Most of our clients offer complex software products, frequently in combination with some amount of consulting services. Their sales are not the results of credit card transactions but a complex orchestrated sales process. Frequently their prospects need to see a custom demonstration or a benchmark that relies on their own data, not just the standard […]
Keeping the Ball Rolling With Prospects Read More »
Some quick thoughts on selling for software engineers. Sell results, not method. Land and Expand. Get clarity on the customer’s view of the problem. Listen.
Quick Thoughts on Selling For Software Engineers Read More »
We have a very fun group of entrepreneurs today in the workshop. Every time we give our workshops, I learn so much from our attendees. Today, I learned about a couple of new tools I am planning to check out: Small business CRM http://batchblue.com/ Demandbase http://www.demandbase.com/ I also was given the idea to use twitter
Fun Getting More Customers Workshop Today Read More »
Paying dues–putting the time in not only to understand but master a problem or situation–is a critical element of success in many circumstances.
Orienting, Observing, Doing Homework, and Paying Dues Read More »
If you accept the premise that we are living in an age of accelerating change, then you have to build and manage a learning process for your startup.
Building and Managing a Learning Process Read More »
In July I posted “Ten Design Thinking Quotes From Marty Neumeier. Mr. Neumeier has continued his drip irrigation of brilliant insights on twitter at @MARTYneumeier so here are seven of his recent ones related to learning and measurement.
Seven Quotes on Learning and Measurement From Marty Neumeier Read More »
We have added two Holiday Bootstrapper Breakfasts in the week between Christmas and New Years, continuing a tradition started two years ago of running two breakfasts that week at 9am. Any of these December breakfasts are a great opportunity to take some time to not only recap 2010 but also look forward for 2011. Your
Bootstrapper Breakfasts in December 2010 Read More »
A story from my interview process at Cisco. I asked “what are you doing to obsolete your product?”
What Are You Doing to Obsolete Your Product? Read More »
“Communities already exist..think about how one may help a community to do what they want to do.” Mark Zuckerberg As a rule of thumb if you cannot find a forum (broadly defined) that has already collected a chunk of your prospects–a target rich environment–then one of three things is true: You are in a nascent
Find Early Customers In Forums Read More »
You can follow @skmurphy to get these quotes for entrepreneurs hot off the mojo wire or wait until the end of the month when they are collected on the blog. Enter your E-mail if you would like new blog posts to your inbox.
Quotes For Entrepreneurs–November 2010 Read More »
Earning and keeping your customers’ trust is essential to your success as a startup. Gerald Weinberg’s “Secrets of Consulting” offers “11 Laws of Trust” as a guideline for establishing and maintaining successful business relationships.
Keeping Your Customers’ Trust Read More »
I spend a fair amount of time advising entrepreneurs, both informally when solicited and formally when I have been retained–and sometimes even when I have not been asked for advice. Here are some key principles I follow.
Advising Entrepreneurs Read More »
I am pleased to be able to offer our “Getting More Customers” workshop again next month. We will cover a variety of proven marketing techniques for growing your business: attendees will select one or two that fit their style and develop a plan to implement them in their business in the next 90 days. Speaking
“Getting More Customers in 90 Days” Workshop Dec-8-2010 Read More »
We have three Bootstrapper Breakfasts this week in Silicon Valley: the Dublin/Pleasanton breakfast was re-scheduled a week earlier to avoid falling on Thanksgiving. This is also our first San Francisco Breakfast in a new location: Sandbox Suites at 567 Sutter near Union Square. Tue-Nov-16-20 Sunnyvale 7:30am register Thu-Nov-18-2010 Dublin/Pleasanton 7:30am register Fri-Nov-19-2010 San Francisco (Sandbox
Three Bootstrapper Breakfasts This Week Read More »
Three quotes by Glenn Kelman on entrepreneurship that speak to entrepreneurship as self-actualization, partnerships, and depression.
Three Quotes from Glenn Kelman on Entrepreneurship Read More »
There comes a moment in a roller coaster ride when everything seems to come to a stop for an instant: you are just cresting the top of the rise and the amusement park is spread out all around you. Time stands still for a moment that seems like it might last forever. And then slowly,
How Conferences Will Persist: Rebooting DAC Read More »
On Veterans Day 2010 we honor those who have served in the military and lived: this year I want to recognize one veteran for his service in WW2.
What follows is a chat transcript from an hour long conversation I had with a entrepreneur recently. I have cleaned up all of our typos and removed or modified some identifying information. The basic business was for a website to arrange services for travelers. I wanted the entrepreneur to move beyond his passion for the
Build On Your Passion With A Basic Model And Numbers Read More »
“The time will come when Winter will ask you what you were doing all Summer.” Henry Clay I took the extra hour I had today and made a list of a few key things I want to accomplish before the end of the year. Many of these I can use your help or feedback on,
Daylight savings time ends tonight in Silicon Valley: we get the hour back we lost in the Spring. So tomorrow is technically a 25 hour day, something I wish for when I can’t prioritize. We have eight weeks left in 2010 and there’s not enough time left to accomplish everything I wanted to this year.
