The down and dirty way to build your company without venture money

"The down and dirty way to build your company" Phil Hill - 11/17/2009

Introduction
Phil Hill short bio (full bio philhill.net )
Built Netzip and exited - powered downloading of products like Netscape Navigator (acquired by RealNetworks).
Co-Founded Vocalocity : #1 for cloud based phone systems for micro-enterprises
Currently - go-to-market strategy for OpenStudy.com . Peer to peer study platform for students
Chairman, Soccer in the Streets.org - life skills for at-risk city kids.

Purpose of talk
Practical stories for building a start-up on the cheap, without VC investment.

Spot the error… Good Guerrilla marketing BUT No phone number

Questions Text 36441 and your question to 99503 Example: I want to ask “when’s lunch?” I would text “ 366441 When’s lunch? ” to the following number - 99503 Or tweet @poll 36441 and your message

The Toilet Brush Rules ‘Know when it’s time to move (on)’ Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Road to the tech world Speed dating for refrigeration salesman If you don’t know something then find someone who does - partners work Don’t do something that doesn’t make sense!

Follow the 5 P’s of Marketing Yum Price Promotion Product Place (distr) People

Create a marketing plan
1 day exercise [see philhill.net ]
1 to 2 each for the P’s
Define your category and shout it to the world
Be #1 in downloading
Ignore your competition, they’ll distract you
Decide on a home run ===>
Know Your Strategies Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Set Your Home Run
Picasso: “Good artists copy; great artists steal”
TS Elliot: “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal”
Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Make Up Your Own Rules
Set your strategy - Get bundled in Explorer or Netscape = 20m eyeballs @ $100 each = beach
Zero cash up front No deal with marketing We’re small Sign deal in 6 months Landscape $5m cash pay-to-play Deal with marketing Dept Must be big company Our rules

People, People, People Your employees are your business; it’s like a marriage

Some marriages will never work, no matter how talented the newly weds And some defy the odds…

Align your values & go with your gut
Cultural fit huge
Groom the intelligent - party store manager
Use the ‘engagement’ period - first 30 days
Be open with your employees - they’ll take it
Motivate and reward; it’s not always $$$ (try an A-Fund)
You’ll get wrong: you’ll get it right
Getting Married Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Be Guerrilla
Rely on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget
This one... Not this one...

Examples
Low cost press coverage
Netscape press release with a picture of Governor of New York.
‘ Home made’ YouTube videos for use with customers
http://bit.ly/sPxUD
Quick customer referrals
Send out a Flip camera with return SAE
Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Add the 6th P = Participation Engage your customers

6th P = Participation
Some ways to engage your customers without costing the world
Uservoice.com or GetSatisfaction.com Get on location feedback - pollanywhere.com Set up a Customer Advisory Council Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503

Consultants Yea or Nay?
Tight scope of work
Build inside sales
Do the leg work
Work out conversion rates
Not your magic pill to fix your business
Yea Nay

Questions? [email_address] www.philhill.net 770.884.1342 Text “36441 { and your question }” to 99503 Contact me for help in building your company

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The down and dirty way to build your company without venture money

by Phil Hill on Sep 17, 2009

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The down and dirty way to build your company without venture money — Presentation Transcript