Creating Successful Developer Programs: All About the Geeks Dave McClure Master of 500 Hats http://www.500hats.com http://500hats.typepad.com

7 Habits of Highly Successful Developer Programs Audience : Identify Your Main Geeks Product : Make Sure It’s Cool Geeks : Takes One to Know One Metrics : You Get What You Measure Biz Model : Bake it into the API Education : What Lombardi Said… Marketing : Sell Them, Not You

Audience : Identify Your Main Geeks

Product : Make Sure It’s Cool

Geeks : Takes One to Know One

Metrics : You Get What You Measure

Biz Model : Bake it into the API

Education : What Lombardi Said…

Marketing : Sell Them, Not You

Who’s Your Audience? Who are you trying to reach? end-customer developers indies? small co’s? enterprise partners? What Makes Them Tick? What Problems Do They Have? Are there geeks who are ALREADY solving your customers’ problems? if so, find & recruit them to your cause if not… better find some fast.

Who are you trying to reach?

end-customer

developers

indies?

small co’s?

enterprise partners?

What Makes Them Tick?

What Problems Do They Have?

Are there geeks who are ALREADY solving your customers’ problems?

if so, find & recruit them to your cause

if not… better find some fast.

Your Product = Better be Cool To get Geeks behind your product, it needs to be Cool cool = new, innovative, useful, latest tech If it ain’t cool, MAKE it cool. Provide [code] examples Find developers who are already solving the problem; see if they will use your tools if not, back to the drawing board Your #1 Job is to help geeks: 1) Make Money, OR 2) Become Famous (either one works)

To get Geeks behind your product, it needs to be Cool

cool = new, innovative, useful, latest tech

If it ain’t cool, MAKE it cool.

Provide [code] examples

Find developers who are already solving the problem; see if they will use your tools

if not, back to the drawing board

Your #1 Job is to help geeks:

1) Make Money, OR

2) Become Famous

(either one works)

Your Team = More Geeks Q1: Are you a Geek? A: if Yes -> Good. Now Go Find some More A: if No -> STOP. Do not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200 Hire EXTROVERTED Geeks (tough) Bloggers / Writers IRC / Wiki / Forum Addicts Hang Out at Conferences & Draw a Crowd Enjoy writing code samples & helping others Recruit “Geek Advisory Board” with Target Expertise Target Languages / Platforms Customer Verticals Already Successful / Making Money / Well-Known

Q1: Are you a Geek?

A: if Yes -> Good. Now Go Find some More

A: if No -> STOP. Do not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200

Hire EXTROVERTED Geeks (tough)

Bloggers / Writers

IRC / Wiki / Forum Addicts

Hang Out at Conferences & Draw a Crowd

Enjoy writing code samples & helping others

Recruit “Geek Advisory Board” with Target Expertise

Target Languages / Platforms

Customer Verticals

Already Successful / Making Money / Well-Known

Geek Metrics Have Some. Aligned with overall business goals. Examples: # new customers # downloads # active developers # transactions $ revenue from APIs TIP #1: Make Sure Your (non-Geek) Boss / Business Unit signs off on your metrics & goals TIP #2: Assume <1% of downloads convert to active use

Have Some.

Aligned with overall

business goals.

Examples:

# new customers

# downloads

# active developers

# transactions

$ revenue from APIs

TIP #1: Make Sure Your (non-Geek) Boss / Business Unit signs off on your metrics & goals

TIP #2: Assume <1% of downloads convert to active use

API Biz Model = Biz Model Bake your Business Model into your API no free rides, unless your product is free Ultimately, your API is just a [hopefully] big business development deal if your API helps geeks make $$$, YOU WIN!

Bake your Business Model into your API

no free rides, unless your product is free

Ultimately, your API is just a [hopefully] big business development deal

if your API helps geeks make $$$, YOU WIN!

Education = It’s The Only Thing To Win , You Must Educate (Product Mktg) To Educate , You Must Speak (Blog) To Speak , You Must Do/Show (Code Examples) TIP: DO NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR LOGIN TO EDUCATE. EVER. PERHAPS Require Reg / Login to Make Money / Get Fame ( but only if absolutely necessary ) EARLY BETA PROGRAMS = VIRTUE NDAs & LEGAL DOCUMENTS = CARDINAL SIN

To Win , You Must Educate (Product Mktg)

To Educate , You Must Speak (Blog)

To Speak , You Must Do/Show (Code Examples)

TIP: DO NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR LOGIN TO EDUCATE. EVER.

PERHAPS Require Reg / Login to Make Money / Get Fame ( but only if absolutely necessary )

EARLY BETA PROGRAMS = VIRTUE

NDAs & LEGAL DOCUMENTS = CARDINAL SIN

Marketing = Sell The Geeks, Not You What do Geeks Crave? Respect (always) Attention (sometimes) Money (sometimes) If you help them -> BFF Sell Your Best Geeks, Others Will Follow Product Directory of 3 rd -party apps / services Preferred / Certified developer program Affiliate / Incentives for your geeks $end them a $teady $tream of customer$

What do Geeks Crave?

Respect (always)

Attention (sometimes)

Money (sometimes)

If you help them -> BFF

Sell Your Best Geeks, Others Will Follow

Product Directory of 3 rd -party apps / services

Preferred / Certified developer program

Affiliate / Incentives for your geeks

$end them a $teady $tream of customer$