part-Time VPE Software Review Costa Rica Technical Review 54

Up and Running

MAY 31, 2016

See Also: How to Write a Business Plan in Under an Hour. The first big hurdle for the artist business plan is what they call the business model, or, if you don’t like the trendy buzzword, how you make money. ” Don’t completely discount the related businesses. Essential business numbers.

Business Plan 60

Business Plan Forecast Metrics Oregon 60

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. Marketing, sales, and partners.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

enabling you to expand on an already working business model), and if you’re in the extremely early stages of building your company, you still need to develop your product. This is going to be a much more valuable investment of your time than fundraising, and can help you determine early on if you have a viable business model.

Early Stage 60

Early Stage Startup Forecast Channel 60

Up and Running

AUGUST 12, 2016

What sales and marketing channels will you use? Rough out your business model. Create a sales forecast. Create a cash flow forecast. If it looks like you’ve got a viable financial model and you’ve got a market that is interested in your idea, you’ve got a good business idea on your hands!

Forecast 60

Forecast Audience Channel Business Model 60