Comments on Random Thoughts in Marketing: Startup Funding - How to be lean

Not replacing your website per se, but the idea of...

2008-10-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

Not replacing your website per se, but the idea of a huge marketing budget to attract your own members.

I call it a "spoke and hub" factor. Think of companies like Facebook,Firefox, even Twitter as being the Hub. Think of all the widgets (Facebook), Add-ons (Firefox), and with Twitter all the 3rd party apps. that run on Top of Twitter using their API.

When you register to use most developers Twitter apps., they mostly require ONLY that you provide your Twitter User name & Password. It is a lot more effective than if they required their own separate registration.

I can not even count all the email requests I receive daily to join yet another Social Network. I ignore 99% of them. But when I see an application that already works with a Social Network I am already registered on? ...Not having to sign up yet again makes all he difference in the world. You can always provide (offer) to register them separately to your service at a latter date - AFTER you have proven your value to them.

Lastly, when you "borrow" another social networks users, you have let them do all the heavy lifting for you ($$$ to attract users). Why re-invent the wheel, when you can be effective being just the spoke :-)

Andy
www.twitter.com/A_F

These are some great tips... thanks for sharing.re...

2008-10-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

These are some great tips... thanks for sharing.

reg. #4 are you suggesting just creating a widget/app with your concept before building out a site?

@gsik

I negotiate everything (business and personal), an...

2008-10-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

I negotiate everything (business and personal), and most everything can be negotiated. Even when you can not negotiate to your price, you can usually get other goods or services thrown into the mix (which can be equally as valuable as the price itself).

Negotiation is an art, not a science. I will blog about this in the next day or two. If you are following me on Twitter, you will automatically be alerted when it posts. Thank you for your comment.

Andy

Good post. I really like your idea on the partner ...

2008-10-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Good post. I really like your idea on the partner up for cooperation.

Also can you clarify on the rate card issue? Even online services that have "minimal" telephone etc. support (like our hosting company) can be negotiated?

How did you do that?

MM