Build a business not just a product
A five slides presentation from the
Team at Portfolio Software

Build a business not just a product
When estimating sales, be
conservative then half it
1. When estimating sales, be realistic and work
out the worst case, can the product still
survive
2. Passive selling takes time, a website is not a
sales tool, it is a brand
3. Building sales momentum requires
cash, don’t scrimp on the sales budget
4. The sales projections are not linear, expect a
slow take-up
5. Your sales budget is finite so don’t spread too
thin, target your customers with accuracy

Build a business not just a product
Don’t lose customers through lack
of support
1. You are at most vulnerable when you first release
your product, support should not be one of your
vulnerabilities
2. Resolve customer problems quickly, slow response
means both one lost customer and one more nail in
the coffin
3. Make it easy for your customers to contact you,
make it just as easy for them to complain. Don’t
hide behind an email address
4. Day 1 of an new product means you no longer have
the luxury of delayed releases, you are now in the
real world with real customers.
5. Give your customers quick feedback and always
provide estimates for resolution

Build a business not just a product
Have an exit strategy for you and
your product
1. Decide in advance when to pull the plug on a
failed product, and how
2. Work out a roadmap for a successful product
and how long it is likely to be useful
3. Killing a failed product is easy but saving the
few customers is much harder, give them an
exist strategy and help them exit easily
4. Don’t rely on a single product making you
rich, the odds are against you but do decide
when you are ready to move to the next product
5. People investing in your product will expect to
sell and move on at some point, work out the
optimum time for them to move

Build a business not just a product
Consensus does not work when
running a business
1. Team work is great but a leader chooses the
path
2. Business partners work well when both have a
single area of the business to concentrate on
3. Coalition governments are middle of the road,
people running businesses need to be slightly
daring
4. Don’t complicate the business with complex
decision making
5. Accept some decisions will be wrong, but at
least it is a decision

Build a business not just a product
Treat your customers as though
they own you, they do
1. A much used saying, but true, customers really
do make or break you
2. You may have bank-rolled the idea but
customers bank-roll both your profit and your
success
3. Treat your customers with respect at all times,
they deserve the best
4. It is much easier to look after an existing
customer than it is to get a new one
5. Customers have so much choice, do not
disappoint them in their choice to choose you

Portfolio Software was formed in 2002
We deliver great software solutions - you won't get what you
expect from Portfolio Software. You'll get more.
We take a different approach to software development, blending the strengths of
best practices and methodologies - not just limiting our options to one. Our long-
range vision focuses on your immediate needs first, developing a solution and a
roadmap for future expansion.
We work successfully with distributed teams - we recognise that
the world is flat
We are well versed with delivering solutions with teams distributed across 5
continents. We recognise the need, mitigate the risks and embrace the complexity.
We use industry standard processes - successful Delivery of Your
Solution is our Prime Directive
Whether Agile or Waterfall, we pick the best method and process for the delivery of
your solution. We manage the full lifecycle and have an open and transparent
working policy which means we keep you with us every step of the way.
Contact us:
Tel: +44(0)845 644 7855
Email: info@portfoliosoftware.co.uk